Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1875-08-19
The NIAGARA FALLS HORROR.

ENGuLFED IN THE CAVE OF TIE WINDS
DROWNING OF A Fearless WOMAN AND
BRAVE NAN. ri
The Niagara Falls Register gives
the following particulars of sad affair,
heretofore reported by telegraph
A party. consisting of Mr.. E,helbert
Parsons and Miss Lottie G. Philpott,
Mr.. VIM. a Philpott, Jr., and wife.
Miss Hattie Fields, of Buffalo, and Mr..
Chas. II. Philpott, started for the Cave
of the Winds about 5 o'clock. They
chose this time because at no hour OF
the day can the rainbow be seen in
such perfection. Arrived at the cave,
they were advised by Mr.. Wright, the
lessee of the cave, to take a guide, but
as they were all thoroughly familiar
with the place, and had made repeated
trips through the cave in former years,
they declined the proffered assistance,
and started downthe Biddle stairway.
They followed the usual pathway until
they reached the 'extreme eastern end
of the railing,'o when TREY clambered
out upon the rpcks Immediately inifront
of the cave. VIM. Philpott and his
wife seated themselves ON the. rocks,
| while tile othepnfour ventaaed ,aut still
further,4;md Hesceaasa to a ,sstream
which flows dawn over. the rocks in
front aud alitI!e, to, the right. of the
cave. Here they remained for some
time, amusing themselves in the, water
which brawls oyer the rocks and rushes
through the ,ereyices with great force.
Finally Miss Eottie went still further
! down the river and entered an eddy,
which, however, was. partially pro-
tected by ehcircling boulders. Here
she played in the water, which at this
place affords an excellent current bath,
and was soon rejoined by her three
other friends. Mr. Parsons entered
the water with her, and while he was
getting foothold, that he might guard
against any possible accident, she
slipped. He had hold of her hand, and
as she fell be caught her, and together
they were swept into the,e2current.
| which bore them down about thirty
feet toward the river Those on the
rocks report that Miss Lottie was next
seen stantling,np, in the water and lean
ing,fgaiasta barge rock. > They were
now ia "a powerful current, and, both
seemed TO BE making endeavors to save
| one another. Her position was the
more precaliops, since the slightest
movement either way would expose
her to the full fury of the water, and
once fairly in the jill power Of the cur
rent ell hope Of escape would be ended;
! Mr.. Parsons, from bis position, could
have easily saved himself, but thinking
| that he could rescue her. he seized her
and tried to reach the rock above
them. Though he battled with the
raging current with that strength which
despair alone can give, they both were
swept from their vantage ground on
the rock aud .whirled into the madden
ing food below. Twice they were
seen to disappear below the surface.
BY this time they had been carried
web eIt into the river and to their
agonized friends on shore they appeared
to be standing on rocks, about eight
rods or SO from the edge of the river.
To one acquainted with the great depth
of the river and the tremendous force
of the under current, it seemed that
they had at last found place Of safety
and might yet be rescued. But the
treachero,ls current was bearing them
rapidly down the river to the death
which was now inevitable. Parsons
made heroic endeavor to reach the
shore with her for whom he had risked
his life He was a strong swimmer,
and was seen floating on his back, sup
porting her, and struggling against the
current. All his efforts wsre of no
avail, the fatal current separated them,
and Miss Lottie, deprived Of the strong
protecting arm that had upheld her,
disappeared with hands raised despair
ingly above her head. Mr.. Parsons
must have seen her 60 under the water,
but he still made brave efforts to pre-
serve his own life. From the shore he
was seen strug gling in an aimless way
to keep his head above the. water: A
thick cloud of spray interviewed for a
moment between the drowning man
and the friends who were powerless to
lend him aid, and when it disappeared
Parsons was gone, and the, cruel river
swept Oh as though this tragedy had
not been. The SPOT where they were
l,Gt coon Id ,ahoIut Fdd,,io tE;r1 tha 1ietanoa