The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-10-28
A Horrible Scene Under the Ocean.

The theory of naturalists that SO few
bodies of human beings who die from
shipwreck come to the surface, because
they are devoured by submarine mon
sters, has found yerification in connec-
ton with the Schiller disaster. A cor
respondent from Plymouth, England,
relates heart-rendiHg circumstance in
connection with this calamity. Mr..
Franz Hauser, a German resident of
Iowa, lost his mother and two sisters
when the Schiller sank, which so af-
fected him that he was attacked with a
nervous fever, and when convaiescent
became very unhappy becauset the bodies
Of his relatives could not be recOy-
cred. The idea made so powerful an
impression upon his mind that he went
to Penzance, and after examining the
descriptions of all the bodies which had
been recovered, and satisfying himself
that his three friends were not among
them, he resolved to learn the art of
diving, in order to search for them
himself Purchasing q complete diving
arlnor, he submitted himself to a
thorough course of training, and as
soon as he could with safety
move about under the water, he, with
the assistance of two professional
divers, made daily descentS into the sea,
near the wreck of the Schiller, to search
| for the bodies of his mother and sisters.
| Several descents were unsuccessful, but
one day the head of 4 young woman
was seen apparently hanging from a
rock, and upon nearer approach the
rock was found to be partially encircled
by gigantic cutie fish, which chung to
its sides, and was devouring the corpse.
The monster is described as of immense
size, having a circular central body that
could not be less than four feet in dl-
ameter, of a greenish black hue with
alternating bright and dark spots and a
Shiny surface. 1t was rounded like a
dome, and it.seemed as if a portion OF
the human body had been absorbed in
to it BY the Tremendous power of sue
ton this monster is believed to possess.
Its arms-the divers counted eight
were apparently of immense strength,
being over twelve feet long, and judged
| to be not less than Il foot in diameter
where they joined the body. Some of
these arms clung to the unfortunate vic
tim, others held fast to the protuber-
ances of the rock, and several were
swinging through the water like the
trunk of an elephant, but twice its size.
When Hauser saw the terrible crea-
ture, he sprang toward it, and his COM
panions had great difficulty in keeping
him back, and Immediately gave the
signal, and were hoisted up. As soon
as Hauser could speak he declared that
he had recognized in the female face
one of his sisters, and he was determine
ed to descend again to recover her body.
On the plea that he was too exhausted
and nervous TO do so that day he was in
duced to rest until the next morning.
Before the time arrived, however, he
was dangerously i'll, and few days
thereafter died The two survivors OF
his expedition under the sea have made
sworn statements OF the truth of these
facts, and it is believed that some pro
position has been sent to the British
authorities of the admiralty for com
plete and thorough scientific search OF
the entire Vicinity of the Reterrier
Lodges to ascertain whether these ire
mendous marine monsters feed on the
victims of shipwreck as has been as.
| serted by naturaliStS.