The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-07-12
FooIhardy Englishman's
Barrel Not Strong
Enough.
'BDDY NOT Recovered
Dead Man Wanted to Go
on a Lecture
Tour.
nv Associated Pressl

'12-Riyer men were patrollilg the
Niagara gorge below the falls To-
day in the hope Of recovering me
body Of Charles G. Stephens, o.
Bristol, England, who lost bis lte
yesterday in an attempt to dupli-
cate the feats Of Mrs. Annie Edison
TAYLOR and Bobby Leach By going
over the cataract In a barrel. Il
Pieces Of the Barrel in which
Stephens went to his death con-
tinued to float ashore IN the eddy
on the Canadian side above the
Maid Of the Mist landing until
nearly midnight, but Stephens body
failed TO appear. ,..|
Experienced river men said Il
might be several days before II
was released from the cross
currents at the foot Of the falls.
The slaves Of the barrel bobbed up
through the spume one BY one and
we're picked up as they floated to-
ward the shore.
The barrel head with It's sealing
device was virtually intact It was
impossible to tell which part Of the
barrel gave way first under the
force Of the 1853 feet drop and the
pounding OF the water, but Bobby
| Leach whose experiences gave his
opinion some weight declared i
was too light in all parts. Leach
warned Stephens before his drop
that he was doomed to failure, but
the Englishman was confident his
barrel was strong enough and re-
fused to listen to. Leach's advice.
Stephens was a well known Brit
tish .:sdaredeEls and he -E.n irtci
the water ADORE the falls IN seren-
Iest confidence. Asfew days before
making his effort which resulted
fatally he wrote as follows about
1t:
"If / though there was chance
! / would be killed, wouldn't at
tempt to shoot Niagara Falls IN a
barrel this month.
"But there isn't a chance. ] viii
be as safe in the laundering
waters, as the Indians call the falls
as | would be at home In Bristol.
Eng. ! don't expect to be as sea-
sick as | was coming from England
on the boat. :.
"'How do you get that way!
American friends asked me when
they heard | was going to take
the big tumble. It's a little hard
to say, but III Try. ,o.o
81 was bonn in Bristol in lS62
and because was a delicate child
II was put 70 learn the barber
business. Then / went to work
| in the coal pits in South Wales.
When I was l6 years old | was
! deep in the pit. one day with a fell
low workman when a coal car
broke loose and dashed down the
long incline toward US.
"There seemed to be no chance
| for our salvation. We could see
the car rushing with increasing
velocity. Twenty feet from US II
Jumped the track and We were ull-
hurt, My companion was driven
crazy with fright and ] have to
say that was at work In the pit
the next day.
"That settled me. II there was
anything that could frighten me
it would have been that adven-
ture. When | saw an advertise
ment asking for a man Of nerve
i to take parachute jumps | made
bold to reply and then began my
career as q ''tempter Of fate"
'I have kissed lions. put my
head in a lions mouth and tickled
him until he smiled. Then, too,
h have shaved men IN a Hons den.
II held q worlds record for para
| chute Jumping for some years.
"You might think have what
you Americans call "the swelled
head" but really | haven't. Some
Of the things ! have done seem
difficult but they weren't to q man
who Just doesn't seem to. have
been born with the power to be-
come frightened.
~ have five gold medals and
seven silver ones for acts Of peril
and have three ordinary war
decorations to show for my two
and a hall years service In
France.
II have had this barrel idea for
a long time and It Is going to be
a sort Of pastime 10 me. am
anxious TO 70 over and as soon as
| I have hired the crew to take care
Of me when | 20 in and to fish me
out at the whirlpool. I'll be ready.
There's no secret about the
reason for my plunge. / want the
money. / have e barber shop IN
Bristol, and q good business. but
T. don't Ike barbertnE. When I
| have completed the Niagara feat
liz can 20 back to English music
halls and lecture and SHOW my bar
tits .igood trick II you do #
and I'll pit nv money on myself