The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1879-06-07


presence of about five hundred
people, when 'Pr Walker, noted
smuggler and river pirate. went
over the falls before their Mortified
gaze. Tho Erie Railroad had got
ten up a special Sunday excursion
from Buffalo, which was patron-
ICED by a large numbe. OF people
and Goat Island, Prospect Park
and the shore near tho Cataract
House was covered with sightseers.
Suddenly some one on the shore
opposite the upper end OF Goat
Island raised the awful cry of
warning, "a man in the rapids !"
and as the people tlocked to the
edge Of the water they saw a small
boat, with single occupant, slow
ly being sucked into the white
water. a
The man was rowing Tor all hc
was worth, but he seemed to be
daxed either with fear or iMtoxica-
ton and he was unable to make
much hesdway. Suddenly the oars
man "caught crab" his oars few
out OF the rowlocks, his head went
down and he lay at length in the
bottom ofthe boat. The boat then
turned its prov down stream aud
began to descend the rapids Of the
american FALLS its pace growing
more and more swift until finally
il struck a rock about two inches
from the surface, and stopped, ami
began slowly to twist and turn In
the eddying current.
The crowd screamed to the
man to jump out and cling to the
rock, and the widest excitement
/. was manifested upon the shore.
Bnt re lay still in the bottom OF the
boat aud made no apparent ut.
tcmpts to 10 20. A dozen schemes
of rescue nash>d through the
minds ofthe spectators, and two
old guides had already started on a
run up the stream to procure fofa
and another boat, when tho boat
swung round and once more felt
the force of the current and now
began its mad plungc to dcstruc-
tion, -.
The surging water caught the
light skilI in The clutches as though
Il were feather aud bore il down
ward like a salmon, bow forward
on a mad and dizzy pace. But
ouly for fow rods; then a second
rock obscured The way, and with
a crash HE light boat struck
against il and parted in twain, the
port side going all to pieces, while
the starbolrd was not badly dam
aged he body of the man was
flung headlong into tho cddying
maelstrom, sucked under for a
moment, and then tossed TO the
surface just above the bridge
which leads to Goat Island. lie
threw his arms wildly into the air,
and those who were on the bridge
saw for an instnnt 4 white and
haggard face set in the agony Of
despair; when he was again drawn
below the surface. never to
rcappcar on this side of eternity.
Those who saw this sickeniug
spectacle will never forget iti
especially horrible features.
There was something absolutel,
sublime in the relentless grasp .
the hurrylng waters. They fairl.
seemed to rend the man limb from
limb, and old guides who witness
cd the catastrophe SAYS thst the
body will never be found in n who'll
condition; that it was LITERAL.
ground to pieces against the jagge'
edges of tho bowldcrs agaius
which it was tossed.
As soon as the tragedy was con-
pleted and the pent-up feelings 0
the spectators had found rcliefint
exclamation, the question aros
: .Who was the victiln?"
The answer was not long |
coming, for many had seen tll
: face above the rapids and not
few recognized II as belonging .
9 "Pi" Walker one Of the bct
Q known characters about the fall
All doubt OH this score was RI
: moved soon afterwards. when
man came running down from I'll
:. villagc Of Port Day and aske
$ after the drowned man, saying thi
Q he had left there shortly before !
l. his skiff in quite an intoxicate
. condition; and he had been see
: going SO close to the rapids tb'
d it was feared he had gone over II
7 rapids.
!" "Pi' has been OH a bad spree Il
: day, "said the man. "Ile wcl
= over to one Of the small island
near Port Day with friend an
: they had a keg Of beer betwce
/. them which guess, is not vcr
D full now; then he came back
.. Port Day aud then started dow
10 the river, it Is thought, to row
% Goat Rsland. lie was very drum