New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-26
SEARCHING FOR WEBB.
HIS BODY NOT YET FOUND.
WHEN HE WAS LAST sEEN-wHAT HIS MANAGEI
GAYS
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBUNE. /

| lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEl
| BUFFALO. July 25.-The tragic fate of Captain
| Webb has caused profound sensation here and al
Niagara Falls Scores of persons went to the lat tel
place to-day to view the scene of the noted swim
mers perilous undertaking. The belief that he Is
dead is general in the community, although few
found who profess to thing that he will turn up
alive. 1t is alleged that bets were made this
afternoon that Webb is not dead. His manager,
FREDERICK Kyle, of Boston. is in Buffalo tonight
and starts for Boston early tomorrow. He said
he was not entirely without hope. The
days search in the vicinity of the Whirlpool and
| along the banks of the river for mile below re-
suited fruitleSsly, however. At noon Mr. Kyle
| teegraphed Mrs. Webb as follows: Poor Mat
has not turned up yet. / hope to find him before
| morning."
Mr. Kyle said tonight: "I have five or six men
at Lewiston and Queenstown and at the Whirlpool
watching for the body. Just as Captain
webb was entering the Whirlpool he seemed
to feel well and looked toward both shores He
has not been since. He had remark
able endurance and may have landed IN
some out of the way place or at some
fisherman's shanty along tho banks When we
came over TO this country two years ago | remem-
ber the captain said one day on shipboard that he
had premoniton that he should be drowned some
day. But ne was very confident he could SWIM
these rapids. Neither his wife not I ever tried
to persuade him TO abandon his dangerous
feats. Mrs. Webb had great confidence
IN his judgment and powers. She was
a little anxious about this affair ard
wanted mo to telegraph her as soon as
tho captain came out. She has never seen Niagara
and don't know what place il is"
REWARD FOR THE BODY.
The manager to-day offered a reward of $500 for
the recovery of the body and engaged men to
keep up tho search. Mrs. Webb ~ at Nantasket
Beach with her two children. She Is In comfortable
circumstances, her husband having settled say
$4,000 and some real estate upon her after his
successful exploit the English Channel. 1t is
understood that Webb had IN his own hands
"A capital Of $1,000 or $4,000. 1t happens
that on June 10, when his first visit was
mado to the Whirlpool. Kyle tried to
dissuade him from making tho attempt to
swim through it, but he could not be
turned from his resolution. After having the
enterprise announced by tho newspapers no
was determined than ever, saying
that he did not propose breaking an engagement
whether there any money in IL not. Hs
SAID that ho would swim the rapids and
the Whirlpool or perish IN the attempt.
While tnero is little probability that Webb is
alive the gossip of those who take the oppOs to view
Is OF interest in this city remarked
this evening: Il don't believe Webb
ever went IN tho water at all. You remember the
great excitement at Hell Gate. III the East RIVER.
New-IoTk. several years ago. over a feat like
this before Hactt's Reef was blown out. There
Was "A bad Whirlpool at He'll Cato when the tides
OF tho Sound and the East River and
the Harlem met, and "A swimmer ventured
To go through IL. lie disappeared, and for two
days NewYork was in the kecnest excitement
over his death. 1t turned out to be
dummy. The swimmer wisely tried II
"a lay figure first to ee " the current would suck
IN 1 hati N,hh ha dou he mn tbtn
Just as he IL SAID 10 have eXpenm .nted with "A
dog going over the falls IN rubber ball. He
couldn't make cent yesterday. but suppose
he found IN place along
the shore below the Whirlpool No
matter how he got there II Is a DV success, aud
then no will announce second attempt aud have
1000 TO 100000 spectators and make a pile.
MARI my words. and see If Webb Isn't found alive.
know how these things are managed"