Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-06-06
FROM A SHARKS JAWS.
Marvellous Escape OF the George w.
Clydes Stroker.


New York Evening SUBJ
John Kelly, q stroker on board the
steamship George w. Clyde, which ar
rived from Haytl yesterday, Is the hero
of wonderful tale that sounds Ike
maritime fairy story but has the advan-
tage of being true in every particular.
The George w. Clyde started from
San Domingo City and touched Porto
Plato and Cape Hayti. These places
have a very pleasant repute among
mariners for the simple reason that
rum is as cheap there as peanuts are In
Italy. For one and half or two cents n
man can get nice "little jag on" and
the tars generally take advantage Of
this fact aud leave the place in good
spirits.
|, The crew of the George w. Clyde did
not make al exception to the old GUS
tom, and John Kelly, 1t is said, was
considerably more than half seas over
when the ship was ready for sailing.
He looked with fearful eyes on the
tropical land, and the DINNER grew
the vanishing coast the more intense
grew his grief aid sorrow. .....
Suddenly, to the horror Of the many
passengers who stood on deck watch
ing the calm sea, the groggy seaman
jumped overheard. There was q dimin-
utive panic on the steamship. The
passengers crowded to the side of the
vessel, and one of them, in his anxious
efforts to save the strOker's life, threw q
chair after him. 1t was plain wooden
chair, about two feet high, with wide
and comfortable seat.
The proverbial luck which belongs to
children, imbeciles and inebriates did
not forsake Kelly. He grasped the chair
and managed to get in comfortable
floating position.
In the meantime the crew on board
were making ready to pass the line out
when cry of horror came from the
passengers. "a shark! a shark!' they
screamed.
The back of the huge hyena of the
sea was seen close to the wretch in the
water. The sense of danger s0bered
the stroker better than the bath in the
warm sea had done. He awoke to the
terrible situation to which he seemed
doomed, while the passengers kept on
screaming.
The shark had disappeared, and the
next moment his fearful throat would
stick up from underneath, ready to
swollow its prey of human flesh. This
the stroker knew, and he hastily swan
five or six feet to one side. The next
moment the widely-opened jaws of the
monster stuck out from the water.
Then Kelly rose to the occasion. He
prasped the chair and threw it into the
abyss of death that was yawning before
him. --... .-s..a.-
The shark seemed puzzled. This was
morsel he had never tasted before
He wrangeled with the feshless bones
with surprised disgust. -
In the meantime, while the shark
was shaking and worrying the chair,
his hideous eyes blazing with anger
John Kelly was brought on board with
little difficulty, as sober as possible.
The passengers surrounded the stroker,
warmly congratuIating him on his mi.
raculOus escape. q. e q
@The shark did not follow the George
". Clyde, as is. the custom with Other
sharks. His appetite was gone. Johr
Kelly is % Young man Of medium size,
but of powerful build, He is dark com
plexioned fellow, and looks as If he was
not afraid of sharks. .- So
Among the fifty three passengers OF
board the George w. Clyde who wit
messed the affair, was Mr.. Astwood
I the former American Consul at Hayti
The experience of John Kelly is gener
ally regarded as unprecented in marine
history. The ship isanchored at Con
gress-street store, Brooklyn. a