The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-08-18
SAM. PATCH's LAST LEAP.

Fatal Ending of His Showing that some
Things Can Be Done as Well as Others.
Rochester IN. " Union.
The fate of Captain Webb at the rapids of
Niagara having awakened melancholy inter-
est in similar occurrences, a correspondent of
the Union has been at the pains to furnish
the following in relation to Sam. Patch's ex-
PLOTS in this place, clipped from a city paper
OF an early date:
SAM. PATcH's LAST LEAP.
1--WE have often been requested by travel
ers and others to republish the particulars of
Sam. Patch's last leap from the falls, but not
having in ourpossession any newspaper fies
OF that year, We are unable to do SO. In an
SWer 10 an inquiry in our daily yesterday,
Mr. Henry Scranton, of this city, has fur
nlshed us from mis- private journal the fol-
lowing: The first leap took place on Friday,
the 9th of November, 1925 distance 100 feet.
He went down in fine style, and rose to the
surface amid the huzzas of the multitude.
The number of persons present was estimated
at 1000 to 5000. The last and fatal leap,
which took place one week after, was adver-
tised in the Anti-Masonic Inquirer, as follows
HIGHER YET:
SANS LAST JUMP.
Some things can be done well as Others
There's no mistake in Sam Patch. OF the
truth of this he will endeavor to convince
the good people of Rochester and vicinity.
next Friday, Nov. Is, at 2 o'clock P. NJ Be-
ing determined to 'astonish the natives of
the West before he returns to the Jarseys, he
will have a scaffold, twenty-five feet in
height, erected on the brink of Genesee Falls,
in this village, from which he will 'fearlessly
leap into the abyss below, distance of lbs
feet. Sans bear (at o'clock precisely will
make the same jump and follow his master,
thus showing conclusively that some things
can be done as well as Others Moreover
Sam hopes that all the good people who at
tend this astonishing exhibition will con-
tribute something toward remunerating him
for the seemingly hazardous experiment"
The following is the Anti-Masonic In
quirers notice of the exploit:
THE ominous expression contained in the
reckless Patch's advertisement has been fear
fully vindicatcd. 1t was indeed his last
jump He jumped from staging twenty
five feet above the brink of the falls into the
abyss below, from whence his body has not
been recovered. A variety of reasons are
given for the fatal termination of this pre-
sumptuous feet All, however, concur in
saying that Patch, from some cause or other,
did rot retain the position while descending
or strike the water as he did on the former
occasion. 1t was daring and useless expo
sure of human life, which, having resulted
disastrously, creates a train of painful Tef1ec-
tons. We would not dwell upon this dis
tressing scene, and yet we can not Danish 10
from our thoughts. We still see the fraiI
mortal standing as it proved, upon the brink
of eternity! The terrified Imagination fol-
lows him from the giddy height, through The
thin air, into the deep, dark chasm below!
1t fingers but few moments of breathless
and agonized suspense! The waters troubled
moment in swallowing their victim, are at
rest! The expiring bubbles announce that
tho spirit has departed, leaving the body in
the dark bosom of the ocean bnredp The
multitude shrink away abashed and re-
bukedl'