Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-05-30

NOTED RIVER PIRATE TAKES THE FEARFUL
| RIDE-FEARfuL STRUGGLES OF THE DOOM
ED MAN FOR LIFE-TORN To PIECES ON THE
ROCKS.
| From the New YORK Hefald
| A terrible tragedy was enacted at Niagara
Falls, Sunday afternoon, in the presence Of
about fSe hundred people. when "Pl"
Walker, a noted smuggler and river pirate,
went over the falls before their horriied
gaze. The Erie railroad had gotten up a
| special Sunday excursion from Buffalo,
which was pstronized by a large number Of
| people, and Goat Island. Prospect Park and
the shore near the Cataract Horse was COW
cred with sightseers Suddenly some one on
tho shore opposite the upper end OF Goat
Island raised the awful cry OF warning, "A
man in the rapids '" and a. the people
tocked to the edge OF the water they saw
small boat with single occupant. slowly
being sucked into the white water.
FUTILE STRUGGLE FIR LIFE.
The man was rowing for all he was worth,
but be seemed to bs dszed either with lear
or intOxitation and he was unable to
make much Roadway Suddenly the
oarsman caught crab" his oar
head went down and he lay at length in
the bottom OF the boat. The boat then
turned its PROV down stream ana began to
descend the rapids OF the American falls, ITS
pace growing more and more swift until
hcally It struck u rock about two inches
from the surface, and stopped, and began
slowly to twist and turned In the tddying
current
The crowd screamed to the man to lump
out and cling to the rock. and the widest
excitement WAS manifested upon the shore
But he still lay 10 the bottom OF the boat
and made no apparent attempts to do 50. \
dozen schemes VI rescue flashed through tho
minds Of the spectators, aud two old guides
had already started on Il run up the stream
to procure rope and another boat, " hen the
boat swung round and once more felt the
force Of the current and now began liz mad
plunge to destruction.
oN TO DESTRUCTION.
The surging water caught the liz ht skill
10 its clutches though it were feather |
and bore it downward like a salmon, bow
forward, on a mad and dizzy pace. But
only Tor lew IodS; then o second rock |
obscured the way, and with crash the |
light boat struck against 1t and parted in |
twain. the port side going all - pieces, |
while the starbJard was not so badly
damaged. The body Of the man WAS flung
hesdlCng into tho eddying nael>trom.
sucked under for mumant, aud then
tossed to the surface just above the bridge
which leads to Goat Island lie throw his
arms wildly into the air. and those who
were ON the bridge saw for an instant II
white and haggard lace set in the eguny vi
despair then hs was again drawn below
the surface, never 10 resppear On this side
OF eternity Those who saw this sckenlng
spectacle will never forget its especially
horrible features.
There was something absolutely Sabine
in the relentless grasp OF the hurrying wa
ters. They fairly seemed u rend the man
limb from limb, and old guides who wit
messed the catastrophe say that the body
never will DO found in u whole condition
but 1t was literally ground to pieces against
the Jagged edges Il the powders against
" hich II was tossed.
As soon As the tragedy was completed aud
he pent-up feelings Ui the spectators had
ound relief int exclamation. the question
irOso who was the victim 2'
Tho answer was not long IN coming, Tor
many had seen tho lace above the rapids
md not n Tow recognized 1t u- belonging to
'PI Walker. ono ui the best known char
Icters about tho falls
THE MAN IDENTIFIED
All doubt on this score Wa. removed slJn
iterward. when a man came running down
rom the village OF Port Day AMI asxed al
er the drowned man. saying that he had
oft there shortly before IN his skill IN quite
n intoxicated condition, and he hal been
cen gong 80 close to the rapids that It wa-
cared he had gone over the rapiJ- "'Pi'
as been on bad spree to day ." sad the {
ian. 'lle went over to ono Of the small :
lands near Port Day with friend and !
hey had key OF beer between them " hich :
guess. is not very full now then ho came I
ack to Port Day and then startol down '
he river. It IN thought, to row to Goat l. /
md. lie was very drunk when he eIt, }
nd could hardly manage his boat"