Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-05-29
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OVER NIAGARA
A Druuksn piIotswsp, Over the Fall. sunda

Buffalo. N. Y, May 25. Niagara
Falls WAS the scene of another tragic
death this after noon, and Pie WAL
ker was the man who furnished the
tragedy. After successfully wrest
ling with the eddys and currents and
the rocks and the rapids of the river
for years, and saving score or more
persons from watery graves, he to-
day was swept over the American
cataract in me presence of large
crowd of excursionists, who were
scattered about, little suspecting
the awful spectacle which they
were SO suddenly called upon to wit
ness. The primary cause of WAL
ker's death was drunkenness, He
had a lip for liquor, which got the
better of him. Where he imbibed
to-day is not known, but about 2
o'clock he was observed to leave Fort
Day, about two miles above Goat
island, badly intoxicated. 1t is be-
lieved he pulled over to one of the
islands, where he discussed the con.
tents of keg Of beer with some
companions. 1t is then supposed
that he attempted to reach Goat Is
land, or to return to Port Day. To
row a boat to Goat Island is a very
dangerous and foolhardy trick, but
one many times accomplished by
Walker. He would do it for a small
purse on wager, or even TO gratify
the curiosity of tourists. Whatever
his intentions, he miscalculated his
powers above Goat Island, and it
was at this point that the Mortified
spectators first caught sight of him
as he came down the river. A man
on the bank shouted to him to row to
the sluiceway near the Cataract
House, and he tried to do so, but
caught crab, lost his balance, and
fell backward in the boat, where he
lay stupefied with intoxication. The
liberated oar drifted away from the
boat, and the light skiff was caught
in the swift current and carried down
until it reached a point about half
way between the head Of the island
and the Cataract House, when it
caught upon rock, swinging around
for several seconds. The situation at
this time was one Of extreme horror
and the spectators looked on with
bated breath and beating hearts.
The boat then leaped forward upon
its terrible journey, riding upon the
crest of the water, then struck half
sunken rock and parted in twain
splitting the occupant into the boiling
rapids. The spectators on the shore
of Goat Island and the bridge, not
less than 400 of whom were specta-
tors of the awful catastrophe, and \
saw the man rise above the surface
of the water, throw up his hands
once, and then his body was caught
in the resistless underflow and was
swept from sight forever.
The ferrymen below the falls were
and rowing near the catar-
act made search for the body, and
nothing was found but his hat, badly
cut by the rocks, an oar uninjured,
and the pieces of his boat. The lat
ter were eagerly sought by curiosity |
hunters as souvenirs of the terrible
accident. The victim was well
known at the Falls. He was boat
house keeper, and was wild, harum-
'carum, dissipated fellow. He cared
for the danger. of the river,
md laughed to scorn the very idea
IF fear.
He was credited with being a reg
liar outlaw and smuggler, and when
n danger from the law he would
'eek one of the smaller islands and
'emain until the storm blew over.
He made much trouble for his neigh
3ors by his vindictiveness and re
spirit.
His rehdeemng feature was his
in saving human life, the
'esult of his desperate daring He
vas 80 years OF age, and leaves a
wife and two children.