The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-18
THE STORY OF SAM PATCH.
THE MAN VINO JUMPED INTO DEATH
And Lasting FAME
Obscure Points In His Career Cleared Up
where He Got HIs Taste for JumpIng-
Hts Exploits at Paterson Niagara and
Rochester-The Lem Tint Coat Liz.
From the rrOvtdence Journal

| His Exploits at Paterson, Niagara and
| Rochester-rhe Leap That Cost Life.
| From the TrOvtdenoe Journal
| Pawtucket Falls are entitled to place in
| history other than by reason OF the early man
| lectures which began by thor side Or the
great variety Of manufactures now carried On
around them in the thriving city which bears
their name. AZ those tails began what may be
| called tue public career OF man whose famo
| extends MI over the country, and who oven
now has humble imitators. 1t was vt these
| falls that sam Patch first learned how 10 Jump
IRON rom great heights INTO tho water.
been written The skotchgs OF his ieats Of
| jumping in New Jersey. at Niagara Falls and
ct HenGsee Rails may to substantially correct,
| put only the merest mention has boon made of
was, born in Rhode Island in 1907. which is true
the sketches have called him q sailor
wharf d, rat rat" aud q, such like pet
no was anything but what he was. The Sketches
OF his early life have ali been misleading, as
Miss Emily Jones: who, with hcr sister, Mary
Jones NOV dead, for years, taught school In
House" is a niece OF Sam Patch, and thorough
" conversant with his history up to the time
who know her, and very many OF the present
residents Of PGwtucket Of middle age, as well
as many former residents OF Pawtucket now
residing elsewhere, remember with good
deal 81 pleasure and gratitude the days they
school. Tho following story OF Sam Patch SO
far as II relates to his life here is, in tho main,
Sam Patch was born in South Reading. Mass.
The date Of his birth is unknown, but it must
have been before 1907. as no was more than -
His father, Greenlenf Patch, was farmer at
that place. Sam had two brothers; Greenleat
and Isaac Patch, who went West aud became
farmer 10 Illinois. near the present city OF Chi
Married Mr. Jones, and became t the he mother Of
Miss Emily Jones; Sans father died while
Sam was boy; and his mother moved to Paw
membor OF Of the SG FIST BAPTIST Sa cEEurcG and
woman to be relied upon always.
When boy, Sam worked in the mill on tho
east side Of the river Tvs. above the taLls,whirh
his compan ions IN this mill and the other mills,
he was fond OF the water. and bathing was an
o Of the & Is Of spea @
amusement, not only sixty years ago, but until
matter, to Jump from the top lail of tine bridge
into the river, But the boys could not long be
times they ilguratively turned up their noses
at 1t and sought something higher; IN the
the paper mill at the east end of the bridge.
was two stories lower than at the present time.
A few Of the more vonturesome jumped fIom
OF nearly 100 feet, but their number was
not so great as that of those who Jumped from
lin wore among the first to make this jump
and many others. including sam Patch, fol-
tho mill was raised up ono story this same Mr.
Bucklin made the Jump. Next to the Yellow
MIL was the old stone mill which has recent
had fiat roof. This ROOF. was somewhat
higher than the roof Of the Yellow. Mill, and
was necessary to make a running lump, in
order to reach the deep water. this mill being
grew upon him he was not satisfied With
jumping from the Yellow Mill but climbed to
tbe roof Of the stone mill and jumped from
Columbia Young ana others, but by only u
few. When the pitched roof was put on tho
Steve Brodie. envious Of tho fame OF sam
making the same Jump which SAN did But
was higher the old stone mill had been To-
placed By the new mill Of b. Con 4 Sons. which
Is much higher than was the stone mill. ard
besides these difficulties he discovered that iIe
would not be allowed to make the attempt.
and tho next morning went to Providence and
rerorted that he got w. carly In the morning
fore many were stirring. He may have dono
soft was no great feat II no did-nOthng to
Sans jump-but if he did there were very few
SO far a, is known. then. Sam Patch while
here male no creator Jumps than di ! many of
fents-cerainly did NOT think 0! ever jumping
for money or lame lie WAS daring young
than a few OF his fellows Whom he grew TO
manhood. having become acquainted with tho
entered into partnership with a ScotcIman
named Kennedy. under tho firm name OF Ken
nedy Patch: and went into the business Of
cotton manufacture in Central Falls. in mill
which stood whore now ST ands the mill Of late
years run by ThurDer, Horton ~ Wood, This
Sam. Whether or not the business was sue
cessiul is unknown. but in a short time Ken
SAID WESt Funds he Gould Yi get mp Po6F
Sam was nov In bad share; 10 found himself
liable Tor debt CONTRACTED BY the firm, and his
vantage, ana went to New Jersey in the hope |
Of bettering his condition While here, acct !
when ho told OF the heights from which hc had |
lumped ut Pawtgckct Falls. His statement |
or three jumps there. From this loint dates |
his real jumping career.
Jane Marsh Parker. in the history of Roch-
for which is chiefly that Of Joseph Corhrano. |
who was clear. headed lad in 1922 and know
sam PatGh better than anybody in these
The dato d lis arrival at Paterson. N. j..
with an Engshman named Entwiste, and
became cot' on spinner at the Hamilton mills
Paterson. lilo made Ills first wonderful ~! Jump
from r tho foot OF the rocks at the foot OF the
bridge. u distance OF eighty or ninety
ho nor from of the w"'ot DAY. Of He He
Ihon went about the country, jumping
rom yard arms and how.prIts. diving from, tho
lzzy heights of topmqsts, until attracted to
\ Niagara Falls in lS29 with tho crowd who went
there to sec the condemned brig Michigan
and its crew of living animals go over tho cat
lract He Jumped from shelving rock. mid
way between tho highest point OF Goat Island
and tho water. more than half the height OF the
'als III distance OF ninety-seven feet. His
name rang through the land. sam then went
% Rochester and gave his friends fright by
jumping from ft2hugh street bridge and swim
ming under water to hiding place.
AT daybreuk the next morning sam made n
aft below the falls. and ascertaned with n
pole how much water there was in tho spot
yhere he intended to Jump. He seemed per
Getty satisfied with his surroundings. and the
next morning early he made u trip to the falls
ong before tho town WIS astir He was accom-
panied by Joe Coehrane. This time Sam led
he way to the spot from which the jump was
Q be made, and began taking Off his clothes in
he most uneoncerned manor. handing his
40 was going to practice pit Wait until
hardly time TO got in position when Sam shot
Town tho height ana disappeared. The boy
TODD paraIyzed with fear believing himself 10
Io, the solitary spectator of the day-dawu sui