The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1890-08-23

see the condemned brig Michigan and its
crew OF living animals 90 over the cata-
ract He jumped from shelving rock
midway between the highest point of
Goat Island and the water, more than
half the height of the falls "a distance of
ninety-seven feet. His name rang
throughout the land. Sam then went to
Rochester and gave his friends fright
by jumping from Fitzhugh street bridge
and swimming under water to u hiding
place"
The story of Sans last feats were
raclly told fifty years afterward by a
printer, who saw his fatal jump. He
says
1.-The success of the leaps at Niagara
gave Sam sporting notoricty, and he
was invited by that fraternity to Roches-
ter who took charge of him. The
Genesee Falls, at Rochester, are ninety
five feet in height, and il was announced
that he would leap from the precipice
into the river below. \ large crowd
assembled, and Patch appeared. leading
his bear. Hats were passed around to
collect money for the poor fellow About
l O'Clock on the 9Th of November. Sam
stepped to the edge of a rock overhang-
ing the river, and, dragging the bear
after him, suddenly jerked it from the
rock. The poor animal whirled through
the air, and, reaching the water, sank,
but soon swan ashore. and was caught
! for further torture. Then Sam Patch,
with CAV handkerchief twisted about
his head and in shirt and trousers, bowed
all around to the spectators, and leaped
clear of the rock, spread his arms, and
holding his feet together, and bending
backward he fell rapidly to the water,
which he struck feet foremost, having
suddenly thrown his arms down close to
his body. He reappeared on the surface
OF the river some rods below, and he
gayly pushed away the boat that was
ready to take him and swan ashore.
The feat was so successful that the sport
ing fraternity decided upon another cxhi.
bition. They built scaffold upon the
rock 25 feet high, so that the leap would
be 100 feet. The day was a week later
November 13), and still larger crowd
assembled. Sam Patch climbed to his
perch and threw off the bear, which hap
PLY escaped from the river, as before,
and again poor Patch, bowling to the
crowd, sprang into the air, but his body
bent to the right and struck the water
with loud noise. Sam Patch disap
peared. and nothing more was heard OF
him until the next March when his body
was found by fishing party at the mouth
of the river. seven miles below.
ut is estimated that some 10000 per
sons were present when Sam climbed tho
pole to his platform, hand over hand
The multitude were shivering in the
chilly air and undergoing a severe ner
vous strain, which developed itself il
various ways when the jump was made
one well known citizen biting off the enc
of his thumb, and an old lady calling out
in shrill, querulous voice: IF there:
anything in dreams that man is dead.
Sam made little speech, which was los
to the crowd on account of the roar o.
the waters, but was as follows:
Napoleon was a great man and {
great general. He conquered armies anC
he conquered nations, but he cOuldn'
jump the Genesee Falls. Wellington wa
a great man. and he conquered nations
and he conquered Napoleon, but h
scouldn't jump Genesec Falls. That wa
left for me to do, and l can do it, ant
will
"This exhibition had a marked de
pressing effect on the crowd. In les
than five minutes almost everyone hat
fed from the locality, silent, sober ant
melancholy"
But Sam Patch's fame still lives, anC
his name is familiar to persons who ncve
heard of Pawtucket Falls or Genese'
Falls Providence Journal.