The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-10-11
The Young Man and the Shark.

| spread CONSERVATION along the south
shore of Staten Island at nine o'clock
yesterday morning. OF such cyclonic
nature was this rumor that for some
time it seemed to be matter of much
doubt whether the shark had swallowed
the young man, or the young man had
swallowed the shark, or the shark had
swallowed itself. This chaotic state of
affairs was well-nigh distracting, but at
length the rumor Gained down 70 p
statement that the young man had
been very nearly swallowed by the
shark, and that the shark had been
driven of by a long and particularly
Notwithstanding knife in the hands
OF one of the young mans friends.
The story of the encounter between
the shark and the young man, as told
by a disinterested eyewitness, has
many simple charms which the way
farer may not see at q casual glance.
Thomas kochler, the young man in
question, and John Taylor the Young
mans friend, went down to the old
ferry dock, at Stapleton, Yesterday
morning, to battle. They left what
clothes they had in crevice in the
rickety old pier, and plunged into the
water. Soon they were joined by three
or four boys, but, as KOchler and Fay
lor were comparative strangers in Sta
pletOn, the boys did not swim with
them. While one of the boys was dis
porting himself near the end of the
dock, he saw the oft-described triangu-
lar fin of big shark, short distance
out in the bay. He at once screamed:
"Shark, shark" and scampered as hore.
The other boys followed him with
shrieks of terror. Surprising that
hochler had gone ashore, TAYLOR clam
bered up the crumbling pier and looked
around. 70 his unspeakable dismay, he
saw Kochier diving and turning somer-
saults in the water only a few rods
from the triangular fin.
Swim, Swim, you re dead MANI
he howled, waving his arms wildly
about his head
+ kOchler turned, saw the shark. and
swan for his life. Taylor danced about
on the pier like one bereft of reason,
wildly shouting for q gun, for pistol,
and for variety of weapons Just then
unfortunately out of reach. Suddenly
the triangular fin disappeared, and
Taylor saw a long, dull white streak
flash under the water. The shark had
turned over on is side and was head
ing toward the struggling swimmer.
. "Swim, Tommy! Swim, He's after
you" yelled Taylor; and Tommy, who
already resembled a side-wheel steamer
in 4 heavy cross sea, screamed aloud in
his terror.
Then an idea shot through Tavlor's
rtithd. Rushing madly TO his bundle
of clothes he seized his sheath-knife,
barred the long blade, and darted out to
the extreme end of the pier Blind and
deaf with exhaustion, Kochler struc-
gled past the end Of the pier Just as the
shark turned over for the final rush.
An instant later Taylor, with out
stretched arm, leaped out over. the
water and dropped within q foot of
the sharks glistening side. A thin
column OF blood spurted up and dyed
the water crimson. A moment after
ward Taylor rose to the surface and
swan slowly to shore. The shark had
disappeared.
''W-where's the s-shark?'' asked
KOchler, who lay gasping or the beach.
81 cut him OPEN" said Taylor. He's
gone now, and my knife has gone with
him.
'W-where d'you learn that trick?"
''DOwn on the Florida coast. The
natives do it there on a wager I've
done it before when | was a-wreckin'
down the coast. faint much, any
way. Les go and take suthin'."
SO rapidly do Staten Island stories
f...la
Island people that only after the most |
patient search, last evening, was the |
eyewitness found. When found the |
eyewitness was in such helpless state |
of INVESTIGATION that all he could do was |
10 say: CTS all right. Use there
m self. Saw the man swar tn shark: |
/ mean tn shar' swal tn OF dock-rs, |
I mean tn man swal' no, | do know |
what | mean. You Cover there; tha' |
OF man'll tell gall bout it,
"Io be sure, sir, to be- sure" said |
the old man pointed out. I'm tell We |
with pleasure. Eyes, that I'll do. |
Here, waiter, the gentleman wants a
lemingade. 0, takes mine straight, |
sir; learned it at sea, y know. 1t was |
in tn old Dreadnaught that first vent |
to sea, an a fine clipper she was, too
1t was only this afternoon THAT
were a-sitting here, sir, with fine gem
tleman, an he says to me, says he
b sun, tell me the yarn about the
Dreadnaught's first voyage Says |
to him, sir, says |: Il will, sir, and [
began-oh, the shark. Well, that was
at nine O'Clock this morning, an me
an Bill there was a-stting on tn old
boat out there by the dock. Them two
fellers came down to swim, sir, an
says to Bill, says l: Bill, do you remem-
Der how the old Dreadnaught made
her'-what dye remark, sir? 0, the
shark. Well, when them fellers got
their clothes put away, parcel O. boys
came down, an Bill says to me, says
Bill: odd man, when you speaks of
the Dread What's that? Got to
catch the last boat, sir? Waiter, give
the gentleman his change. As l was
a-sayin', them boys came down to the
dock, and Bill says to me, says Bill,
odd man, when"
What Bill said to the old man or
what the old man said to Bill as the
shark turned over to swallow Thomas
Kochler will remain matter of coniec-
ture from this time henceforth. Only
Bill and the old man and the proprie-