Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-07-27
CAPT. MEBB's DEATH.

who believe Capt. Webb succeeded in his
foolish undertaking, and that he is con-
cealing himself to fan the flame of excite
ment, when he will make his appearance
and fresh troup. A great many wagers
have been made on the American side that
he will be seen alive within five days, and
bets have been made even two to one that
such will be the case, but the general belief
among other residents is that Capt. Webb
is no more. It is also the general belief
that life was extinct before he had cleared
the rapids, and that when he had reached
the pool his lifeIess body was swallowed
by the eddy, and that it is altogether like
ly his body will never be recovered.
Buffalo Special July pa to Chicago Tribune. |
In 1861 the little steamer, Maid of the
Mist. with three persons on board. ran the
whirlpool itself, and glded into the quiet
water beyond. OF the three on board two
survived the trip, the only persons who
ever went through this fearful channel
alive. To-day Capt. Webb, without other
means of safety than nature had provided
him, attempted to swim through the war
of waters and failed. His body has not
yet been found. For three-quarters of
mile below the suspension bridge runs the
whirlpool, the widest, most tumultuous,
and dangerous portion of the river. The
tremendous power of the cur
rent cannot be realized. Webb
could not attempt ioIswim tit was sim
ply a question of endurance, whether he
could live in the tumuItuoUs waves. He
was rushed onward With resistless force,
and persisted in his mad attempt No
effort was made to advertise the undertak-
ing beyond sending circulars to the news
papers: Not dozen people in the Falls
knew thi morning that the effort was to
be made. There was no advertising dodge
about it. The great swimmer was conf
dent that he could make the trip in safety.
He carefully loo ked over the ground, but
he had failed to realize the immensely of
the undertaking, and so deliberately COM
mitted suicide.
Capt. Webb arrived in Buffalo last night,
and stopped at the Genesee. His coming
was unheralded, and the fact of his being
here was known to but few. Seen by re-
porter late last night, he said he would
surely make the attempt. Nothing but a
desire for no o-iety moved him. Last
June he proposed to swim the rapids, and
tried to get the railroads and hotels to
make it an object. They refused, but the
papers kept talking about it, so he deter
mined to make the trial. No one accom-
panied him save his English manager, Mr..
Kyle. Capt. Webb did not leave for the
falls until noon. Arrived at Niagara
he proceeded at once to
the Clifton house where several
reporters and others were in wait
ing. He chatted pleasantly and expressed
in bo
fixed was O'Clock, and about the crowd
babe him goodbye and fastened to secure
good positions for viewing the foolhardy
experiment. At no point could view of
the whole length of the rapids be had.
THE DIVE TO DEATH.
At few minutes before o'clock Webb
appeared at the foot of, the bank on the
Canadian side, where a skiff was in waiting
with the vetern guide, Jack Conway, at the
oars. He entered the boat and was pulled
into the stream. The captain was entirely
nude save for small breech clout. Conway
pulled as far down as the Maid of the Mist
landing, but did not dare proceed further.
"All right" said the captain, ''this will do
u.s."
81 don't expect evar to see you again."
said Conway.
so, yes you will" was the pleasant reply.
''You don't know me. I am an English
man."
After a few more words Capt Webb
stood up in the bow of the boat and dived
head first into the water. Then began the
great struggle for life. It was just APO
when the captain entered the water. A
few vigorous strokes and he was fairly in
the rapids, going breast on, his form
mere speck as seen from the great bluff
above. He went like an arrow shot from a
bow. The first great wave he struck he
went under, but in q second appeared way
beyond. His efforts TO strike out in
swimming form were weaker than an in
fant's against the seething waters. The
Tribune correspondent stood on the bluff
Just below the curve OF the rapids as the
captain came down the river, the fierce
turbulence of which seemed striving TO
dash his life out. The great waves seethed
over him occasionally, but he always seem
ed ready to meet them. His great chest
was boldly pushed forward. and occasion
ally half of the magnificent physique OF
the reckless adventurer was lifted from
the water, but he brayely kept his position
through it all and seemed perfectly col
lected and at home. In a second more the
voyager was lost to view behind project
ing bank. So the mad journey went on
safely through the upper rapids.
DEATH.
He passed then through the lower ones:
There the waves dash higher, the water is
confined in a narrower space, and the trip
is in every way more perilous. How far
he went alive no one will ever know. He
was seen by many while passing through
this awful sea, bat ere then he may have
been dead. His body was borne onward
now rising above, now sinking beneath,
the white-capped waves. II was seen to
enter the whirlpool. The life of the cap
tain was gone, and not even his body has
yet been found. When the Tribune cor
respondent reached Queenstown after a
rapid drive, the people laughed at
the idea that the attempt had
been made, and laughed at the
three or four newspaper men who organ
lied search, This was continued until
dark, but no trace of Captain Webb's body
was found. The maelstrom sometimes
gives up its dead in a day. some times it
holds them in it's embrace a week, until all
semblance of human being is crushed
out in the revolving waters. Captain
Webb looked upon it as pleasant under