It's against the law, and common sense, to ride in a barrel over Spokane Falls. But over 100 years ago, a daredevil by the name of Captain Paul Webb arrived in town with audacious plans to ride the falls in a barrel. 

Maybe after looking at the falls, plans changed. We believe that Webb and his publicity agent also wanted a more secluded area, so that they could control ticket sales. They chose the Rosen Brothers log chute near Moscow Bay on Lake Coeur d'Alene, with a big event on the 4th of July.

Most of the spectators watched from a flotilla of steamboats out on Lake Coeur d'Alene. Captain Paul Webb got in his barrel at the top of the log chute at 4:30 p.m. on the 4th of July, 1895, with a host of newspaper reporters, his entourage, and two doctors ready to witness a stunt along with hundreds of onlookers.

Initial plans were to light the barrel on fire. It turns out it would not have mattered. Even though the barrel and log chute were greased, a steel band on the barrel caught a splitter on the chute, and Webb's barrel started bouncing down the hill, at one point launching 30 feet in the air, according to witnesses at the event.

Doctors rushed to care for Captain Paul Webb, but his back was broken and months later he died at Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane. His real name was John W. Stewart, and he was buried next to his parents at Greenwood Cemetery.

Watch the complete episode on YouTube here: Captain Paul Webb