Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1883-08-01
DEATH IN TIE NIAGARA.
Captain Webb EnguIfed In the Rag
ing Whirlpool

advel tised and daring feat OF swimming
the Niagara rapids. There were about
500 spectators scattered along the banks
and precisely at 1902 p. m. he sprang
from his boat about a third of mile
above the railroad Suspension bridge and
close to the old Maid of the Mist landing
His leap from the boat was signal for
prolonged cheering. He was entirely
nude, save band worn around the body
for the protection of his stomach. He.
gave himself no artificial assistance and
struck boldly out into the middle of the
river. The mighty current swiftly car
ried him toward the deadly whirlpool
nearly mile and a half below The
struggle in the rapids lasted thirteen
minutes, by which time he had reached
the whirlpool, where he was seen to throw
up his hands, but whether as signal OF
distress or not, can only be conjectured.
He was was not seen afterward and when
the search was abandoned at dark, it was
known that there was no hope of recover
ing his body,
Captain Matthew Webb came of an
old and ghly-respected English family
He was born at Dawley, in Shropshire,
in 1888 and spent his childhood days on
the banks of the Severn, where he learn.
ed to swim. His first aquatic feat was
| the rescue of one of his relatives from
| drowning, near the great iron bridge
across the Severn. Early in life he went
to sea ana became an expert sailor.
While on board the training ship Conway
he saved a shipmate's life who fell over
board into the Mersey. He was in the
employ of Rathbone Bros, of Liverpool,
| for some years, and rose to the rank OF
captain by virtue of his abilities. COM
manding the Hengist and other sea-going
ships. While working his way from
New York to Liverpool, in 1872, he
jumped overheard to the rescue of a sailor
who had fallen from a yard arm. The
sea was running high and fierce gale
was blowing, which made the attempt
extremely hazardous. Captain Webb
remained in the water over half an hour
before he was taken out. Though he did
not find the sailor, the passengers pre-
sented him with G100, and the Liverpool
Humane Society gave him medal OF the
Royal Humane Society. After this he
performed many unparalleled feats in
swimming which have given him world
wide reputation. He swan, perfectly
nude from Dover to,Calias, fifty-six miles
in twenty-one hours and thirty minu tes,
against high wind and a strong tide.
Later he tried to swim thirty-six conse-
cutive hours on the Thames River, but
owing to the filthy condition of the water
he was unable to remain in longer than
ten hours. In 1878 he swan forty miles
in the Thames, and in the following year
he entered into contest with several IA
nous swimmers at Lambeth Baths, Lon
don. The tournament lasted six days,
no one allowed longer in the water than
fourteen hours each day, and Webb beat
the second man easily by twelve miles.
He afterwards conducted a swimming
school at Brighton ard other famous Eng
lish bathing places,
In August 1879 Webb came to Ameri-
ca and swan from Sandy Hook to
Manhatten Beach, distance of ten miles
In the same month he was engaged in a
match with Paul Boyton at Newport,
but was taken with cramp after SWIM
ming ten miles. On the fourth of the
following month a match between the
same men ended in a quarrel. The l1th
of the same month he was defeated by
Ernst Won Schoening at Bath, L. |. He
returned 10 England and engaged IN
many exciting exhibitions.
At Scarborough, England, in June,
1880, he kept afoat for sixty hours with
out touching anything, and in August of
the same year, at the same place remain
ed in the water for seventy four hours.
June 25, 1881, he was defeated at the
London Aquarium, by William Beckwith,
in a six-day tournament. This year he
returned to this country for the express
purpose Of performing the descent Of the
rapids where he met his fate.
Captain Webb was below the medium
height, perfectly proportioned, and very
intelligent. looking. He WAS married,
and leaves a wife and two children.
THE REMAINS OF THE ILL-FATED SWIMMER
FOUND.
QUEENSTOWN, Ont, July 28.-The
body of Capt, Webb was found floating
in the river short distance below Lew
iston, n. Y, this afternoon, At the in
quest held in the afternoon a verdict of
found drowned was rendered. During
the examination of the body ragged
cut was discovered on the top OF the head
about three inches in length, opened suf-
ficiently to expose the skull. 1t had the
appearance of being cut by rock or
other hard, rough substance, and issup-
posed to have been done at the entrance
to the whirlpool, where rocks in places
project above the surface of the water
and where the current is widest. This
wound was considered sufficient in itself
to have caused death, and it is thought
he sank Immediately after receiving it.
The body was cofined and removed in a
hearse to Suspension Bridge, New York,
where it will be prepared for shipment
to Boston, where Mrs. Webb is residing.