Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-07-18
THE NIAGARA FALLS TRAG.
EDY.
Tho Story Of Two Of the Victims An
Elopement and Fatal Pleas.
uro Trip.

| From the Cleveland Herald, July 10.
| Our readers are familiar with the
principal circumstances connected
with the terrible casualty at Niaga
ra Falls, on the 4th ofJuly, by which
five persons lost their lives-two
couples of young people and boy.
Two of the party were from near
Cleveland, and we give below, in
brief, the story of their elopemcnt
and its fatal ending.
The names of this couple, as they
appear in the Buffalo papers, doubt.
less taken from the marriage license
found among their effects, were
John Elliott and Margaret Rolliston.
The latter name is correct, but that
of the young man is not, he having
given fictitious name, and report
ed that they were from Cincinnati,
in order to throw their friends off
the track in case Of pursuit. His
name was John Emerson, and his
father lives on Euclid Creek, ten
miles cast of Cleveland. The faith
err of the girl lives in the township
Of Willoughby, five or six miles east
of the Creek.
The young man was about 10
years Of age, and his fiancee, per-
haps, year younger. The Roll
inston family came to this city from
Canada lite more than year
ago, and soon after went to Euclid,
where they were employed upon the
farm Of Mr.. Hunt. An intimacy
sprang up between Miss Rolliston
and young Emerson, which resulted
in their engagement to be married.
1t is understood that his friends OPP
posed the match on account of the
youth of both parties, and for other
reasons known to themselves. The
amatory pair, therefore, laid their
plans for an elopement.
The tale We are telling is not
wholly a romantic and affecting one
of "true love" crushed and trampled
under foot by flinty-hearted parents,
of flight for all that seemed worth
living for, and of death in each
others arms, amidst the roar of the
mighty cataract. Part Of these SEN
sational features belong to the case,
but the unpleasant fact is also to be
added, that John broke open trunk
and stole $500 of his fathers money,
to give himself = Gift" in the world
with his young bride.
The parties left home on Monday
of last week, Emerson taking, at
Euclid Station, a train for Buffalo,
on the Lake Shore Railroad, Miss
Rolliston joining him at Willough-
by. 1t has been ascertained they
went to Buffalo, and either there or
in Canada procured marriage
license, though it is understood they
had not yet been married when they
embarked for that fatal trip. Miss
Rollinston had an aunt living near
the Falls, in Canada, and the couple
had been visiting there for day or
two. A young brother of hers was
also staying there, and he was tho
boy lost in the boat that went over
the Falls, having accompanied the
party on the excursion.
When they went upon the river,
for pleasure ride, they were warn
ed to keep near the shore, and, as
they valued their lives, to keep out
of the resistless current. Careless
ly rowing and floating along, their
boat was imperceptibly drawn into
the current, and when they realized
their danger it was too late. More
swiftly each moment they were
hurried on to the verge Of the catar-
act, and then the fearful plunge
came and ended their young lives.
1t is not yet known who the other
couple were.