The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-08-28

| into me FoJter of Dcdth-d Fcnrt,ss Woman
and Brace Man Dro~ned.
From the Niagara Falls Register
A party, consisting of Mr.. Ethelbert
Parsons and Miss Lottie G. Philpott,
Mr.. William A. Phiipott, Jr., and wife,
Miss Hattie Fields, CT Buffalo, and Mr..
Chas. Fl. Philpott, started for the Gave
of the Winds, about five o'clock. They
chose this time of day because at no
ho1r 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 down the Biddle stairway.
They followed the usual pathway until
they reached the extreme eastern end of
the railing, when they clambered out
upon the rocks Immediately in front of
the cave. William Philpott and his
| wife seated themselves on the rocks,
| while the other four ventured out still |
furth r, and descended to a stream |
which flows down over the rocks, in |
front and little to the right of the |
| cave. Here they remained for some |
time, amusing themselves in the water,
which brawls over the rocks and rush 3s
through the crevices with great force.
Finally Miss Lottie went still further
down the river and entered an eddy,
which, however, was partially protected
by encircling 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 W iters with
her, and while he was getting foothold,
ha or11or1 onofpot |
sible accident, she slipped. He had
hold of her hand, and, as she fell, he
caught her, and together they were
swept into the current, which bore them
down about thirty feet toward the river.
Those on the rocks report that Miss
Lottie was next seen standing up in the
water and leaning against large rock.
They were now in a powerful current,
and both seemed to be making endeav-
ors to save one another. Her position
was the more precarious, since the
slightest movement, either way, would
expose her to the full fury of the water,
and once fairly in the power of the cur
rent all hope of escape would be ended.
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 current
with that strength which despair alone
can give, they both were swept from
their vantage ground on the rock, and
whirled into the maddening food below.
Twice they were seen to disappear be-
low the surface.
By this time they had been carried '
we'll out into the river, and to their I
agonized friends nshore they appeared I
to be standing on rocks, about eight t
rods or SO from the edge of the river.
To one unacquainted 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 l
the treacherous current was bearing Q
them rapidly down the river to the
death which was now inevitable. Par L
Sons made heroic endeavors to reach the s
shore with her for whom he had risked
his life. He was strong swimmer, and y
was seen floating on his back, support u
ing her, and struggling against the cur
rent. ALI his efforts were of no avail p
The fatal current separated them, and
Miss Lottie, deprived of the strong pro- G
,ecting arm that had before upheld her,
lisap peared with hands raised despair
nely above her head. Mr.. Parsons
must have seen her go under the water,
but he still made brave efforts to pre- v
serve his own life. From tie shore he Il
was seen struggling in On aimless ay to a
Keep his b sad above the water. A thick b
,loud of spray interviewed for moment t!
the drowning man and the d
friends who were powerless to lend him I,
lid, and when it disappeared, Parsons &
vas gone, and the cruel river swept on II
Is though this tragedy had not been. q
The spot where they were last seen is II
bout one third the distance from the Q
Gave to the American Falls. d
Miss Philpott was 25 years of age, C
md the only daughter of Mr.. William a
Philpott, an old and highly respected 2
.esident of the Falls. Ethelbert Par 3
IONS, who lost his own life in the heroic t
attempt to save that of his con panion, a
vas 30 years of age, and son of Horatio i
4. Parsons, Esq, of LaSalle. a
At last accounts the bodies had not Fl
been recovered.