Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1891-09-30
DEATH AT NIAGARA.
SOME SENSATIONAL SUICIDES OF
FORMER DAYS RECALLED.
William Olaridge and His Wife Leaped
the Falls Together.

of suicide at Niagara, and one of the
most mysterious as well, says Phila-
delphia Times correspondent, was that
of handsome lady and gentleman who
leaped together over the American
Falls, from Prospect Point, in July,
1881. The facts are remembered by
many of the old residents of the Falls
to-day.
The man was tall, handsome young
fellow, about twenty-five years of age,
elegantly dressed, and registered at one
of the hotels near the falls as William
Claridge. He told nothing of himself
to those who met him, except that he
came from st. Louis, his home, and
expected to meet his wife, Spanish
lady, who had recently landed in New
York en- route from Cuba.
One night the last passenger to alight
from one of the coaches was a beauti-
full young woman whose complexion
plainly betokened Spanish blood.
Though plainly dressed, her face and
general appearance gave every evidence
of culture and refinement. She no
sooner caught sight of the gentleman
than she rushed towards him and threw
herself into his arms, regardless of the
bystanders. Some who were present,
noticed that handsome Mr.. Claridge
returned the beautiful lady's greeting
rather coldly, and that his face wore a
scowl, while the eyes of the dark Span
ish beauty suddenly became dimmed
with tears.
What passed between them after
they reached the hotel was never
known. a servant heard loud and an
CRY words in a mans voice, mingled
with feminine sobs and pleadings
issuing from their apartment, but as
they spoke in Spanish the listener was
unable to recognize the purport of their
conversation.
A short time afterwards they stroll
ed out of the hotel arm in arm, and
Mr.. Claridge informed the proprietor
that they were going to obtain a view
of the falls by moonlight. They
never returned.
About half an hour after, a pedes-
uian on the Canada side saw the
figures of a man and woman leap over
the falls from Prospect Point, the
moon being at the full and rendering
all objects plainly visible. The bodies
were found two days after near the
whirlpool. Nothing further concern
ing them was ever learned.
In the autumn of 1S43 gentleman
of commanding presence, handsomely
dressed and with costly diamonds,
about forty-five years of age, came to
Niagara and registered at the principal
hotel. He wrote the name "Daniel
Webster" on the register, but all knew
that he was not the illustrious states
man of that day.
Two days after his arrival he crossed
the river to the Canadian side, walked
into the rapids above the Horse Shoe
Falls and was instantly swept over the
brink of the seething cataract. A few
days later his mangled remains were
found and an inquest held, which de-
veloped the fact that his name was
Vandegger, and that he was a resident
of Newton Centre, the most beautiful
of all the charming suburbs of Boston.
Six years previously he had fallen in
love with a very beautiful young lady,
who was employed as a cashier in one
of the aristocratic restaurants of the
Hub. Completely captivated by her
charming face and winning way, he
had married her, though she was a
number of years his junior. She was
established as mistress of a palatial home
at Newton. Her husbands wealth and
social position Immediately secured for
her an entrance into the most select
society of Boston.
Five years passed, when disgrace
overlook the young wife. She was
arrested on a criminal charge, and a
Boston detective, member of the
State Legislature and clergyman tes-
titled that she had been girl of noto-
riously bad character before her mar
riage. The detective testified that he
had arrested her for stealing a watch
and that she had served ten months in
prison for the crime. These disclos-
ures stunned the devoted husband, and
without one word he left the court
room and no one in Boston ever saw
him again.