The morning news., 1891-01-28
RODE ON a STURGEON.
An Old Pioneer Drawn Through the
Water by Large Fish.
From the 81 Louis Globe Democrat.


From the ST. Louis Globe Democrat
There is a good story told in New Knox
vile, o.. by the friends and relatives of
Thomas Bergman, who was one of the
pioneers of Hogan township, Auglaize
county, and well-respected citizen. Berry
man settled close to the Wapakoneta river,
and one day in the year 1885 he started
down to the river with the intention of
crossing over and going to the use Of
neighbor, who lived some distance away on
the opposite side. The only means of cross
ing the river on foot without wading was
by foot-log, and on reaching the log
Bergman saw a peculiar moving object in
the river that attracted his atten ion.
Closely scanning the creature he discov-
cred that it was a very large fish, and that
it was trying to make its way up the rifle
ard beneath the log, but the water was
rather shallow and swift at that point, and
the fish was houndering about without
making much heRdway. Bergman saw at
glance that the fish would be quite prize,
and so he resolved to capture it, though
without any weapons at hand it would
| seem an impossible task. So he got
down on his hands and knees and
carefully crept along until he was almost
directly over the fish, and then, raising
| up, sprang onto his back like a tiger.
The fish's head was under the log, which
| accounts for the fact that it did not see
Berryman's movements, but the moment he
''landed in the saddle" and, facing the log,
| the fish gave a tremendous Jump forward,
| but only struck its head with hard knock
against the log, and for q minute seemed
quite stunned. The time lost to the fish
gave bergman an opportunity to seize 1t
| by the gills with a firm hold, but the fish,
| Immediately recovering itself made half
| dozen or more leaps in the air tn get rid of
its unwelcome burden, but discovering that
such plan was useless as its rider stuck to
| it like leech, it next darted here and there
| through the rifle like a veritabe water
| cyclone, flinging showers of spray and del
| uging its enemy with such sheets of water
ia rapid succession that he found it almost
| impossible TO get his breath and was almost
strangled.
Yet Bergman was an individual Of con-
| siderable courage, and had made up his
mind to have that fish or die, and so he con-
tinued to hold on with most desperate grip
| The water alone was not the worst he had to
| contend with, for be became covered with
sand, gravel and mud also. But the fish had
| overdone itself, and after apparently five
| minutes of super-fsh efforts it grew more
docile, and Bergman discovered that it was
| well nigh exhausted. So he bent his efforts
to guiding it toward the right-hand shore,
where the water was more shallow. Several
times he got it grounded on a sand bar as
he supposed, but it got loose and led him.
another John Gilpin ride through the river
At last, however, its ardor was noticeably
checked, and he succeeded in whirling it
into little sand harbor where it could no
longer escape Still Bergman was so much
| exhausted and out of breath tnut he re-
mained some little time seated on the fishs
back before daring to make sure of his prize.
Then he dismounted from its back and
pulled it ashore and up on the bank, with
little show of resistance on the part of the
fish. Then Bergman lay down beside the
creature and took a long rest, and in due
time conveyed it home. 1t was a monster
sturgeon, over eight feet in length, and the
largest one ever captured in Wapakoneta
river. Neighbors came for miles to see and
get piece Of the big fish, and the Oldest
pioneers of this vicinity sill love TO dwell
upon Berryman's adventure with the big
| sturgeon