The sun., 1897-06-20
FACED DEATH FOUR TIMES.
sENshTIONs OF A MAN WHILE IN
PERIL OF HIS LIFE.

or Curiosity y-Twico in Peril from Rnl1fnE
Once from n Pistol. and Once from Fever
What arc the sensations of a person who is sud
denly brought face to face with death while In
tho full possession of his facultiosl There are
evidences that persons who are suffering great
pain, MS from injuries, welcome death because 1t
brings relief with its near approach and those
whom disease has exhausted seem to know no
moro of their coming dissolution than that
they arc sinking TO rest.
~ can imagine that person who was in full
possession OF his faculties and suddenly found
himself about to meet death would be possessed
by an overwhelming fear" said tho observant
Jerseyman when appealed to upon this subject.
but my own experience does not warrant this
conclusion. do not believe that am possessed
of any moro than ordinary nerves and bravery.
and have never done anything to indicate that
am more than an average person in these re-
spccts; but four times have been in imminent
peril OF my life and each time under circum-
stances which led me to believe that death was
but matter OF seconds.
"Tho first great peril of my life occurred in
Perth Amboy forty.one years ago. when was
less than years old; but remember all about
II as we'll rs IL 1t were an occurrence of recent
date. was playing about an unfinished franc
building with boy OF my own age, named Le-
compt. We were climbing about the frame on
the second floor when lost my footing and fell
through the floor beams. went down through
the floor beams Of the first story and struck,
head foremost, on a pile of bricks in the cellar.
In the second or two Of my fall was fully con-
scous of my peril. but recall no feeling of ter.
ror, only a vague hope that should not be hurt.
/ was unconscious when was picked up, and
when came to remembered my last sensations
and felt of my arms and legs to see II they were
broken md was content when found that they
were whole and 1 had received no worse harm
than sore scalp.
1.-THE next occasion of deadly peril was In
1868, when was tramping through the Adj
rondack region with Stephen 8. Van Schaick of
New York. never knew just where the scene
of this adventure lay until recently, when in
looking over new map of that country, traced
our route from Troy to Fort Edward, then to
Fort William Henry, and up Lake George to
Ticonderoga and Crown Point. into the Adiron-
dacks to Elizabethtown, to the foot Of Mount
Marcy. and then tho tramp back to Troy. 125
miles, over tho old plank road that led past
Schroon Lake. There. on the map found the
Wash Basins, and recognized 1t as tho place Of
my deadly peril.
I'VE had caught ride with q farmer. and
having been with him for q mile or two and told
him that we were sightseeing he stopped his
wagon. and. pointing to path that led into the
piney woods to the right, said:
".H you want to see a sight take that path.
I'VE thanked him. and without asking any
questions plunged into the woods. was In the
lead. A quarter OF mile from the road / sud-
denly emerged from the woods and before had
time to look about me I found myself sliding
along the face of rock which sopcd gently
away from tho woods. The rock was covered
with coating Of pine needles, which were
as smooth glass. Any one who has
triad climbing earth mathis nnder the
pine trees knows how the feet will
slide on the dead pine needles. slid along
Eurely but not rapidly, and could not stop my
progress. AS slid braced my feet and looked
ahead. Not more than ten or fifteen feet ahead
| / saw that the rock ended in midair. and that
| before me lay deep valley. To make any move
| to stop myself seemed to be merely to make
| disaster more imminent. and did nothing but
| brace my feet more firmly, as II were being
| driven forward on slick ice by strong wind.
| AS I drew near the edge OF the rock
confidently expected that would continue my
| course right over 1t and be dasned to death. and
| yet had no thought OF terror. At the very
| brink the surface Of the rock turned upward n
| little. and this arrested my progress when my
| to n standstill the scene before mo strik-
| ing that all thought of my danger left me.
think must ST have ave been been 500 feet above the bottom
| OF the valley and 1t was sheer drop from there
| below. From the left came stream of water,
feet high. into a basin OF rock Which was AS AS
round and perfect as n washbow. From the
| edge OF this basin the water poured over in
another fall into second basin Of the same sort.
and from there the water ran in q white. broken
stream in rapids which extended in the bottom OF
| the valley to beyond where stood An old water
mill stood beside the second basin. and hills
beyond. Had fallen over tho edge OF the Ia bic
rock would have dropped into he rocky rapids.
My third peril was ht the hands of pock'
| m cd lpntpnant n lp
was guarding the railroad Yards at the Port
great coal handlers strike In 1897. For some
reason he had taken great dislike to me- and
when sought to enter tho yard to see his Cap
90 want to see tho Captain. said.
"' lie Is not here he said.
pointing to the man l wanted a hundred yard.
down the track,
his hand to the hilt Of his revolver.
the tracks which marked the edge OF the yard
hit OF his pistol; and every moment ! expected
him to draw and fire. boy had pccn wantonly
at Weehawken, and other acts OF violence had
been committed by these men. We faced each
other for perhaps five minutes, during which
but had no @ reS2g except d one sY of curiosity tf
later met one OF his men to whom l had done
some N, ,Ih slighi M,rt favor; o,rt - .,n vor .,0
|
day. he said.
"'Yes. knew it, replied.
$50 did j. he said and whom ho dropped
his hand TO his pistol pocket lowered my Win
chester rife into position, and e ho had draw
his pistol meant to send a Winchester rift
bullet through him.
MY last deadly peril was from typhoid fever
but unlike many such cases. | had been sensibl!
i'll only few days whom the crisis came. and
had hardly lost any OF my physical vigor. On
day the doctor came, ana, taking my wrist
stood beside my bed for many minutes feeling
my pulse. had been In bed but three days. bu
] knew that | was desperately III; With tn,
doctors finger on my pulse could feel It's beat
ings, and wondered why the doctor stood thcr
30 long holding my wrist. Then l becam
ing. and that probably death was near. l be
came as much interested in fol owing tho cyi
dcnce OF my heart 8 working AS tho doctor coul,
, have been, and tho only thought which REGAL
was one of much the same sort of curiosity IA
filed my mind when was waiting for tho draw
ing of the Pinkcrton mans revolver, Slowl
my pulse faded AWAY, beating NJ longer inter
walls and with less strength at each pulsation
, and, although my mind seemed rs clear as eve!
/ thought OF nothing but this. and otherwise fcl
Rs IL were simply sinking into delicious slccI