Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-07-13
Another Man Recklessly Los es
His Life at Niagara.

His Lie at Niagara.
Robert William Flake, OF SO Apple
street, Syracuse, n. Y, lost his life
on July 4th in an attempt to navigG te
the Whirlpool rapids in an open boat.
This is the first fatality of the kind
since the death OF Captain Webb, in
the summer of 1888 Flake is an
Engli5hman bv birth, who came TO
Caaada sixteen years ago and to the
States four wears ago. He is car
penter aud builder by trade, but has
followed various callings, a British
soldier, sailor, an engineer and the
like He caBe to Niagara Falls
short time ago in answer TO chal-
lenge rom Charley A. Percy, of Nj
agara Falls, who last year made the
voyage of the rapids aud whirlpool
successfully in a life-boat of his own
construction. The two were to race
through the waters named from
point Just below the Falls to Lewis
town for $500 side about the first
of Aug ust. Percy had the advan-
tage of having made the trip, so
Flake took the journey for practice,
merely selecting the Fourth as a
time when big crowds would be at
the Falls that he might gain more
notoriety.
HE WAS TO TREAT THE REPORTERS.
Flake was perfectly confident of
success. He came down from his
hotel to the foot Of the Suspension
bridge at 2:l5, his boat had proceeded
him an hour before. He was smok-
ing pipe coolly and said that he
was all ready to start as soon as the
crowd got where it could see him.
Pm going to stop at the whirlpool
twenty minutes" he said, ''fOr the
benefit of the reporters, and then Pm
going on through Fosters fiat, down
the river to Lewiston. | hope that |
will have rough voyage" he added,
"and turn about twenty somersaults,
so as to prevent any other fellow
from trying it, Goodbye" and with
that be stepped into his boat.
Fosters fats is a dangerous bit of
water between the whirlpool and the
DEVILS Hole, through which no bar
rel nav igator or any other has had
courage to go. Fldck's boat, the
phantom" is an open boat about %
feet long. feet 9 inches wide and "a
inches deep. 1t was painted white
outside and blue inside. Part of it
was decked over, but the central open
space was 81 by 81 feet. 1t would
have held a dozen passengers and
weighed 100 pounds. In the bottom
of the boat was crank for moving
the propeller, with rudder ropes on
each side.
INTO THE SETTLING RAPIDS.
Flack seated himself in stern of
the boat aud was strapped in by Joe
Percy, brother of the rival navigator.
Joe did the strapping down to per-
lection. FIack was clad in blue
flannel suit with socks and a hand
kerchief about his neck given him by
a lady friend. He cast off from the
Maid of the Mist landing on the
American side at just 3 pm. Big
crowds had gathered on the bluffs on
both sides, at the Manning and But
terry elevators and Deveux cottage
grounds on the American side, at
Brundage and Colts elevators on the
Canadian side, while the suspension
bridge was packed. The boat drifted
slowly out into the stream until the
centre current caught it, and then it
was hurled down into the seething
waters of the rapids. A big wave
slapped the craft bottom side up inside
of two minutes, but she righted
again.
Flack could be seen hanging on
for dear life. Another wave and the
boat was buried from sight in the
foam. Just below Buttery's elevator
and above the cottage grounds is the
third and most dangerous point
Here the boat was seen and then dis
appeared benenth mountain of
water When she was next seen she
was floating keel upwards, and thus
she drifted into the whirlpool. A
cry went up from the banks, and the
query rose, as Flack under the
boat?" The craft never rigated
again. The question was only finally
settled when one hour later the boat
was brought to land on the wbirls
margin aud then overturned.
STRAPPED TO THE BOAT DEAD.
Flack's sister, brother-in, law and
eldest son watched the most critical
part of the journey from the bluff
overlooking the lower rapid and
whirlpool. When it seemed evident
that the boat would stay in the whirl-
pool until rescued, Charles Percy
stripped off his clothes and waiting
until it came near to shore, swan out
and with the aid of two others, towed
the boat in shore Flack was still
buckled tightly to the boat. His
face was black and his body lore the
marks of pounding received from the
Wdb05. uc uOhI CEIcEOu IuC w WuiI l.
pool at 3:05 and was rescued at 4:05
The body was taken in charge bv
William Stephenson, of Woodstock,
Ont, Flack's broLher-in-law, and Un-
dertaker Macarthur, of Syracuse. 1t
will be taken to Syracuse to night.
Just as Flack was about starting
on his voyage the President of the
village of Niagara Falls received
letter from Silas NJ Smith, of Syra-
cuse, asking him to interfere and pre-
vent the suicidal attempt, because
Flake had wife and five children
dependent on him for support; but
Flakes start was made from the vii
lage of Suspension Bridge, outside of
President Clark's jurisdiction, and
the letter was received too late
Fatal Neglect