Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-06-30
SWEPT INTO ETERNITY.
Particulars Of the Recent Sensational
Casualty at Niagara Falls---A Young
Brides Distressing Fate.

my God, my God, my God. my wife
my wife, my darling Mathilde !" ex,
claimed a frantic Frenchman as hi.
wife was swept into the river neal
Horses shoes falls Saturday, and hoateC
swiftly wei the falls. On Wednesday
last Mr.. and Mrs. A. ROLAND of p
Rue MOgnau, PARIS, arrived at Niaga-
ra Falls from Chicago and took room.
at the Falls Hotel. They could speak
but little English, and tor that reason
took their meals at a French restau,
rant opposite, keptIby a fellow-country,
mar named j. A. Roman. During
their stay they visited all the
places Of interest on both
sides of the river, and were to
have started at noon Saturday for
New York, whence they were to i'm
mediately sail for France. Saturday
morning Mrs. ROLAND expressed a
desire to pay a farewell visit to Goat
Island, as she had enjoyed most the
magnificent scenery from that point,
They left their hotel about 8 o'clock
and leisurely walked wei the bridge,
taking the righthand road around the
island. While at the Three Sisters
Island they went down the stairs lead.
ing to the fight of the bridge, looking
toward the Canada shore. Anxious
to behold all the beauties of the falls,
they assembled the few steps, and, as
they did so, met two gentlemen who
were coming up. They also saw a boy
dipping a cup of water from the river,
which he drank. and then followed
after the gentlemen referred to. A
short distance from the steps leading
down under the trees the island ends
abruptly, the edge of the bank above
the water being about one foot
in hight. Distant only a few feet
is still another island, very
small, and to which access is impossi-
BILE. Between the third Sister and
this little island the water flows with
great velocity, and it was there that
Mrs. ROLAND saw the boy dip up the
cup of water. Filled with a strange
desire to drink from old Niagara, Mrs.
ROLAND asked her husband for his
travelling cup, which he took from its
morocco case and handed to her. AS
he gave it to her he stepped back a
few steps to get a better view of the
river above, and as he did so she
stopped over the abrupt bank to fill
her silver cup. A moment passed, and
then a bloOd-curdling shrek was
heard above the rush and roar OF
the waters, and the husband turned
Just in time to see his wife topple
for an instant and then plunge head
long into the restless torrent. The
husband rushed to the brink OF
the bank, but he was powerless.
In a breath she was washed
away upon the crest of the descend
ing water, and a moment later disap.
peared from view. Frantic with grief
Mr., ROLAND made his way back to the
hotel. Two years ago MIR. ROLAND
was married in Paris, and since thai
time their life has been a continual
honeymoon. Wherever he went she
went also. Leaving Paris after
the exhibition, they went on a tour.
and during the past eight months have
visited India, China, Japan, San Fran.
cisco, Chicago and Niagara Falls.
The blow to her husband is Overpow.
ering, and he can only weep and ex.
claim MY poor Mathilde my poor
Mathildel Mrs. ROLAND was twenty.
five years of age, and is reputed t.
have been a very handsome woman
Her husband is forty-four years o.
age, and is a prominent manufacture
Of firearms at Leige, Belgium. Thu
remains h9Ya been recovered, and he
will leaye the Falls in a few days.