The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1879-07-10
INTO ETERNITY.
Sensational Casualty at Niagara
A Brides Distressing Fate.

My God, my God, my God, my
wife, my wife, my darling Ma
thilder exclaimed frantic French
man as his wife was swept into the
river near Horse shoe falls Satur
day, and floated swiftly over the
falls. On Wednesday last Mr.. and
Mrs. A. ROLAND, of "a Rue Mog-
nau, Paris, arrived at Niagara Falls
from Chicago and took rooms at the
Falls Hotel. They could speak but
little English, and for that reason
took their meals at French res
taurant opposite, kept by a fellow
countryman named j. b. Roman.
During their stay they visited all
places of interest on both sides OF
the river, and were to have started
at noon Saturday for New York,
whence they were to Immediately
sail for France. Saturday morning
Mrs. ROLAND expressed a desire to
pay a farewell visit to Goat island,
as she had enjoyed most the mag
nificent scenery from that point.
They left their hotel about 9 O'Clock
and leisurely walked over the
bridge, taking the right hand road
around the island. While at the
Three Sisters Island they went
down the stairs leading to the right
of the bridge, looking to the Cana
da shore. Anxious to behold all
the beauties of the falls, they as
cended the few steps, and, as they
did so, met two gentlemen who
were coming down. They also saw a
boy dipping cup of water from
the river, which he drank, and then
followed after the gentlemen re-
ferred to. A short distance from
the few steps leading down under
the trees the island. ends abruptly,
the edge of the bank above the wa
ter being about one foot in height.
Distant only few feet is still an
other island, very small, and to
which access is impossible. Be
tween the third Sister aad this lit
tie 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 de-
sire to drink from old Niagara,
Mrs. ROLAND asked her husband
for his travelling cup, which he took
from its morocco case and handed
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 mo-
ment passed, and then a blood cur
ding 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 headlong into the
restless torrent. The husband rush
ed to the brink of the bank, but he
was powerless. In a breath she
was washed away upon the crest of
the descending water, and a mo
ment later disappeared from view.
Frantic with grief he made his way
back to the hotel. Two years ago
Mr.. ROLAND was married in Paris,
and since that time their life has
been a continual honeymoon. Wher
ever he went she went also. Leav
ing Paris after the exhibition, they
went on tour, and during the past
eight months have visited India,
China, Japan, San Francisco, Chi
,ago and Niagara Falls. The blow
% the husband is overp0wering, |
md he can only weep and exclaim:
My poor Mathilde! my poor Ma
hildep Mrs. ROLAND was twenty
i've years of age, and is reputed to
lave been a very handsome woman.
Ter husband is forty-four years of
.ge, and is a prominent manufac-
urer of firearms at Leige, Belgium.
lie will remain at the Falls a few
lays with the almost forlorn hope
# recovering the remains of his
rife.