News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1901-03-06
ROAR OF NIAGARA.
The "Thundering Waters" Have Strange
Fascination For Some People,

a number of times since he came to
Morrisville to "tell something about
it, through the columns of News AND
CITIZEN. To do so will indeed be an
easy task, for the subject is as mex
haustibIe as is the water of theinland
seas of this continent that forever
and forever rush down over the Amer.
lean and Horseshoe Falls. The for
mer is the most imposing and speaks
with louder voice OF the two, be-
cause it's coiling spirsls of twisted
and furious fiood crash in fullimpulse
of descent upon the talus of massive
boulders heaped up at it's foot. 1t
again quickly mingles with the water
that pours over the Horseshoe, thun-
dering, smoking, glistening, green
and white. Then the waters of Erie
"the Broad" roll on proudly and soon
empty into Ontario the Beautiful"
Had the writer been requested to
"fully describe the wonders of Mag
ara" he would certainly have declined
for no pen ever has or ever can por-
tray anything like true likeness to
the Rapids, the Waterfall, the Whirl-
pool and the beautiful scenery of
world-famed Niagara. The word
Niagara is of Indian origin and
means "Thundering Waters" 1t has
been translated into every language
and is synonymous with grandeur
and magnifcence. Among the many
visitors who have watched the foam
ing waters of Niagara during the past
century there have been some every
year for whom the Great Cataract
has had a strong attraction and
who, while gazing upon it, have been
irresistably drawn to their deaths in
it's seething torrent. If there had
been kept during the past hundred
years, a record of the suicides and &C.
cidental drownings in the waters of
Niagara, it would fill many volumes
with sad and romantic reading.
Most OF the sensational happenings
there of the present day are now fur
nished to the world through the press,
so the writer will tell about some of
the tragedies enacted there long ago
|
the most mysterious of the many
cases of suicide in the recolIections of
old residents Of that vicinity is that
of an unknown lady and gentleman
who leaped together over the Ameri-
can Falls from Prospect Point in
July, 1881. The man was a tall,
handsome young fellow of about 25
years, who had registered at hotel
near the Falls under the name OF
William Claridge. He told nothing
about himself to those about him ex-
cept that he resided in a western city,
and was at the Falls to meet his wife,
a Spanish lady who had recently
landed at New York en- route from
Cuba.
| He had been there several days
anxiously watching the arrival ot
every stage from the east-Niagara
boosted no railroad in those days
when one night the last passenger to
alight from one of those vehicles was
a beautiful young woman, whose
complexion betrayed her Spanish
origin and whose great dark eyes fair
| ly danced with anticipated pleasure
Though plainly dressed, her face anG
general bearing gave evidence of cul
ture and refinement. She no sooner
caught sight of the gentleman thar
she rushed toward him and threw
herself into his arms, utterly regard
less OF the bystanders. 1t was noticed
by some of the latter that Mr.. Claridgt
returned the lady's greeting rather
coldly and that his face wore a dark
scowling look as they walked away
arm in arm while the eyes of the
Spanish beauty had suddenly become
dim with tears.
What passed between them or
reaching their hotel will never bt
known. A servant heard loud anC
angry words in mans voice, min
gled with feminine sobs and pleadings
issuing from their apartment, but al
they spoke in the Spanish tongue tht
servant was unable to recognize thu
purport of their conversation. Soor
afterward they strolled out of thu
hotel arm in arm, and Mr.. Claridgt
informed the proprietor that they
were going to obtain a view of thu
Falls by moonlight.
Half an hour later pedestrian or
the Canada side distinctly saw, as ht
afterwards testified, the figure of 6
man and woman leap over the Amer
lean Fall from Prospect Point, thu
E moon being at the full and rendering
all objects plainly visible. The bodies
OF Claridge and his alleged wife wer'
found few days afterward near thu
whirlpool. Nothing further concern
ing them was ever learned. Theil
effects contained no letters or othel
papers by which their relatives OF
friends could be ascertained, and thu
name of Claridge was probably al
assumed one. A small sum of money
found upon the man was barely sufH
Gent to give them a decent burial.
In the fall OF 1S43 there registered
, at one of the principal hotels at Mag
ara Falls gentleman of command
ing presence and apparently some Al
years of age. He wrote the name O
! Daniel Webster, upon the book, bu
every one about the house knew tina
q he was not the famous statesman
On the second day after his arriva
| he crossed the river tn the Canadiai