The Indianapolis journal., 1883-07-26
wEBB's DIsHoNoRABLE DEATH.

who on Tuesday threw away his life at Nj
agara aside from its aspects as a tragedy, IS
not without its lesson not only to those
who would initiate his foolhardiness, but to
those who gathered to witness it. Morally,
Captain Webb committed suicide as un-
equivocally as the man who throws himself
before a locomotive rushing along at the
rate of forty miles an hour. In one sense
his act was more blamable than that of a
suicide, in that he was not driven to it by
desperation, in the throes of which reason
is dethroned and the discernment of right
from wrong is nearly or quite impossible.
The intrepid swimmer, overconfident in his
ability to escape death from drowning, or
lured by the hope of winning the distinc-
ton of having accomplished that which
had always been regarded as
impossible, deliberately went down
to tragic death. There was
nothing noble, honorable or heroic in it
from beginning to end. No possible good to
anybody could result from the successful
passage of the whirlpool rapids. Nobody
would in the least be benefited. The Cap
tan's venture was one of supreme selfish
ness, for upon him alone would rebound the
credit of having accomplished the feat. If,
by safely passing this gate of death, he had
opened new way to commerce, or even to
pleasure for Others there would not be want
ing some elements of heroism in his danger
Gus attempt. But there was nothing of the
kind in it, and the only possible thing the
swimmer could hope for was an unhealthy
notoriety over other adventurers Granting
that he had succeeded, and had landed alive
below the swirls and unknown depths and
currents of that maelstrom-he would have
been stared at as a curiosity, nothing more.
This would doubtless have minis
tered to the mans vanity, but what
low estimate it places on really noble
achievements and deeds of daring that bring
honorable distinction. Captain Webb's
death as he was sucked into the NAV of the
whirlpool was vastly more certain than
though he had marched up in front of
battery of Gatling guns. But few will claim
anything like herolsm in his bootless quest
for cheap fame. His undertaking was on
than any ybody else in given time, or hold
his breath longer than some other man, or
drink more whisky, or endure more beating
in the prize ring, Captain Webb placed
l., l,
took his fatal feat, and leaves a name en-
rolled in the same line with that of Sam
Patch of Blondin, of Sullivan, and others of
that order of cheap celebrities. Stripped of
its honor, there is nothing in his death but
shame and humiliation for those whose love
should have kept him from attempting such
a senseless feat.
But Captain Webb is not alone to blame.
Without the incentive of notoriety to be
achieved he would never have seriously con-
templated such an insane idea for a moment.
every one Of them, had an indistinct idea
that he might perish in the attempt. To go
through that part of that river alive was next
to impossible and this uncertainty added
zest to the enjoyment of viewing the under
taking. To be able to say that they saw him
go down into that fearful swirl of waters to
appear no more will be one OF the great Incl
dents of their lives, to be told and retold for
years to come. 1t is this morbid curiosity to
witness possible tragedies that has character
lied humanity from the earliest days But
generally, as civilization advances, this taste
for brutal and hazardous amusemonts is sup
posed to be lost Rome had its gladatorial
shows, where captves fought to the death for
the edifcation of the populace. But no one
in these days dares to defy public opinion
| by indorsing the brutal business that dis
graced the conquerors of the world Greece,
on the other hand, had its Isthmian and
Olympic games in which athletic exercises
were given, together with competitions in
music and poetry. No intelligent man
would stultify himself by commencing the
Roman means of amusement over those of
Greece At the present time the bull-fght is
| stlll popular IN Spain, while the Esteddtod,
an annual contest in literature and music,
is held in Wales. The civilization of the two
countries is marked by its way of entertain
ing the people Enlightened America de-
cries the gladiatorial shows of Rome and the
bull-fghts of Spain. They are justly con.
demned as brutalizing and harmful OF the
in Of Rnt aA
superiority is very superficial and in the
same degree insincere. We are above the
bull-fght, but still take interest in human
beasts that beat each other into bloody mon