Does it spark when the original switch is on, and not when it is off? If so it sounds as if your replacement kill wire doesn't kill: it isn't grounding the moving contact of the points. Either your new wire is not connected to the points, or your new switch isn't connecting it to ground. Could be you didn't ground the other switch contact - or maybe the switch itself is defective.
Try putting some fuel (petrol/oil mixture) into the carburetor throat or into the spark plug hole, then try to start it. If it starts but soon stops, you have a fueling problem. That could be in the tank, fuel tap, or carburetor. I suggest you start by sorting out the ignition, then we can talk about the fuelling problem. Don't get discouraged, this is trivial stuff. It is potentially an interesting mower (or at least an interesting engine, here in Australia).
