The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1900-02-28
A PLUNGE TO DEATH.
SAM PATcH's FAMOUS JUMP OVER
THE oeNEsEe FALLS.

Daring Fents Which Wight Nav"
Resulted DiEcrcnt.y bat For rot
tie of Brandy.
Nov. 13. 1920. sam Patch lost his life
in jumping from Il scaffold % feet
above the brink uf the Gcnesec falls
into the abyss below. Tie undertook
TO jump in all distance of 1875 feet
OF course the whole population Of
Rochester as well ns the farmers from
neighhorlng villages were upon the
scene. The fame Of Patch had for
several weeks been topic of conver.
satlon among the early settlers.
Patch was born In Rhode Island Ia
1907. Soon after he removed to Pater.
son. n. j.. at which place in 1897 he
was seized with the jumping mania
After giving several daring exhibitions
in New Jersey he decided to try his
luck nt Niagara falls two yeyrs later
In October, 1927. he Jumped rom n
shelving rock between Goat island and
the gurgllng waters many feet below
A few days later he startled the M.
tives by jumping from the old Fitz
hugh street bridge at dawn. He swan
under the water to n convenient hiding
place. where he had much amusement
In watching several boats crowded
with people dragging for his body
They We're startled when he called
merrlly to them. Joking them for their
wasted efforts in his behalf.
On another morning he startled n
Rochester lad by jumping from the
brink of the falls 10 the rapids below
II Patch had not rcassured the boy. h"
would have had half of the population
of Rochester dragging the water for
his dead body.
With such record II Is no wonder
that on the morning of Nov. 13 all tie
muddy roads leading to Rochester
were throngpd with people desirous Of
seeing the wonderful jumper. Even II
farmers We're unusually busy In secur-
ing the last of their harvests they
found time to take day or two Off In
order to witness the feats Of Sam
Patch. Several boats brought hundreds
of visitors in holiday attire from Can
ada, Oswcgo and Lewiston. Buf' .o
Canandaigua and Batavia were almost
depOpulated on account OF the exodus
TO Rochester The few taverns In the
city turned guests away. and many
had to camp out overnight.
Notwithstanding the raw cold weath
er throngs of settlers lined the banks
below the falls. Although Sam said he
\ 4 a.. 4
pleased to fortify himself with n drink
of brandy rendered to him by his
friend william Cochrane. Several Of
the spectators contributed unique
uniform. Dressed In white trousers
decorated with black silk handker.
chief tied around his body. surmounted
by light woolen jacket and skullcap
Sam must have presented grotesque
appearance,
After taking another drink from the
flask Sam made the following speech
to the thousands Of breathless specta-
tors: Napoleon was great man and
n great general. He conquered armies.
and he conquered nations. But he
couldn't jump the Genesce falls. Wei
lington wns n great man and great
soldier. He conquered armies, and he
conquered nations. and he conquered
Napoleon, hut he couldn't jump the
Genesee falls. That was left for me to
do, and | can do It and will"
Although Sam Patch could Jump the
Genesee falls when he was sober. he
could not do II when he felt the effects
of the brandy. Owing to this fact he
met his death when he took the jump.
When the thousands of silent and hor.
ror stricken spectators saw Sam strike
the water. they did not see him come
to the surface. His descent was so un-
like his previous efforts. when he shot
like an arrow from n bow. that the
spectators were certain that he met his
doom when he reached the water and
the jagged, piercing rocks beneath.
The spectators searched In vain fol
the jumper. The torches OF the search
ers along the river bank and those OF
the searchers who dragged the river In
boats lii up the river during the lone
night hours. Amid the roar of the
cataract the sorrowing multitude shed
tears for the jolly good fellow who
like many others, loved his bottle or
occasions.
Notwithstanding the rumors thai
Sam Patch had been seen alive II
Rochester nothing was heard of hin
until st. Patrick's day, when his body
was found in cake OF Ice near the
mouth of the Genesee. His remains
were buried In the cemetery at Char
lotte, Although 1t had been the ambi
tion Of his life to jump Londcn bridge
he met his death In the Genesee. Tn,
feats of Sam Patch filed the newspa
pers for weeks. and although sucl
poets as Mrs. Sigourney wrote poems
dedicated TO his memory no monumen
has been erected I'm commemoratlon o
his feats.
Indeed. the event produced n pro
found impression upon the people o
those days. On the following Sunda!
the preachers In Rochester and neigh
boring towns could not say enough
onaiuof tha owls Of irp Gon.