A NIAGARA TRAGEDY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 859, 9 August 1879, Page 2

A NIAGARA TRAGEDY.

A terrible spectacle was witnessed at. Niagara Falls on the afternoon of Sun? day, May 25, by about 500 people, chiefly excursionists from Buffalo, who had arrived by a special train on the Erie Railroad, little imagining the sight that was in store for them. A cry was suddenly, raised from the shore opposite the upper end of Goat Island. " A man in the rapids !" and there was a rush to the edge, of the water, from whence a small boat was seen being slowly sucked iuto the current. The man was rowing with all his might, but seemed dazed with fear, and was unable to make much, headway. Suddenly he "caught a crab," his oar flew out of the rowlocks, his head went, down, and he lay at length in the bottom of his boat. The boat then turned its prow down stream and began to descend the rapids of the American fall, its pace growing more and more swift until it struck a rock about two inches from the surface, and its progress was checked for a moment. There were loud screams from the crowd to the man to jump out and cling to the rock, but he still lay crouching in the boat, and seemed paralysed by fear. There Was wild excitement .on shore. Two old guides ran up the stream to get a rope and another boat, when the light skiff on the rock swung found with its occupant and plunged onward to destruction. Striking a second rock it was shattered on the port side —the body of the man as it shot forward into the whirlpool was sucked under for an instant and then tossed to the surface just above the bridge that leads to Goat Island. He was still alive, for he threw his arms wildly into .the air, and his despairing face was plainly visible to the awe-struck beholders as he was drawn below the waters a few seconds later, and his body was torn to shreds by the jagged edges of the bouldeis against which it was tossed. The unfortunate man, who had saved many persons from the fate which befell him, was known as "Pi Walker." He was a noted smuggler and river pirate, and is supposed to have been drunk when he thus " braved the rapids" and lost his life.