The Portland daily press., 1899-12-12
CAPTURED BRITISH GUNS
SAM PATCHES DEATH.
That Fatal Jump 40 Years Ago Recalled
ON the Annfverssry Day.

Il
That Fatal Jump 20 Years Ago Recalled
on the Anniversary Day.
(From the Rochester Herald.)
Today IL the 70sh anniversary Of one
Of the most noteworthy events In the
early history Of Rochester; In the days
when Roshestsr was u sium bering village
on the banks of the dsnesee. Although
but enc man. Sam Patch. lost his life,
the valley OF the Gsnesse was stirred as 1t
bad never been stirred since the days of
Indian massacres. November Is, 1899.
sam Patch lost his life In jumping from
q scaffold 3. feet above the brink Of the
Gen esee falls into the abyss below. He
undertook to jump In all q distance Of 10
fest. OF course the whole population of
| Rochester, as well ~ tho farmers from
nsighboring villages. were upon the
scene. The fame of Patch had for several
weeks been o topic OF conversation
among the early settlers. Around the
home fireplace, as we'll as at the big fire.
place In the tavern. while the settlers
slipped their cider. they talked OF the
| wonders OF the man from Jersey.
| Patch was born In Rhode Island In
1907. Soon after he removed to Paterson,
N. j., at which place. in 1897, he was
seized with the jumping mania. Attsr
giving several daring exhibitions In New
Jersey, he decided to try his fuck at
Niagars falls. two years later. In Ooto-
Der, 1927, he jumped from shelving
rock between Goat island and the gurg.
ling waters many feet below. A few days
later he startled the natives by jumping
from the Id Bitzhugh street bridge Mt
dawn. lie swan under the water to a
con vsnient hiding place, where hs bad
much amusement In Watching several
boats crowcei with people dra gRfng for
bis poSiy. They were startled when he
called p,srrily to them, joking them for
their wnstsd efforts in mis- behalf. On
another morning he startled Rochester
lsd By jumping from this brink OF the
In LIS 20 the rapids below. II Patch had
not treasured the boy, he would have had
half of the population Of Rochester drag
ging the water for his dead body.
With such q record 1t IL no wonder that
ON the morning Of November - all the
muddy roads leading to Rochester were
thronRed with people desirous OF seeing
the wonderful bridge jumper. Even II
farmers were unusually busy IN securing
the last of their harvssts. they found time
to take n day or two 0tf In order TO wit
ness the feats Of Gam Patch. Several
boa,s brought hundreds Of visitors In
holiday attire from CanaGa, Oswego and
Lswiston. Buffalo, Canandaigua AMI
Batavia were almost depopulated on ac-
count of the exodus TO Rochester. Inc
few tavsrns In the city turned guests
away, and many had to camp out In
their wagons over night.
| Notwithstanding the raw. cold wealth
or, thr ongs Of settlers lined the banks be-
low the falls, Although Sam said he did
not fesl the cold wsathsr he was pleased
to fortlfy himself with q glass OF whiskey
tendersd to him by his friend, William
Cochrnne. Several Of the spectators CON
tributsd q uniqus uniform. Dressed In
WI it's tror ssrs, decorated with black
silk handkerchief tied AIouHd his body,
lsurmounted by . Light wooden jacket and
skull cap, Sam must have presented
grotesque appear
After taking another drink from the
flask Sam made the following speech TO
the thousands of breathlsss spectators:
I"Napoleon was great man and great
general. He con lusred armies. and ne
conquered nations. But he oouldn'
Jump the Gsnesee falls. wellington was
u great man and great soldier. he
conquered armies and he conquered
nations, and he conquered Napolecn, but
he couldn't jump the Genesee falls That
was left for me to do, and can do II
and will"
Genesse tails when he was sober, he could
mot do 10 when he felt the effects of this
brandy, Owing to this fnct he met his
death when he took the jump When the
thousands of silent and horror-strioker
spectaters saw San strlke the water they
did not SEQ him come to the surface. hls
de scent was SO unlike lbs previous efforts
when he shot like an arrow from bow,
thas the spectators were certain that M
met his doom when he reached the wate'
and the jagged, piercing rocks beneath
The spectators searched in vain foe the
Ijumpsr. The torches OF the ssaIchers
along the river-bank and those OF the
seachers who dragged the river in coats
lit up the river during the long night
} houra. Amid the roar Of the cataract
the sorrowing multitude shed tears for
the jolly. good fellow. who, ike many
Others, loved his bottle on oocasions
Il Notwithstanding the rumors that sam
Patch had been seen alive In Rochester,
n othing was heard Of him until st Pat
rick q day, when his body was found u
q cake Of Toe near the mouth OF the Gen
ssee. His remains were buried In tine
cemetsry at Charlotte. Although IL had
been the ambition of his life to jump
London bridge, he met his death In the
Genesee The feats of Sam Patoh nlled
the newspapers fer weeks, and hlthougI
such poets IS Mrs. Sigourney wrote poem,
dedicated to his memory, no monument
had been erected In commemoration o.
his feat.
Indeed, the event produced prefoune
impression upon the people OF thoss
days On the following Sunday, the
preachers In Rochester and neigh borine
towns could not say enough against tn'
evils Of jumping. some even went as la
as Josiah Bissell. who told tn pupils O
Third churoh Sunda y-sonool, that be
causs they saw the fatal leap they wer'
scce ssories to his death aud were m ur
derers In tho sight of God. Indeed thos'
were sorrowful days In Rochester wnsi
the best part Of the population wore tn'
brand of Cain upon their hrows.