St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1884-04-26


Have Gone Over the Falls.
NIAGARA FALLS, N. z, April II.
A startling double tragedy was enact
ed Thursday night on Luna Island at the
brink of the American Falls. A wealthy
and influential citizen of Suspension
Bridge shot and killed his brother-in-laW
and then walked off the icy bank into
the cataract. It appears, however, that
the men had family troubles, and the
most reasonable way of accounting for
the tragedy is tl@t they went to the is.
land to settle their difficulties, and one
killed the other and then himself. Luna
Island is much below Goat Ipiand and is
reached by walking down long flight Of
steps and crossing bridge. The sur.
face is covered with snow and half
melted ice, the protecting ratings at the
edge being nearly buried in the snow
The icy spray blowing over on to the
stunted trees freezes as it falls. Alto.
gether it is not the place where men go
for amusement, or to have friendly talk
about their troubles.
The facts as gathered by your CORE
spondent are that Thomas Vedder, the
wealthiest man in the place, and his
brother-in-law, Van r. Pearson, went out
to. drive at five O'Clock in the afternoon.
Pearson did not seem disposed to go and
Vedder urged him to accompany him.
They drove from Suspension Bridge to
Niagara Falls, and at six o'clock went to
hn IN xrbo LA
them through is the last man who saw
them alive and he noticed nothing unu-
sual about either of the two men. We'd.
der promised to be home for supper at
six o'clock, and as he was punctual in his
habits, his absence excited some com.
ment. At about ten o'clock his brother,
James Vedder, with whom he lived, and
Howard Pearson, son of Vedder's com.
panion, became much alarmed and
secured the village of Niagara Falls for |
the missing men. Toward midnight they |
ascertained that the two had gone ON to |
Goat Island. The gate was closed at
seven O'Clock, but they aroused the gate
keeper and ascertained that they had not
returned.
Policeman Burns and Roland were then
summoned and began a search of the is.
land. Lighting their dark lanterns they
trayersed the muddy roads until they
reached the northern promontory, where
Vedder's horse was found tied to a tree
and coated with ice. The spray had
fallen for hours on the animal and when
he was released he could hardly move.
The policemen, closely followed by the
other searcheTs, WI INT down on to Luna
Island, and close TO the brink saw two
dark objects in the snow. The first was
Pearson's body. The head was covered
with blood which had flown from two
ugly pistol wounds. Burns felt of one
of the cold hands and shouted back:
sI'Ve found him; here's Vedder!o How
ard Pierson came running up, and look
ing at the CHASTITY face revealed by the
light of the dark-lantern, burst into tears
as he cried, mo, it's father!" He tried
to throw himself on the dead body, but
was led away by the policemen. We'd
der's bNpther came up just then, but was
not allowed to see the corpse.
The policemen resumed the search, and
near the body found Vedder's oyercoat,
1ndercoat and scarf, neatly piled up, with
The vest beneath them and his hat on
top. Tracks led from the clothes into t
the river at the edge of the cataract. I
There were no return footprints, and it
vas plain that after Vedder had killed J
Pearson he had walked deliberately into
he falls. Whether he was seized by re-
morse, or made insane by the events
u the night and weird surroundings of
m rsr1nY nf he |
Known. There was no robbery, for Pear
jon's watch and money were in his pock- b
It's, and there was money in Vedder's =
est. No indications of struggle were )
'isible. Parsons face wore peaceful
His arms were thrown back Y
naturally. His hands were not clenched, e
md the physicians say that death must t
nave been instantaneous. The revolver h
vas not found, and as one of the shots !,
ould never have been fred by Pearson,
here is no basis for the theory that he =
Tiled himself o
Pearson was married to Vedder's sis v
er. His arst wife was also Vedder's sis t
er. He leaves wife and four children. N
they live on Main street next door to n
Fedder's house, which is one of the larg-
st and finest in the place. Pearson was
aShier of the New York Central Railroad, =
position he has held for twenty-six years
ever since the road was started. He
anne here from Albany. He has been y
cry quarrelsome for the last few weeks. a
lie drank hard, and N.2s suspended by the G
abroad company, but last week his /,
riends secured his reinst hement. Pear :,
on was proud and refused to retprE, to :.
FORK. His friends contemplated sendSug D
i'm to an asylum for the insane. Yis- 81
erday before the fatal drive Veoeder al dl v,
wife were seen driving at SD II a
enslon Bridge. Pearson was about I'd u 81
r-eight years old, of medium height, aid 2
rnra fnll black heard III :,