Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-09-12
Sam Patch.

So. Sam Patch. 49, IN
| HIS LAST LEAP AS DESCRIBED BYaANJa
EYEWITNESS. .Aoitesl9 (.
will premise by saying that he was no
impostor, but that in his brief career he
| always performed all that he promised in a
straightforward and honest way. He
never resorted to the use of rubber straps,
coils of wire, or parachute, in order to
render his leaps free from apparent dam
ger. Sam Patch, as he was familiarly call
ed, was native of Paterson. N. j., the
son of ''poor but honest parents,' and for
some years lived there alone with his Wild
owed mother. He is said, by some per-
sons to have been lazy, shiftless and dis
sipated fellow, but [ was assured by an
old and reputable merchant OF the place. a
few years ago, who knew Sam well, that
this was not So. The same gentleman
kindly took me to the place where he made
his first leap into the Passaic river, of
some eighty or ninety feet, and which he
repeated several times. During the sum-
mer of 1929 Patch went to Niagara Falls,
and made one or two successful leaps into
the seething waters below. In October
of the same year he came to Rochester,
and gave out that he would leap from a
small island above the upper falls. This
was the last Of October, and was an occa-
sion that called together more people than
Rochester ever saw before. ~
Fully fifty thousand were on hand to
witness for the first time daring feat that
no other man had ever attempted in this
country. On this occasion I took my
stand below the falls close to the waters
edge, and nearly under the projecting rock
from which he was to jump. Promptly at
the hour announced Sam made his appear
ance on the spot, and was greeted with
cheers and tigar such as any human
might be proud Of. After surveying the
vast assemblage for moment, he removed
his outside garments and tied a red ban
dana around his waist. 5a Ia. il 40;
Soon he waved farewell to the people
ON all sides, which no doubt sent a chill
through many bosom, and, with arms
extended, leaped into the waters below. L
shall never forget the sensation as looked
up and saw him coming down. just as he
reached the water he brought his arms to
his side, and went in without a ripple upon
the surface. In an instant he reappeared
and swan to shore, with no injury save a
slight cruise on his shin against sunken
tree. He was taken on the shoulders of
some present and carried up the bank,
where he received the hearty congratula-
tions Of all the vast, admiring crowd. Il
On the 9th of November following, he
made another and his last leap: this time
from an elevated platform Is feet high
making the whole distance Of the leap 125
feet. It was chilly, unpleasant day,
with some ice in the river, and, to protect
himself from the cold, he drank rather too
freely of brandy, as we noticed in follow
ing him close on the island, from which
he was destined never to return. He as
cended to the place Of leaping with appar-
ent ease and GOODNESS, and, after looking
out upon the sea Of heads for a moment,
he, as before, removed all his garments ex-
cept pants and shirt, and, tying the ban
dana again around his body. he motioned
to all last farewell, and walked off to al
most instant death. He struck the water
ON his breast, and as it closed over him we
felt sure that for him this was 'sthe last
of earth.'' Diligent search was at once
made for his body, but all in vain. Early
the next spring, however, it was found
floating at the mouth OF the river at Char
lott, with the handkerchief still on. His
remains were decently inferred in the vii
lage cemetery.
Some may wonder what became Of Sans
bear, that was also to make similar leap
that same day. fl remember rightly it
was bought by one of our village BARRIERS
by the name Of Sears, who fed him few
months till he became quite fat; then he
killed him, and added the ''bear's oil'' bus
mess to that Of barbering. For year or
two after that Old Sears, as he was called,
might often be seen on the streets and in
stores with a basket containing several
dozen bottles of BEARS grease. together
with one of the feet of the old bear himself
as an evidence of its genuineness. The
bear, as we remember, was quite big
fellow, but he must have been extremely
well fatted, judging from the great amount
of BEARS grease that Sears disposed of.
The money that Sam collected, and that
paid for the bear, was all sent to his mo-
ther at Paterson.-Cor. Inter Ocean.