The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1895-11-20
CAUGHT WITH GOLD.
BUT THE MAN EATING SHARK TOOK
$4,000 OF THE GAIT.

All over the veranda Mt the Completion
Of the Yarn.
"I suppose, uuoth James r Gaulin
of Winchester, Mass, who was sitting
on the hotel veranda, THAT l had the
honor Of killing the most valuable fish
that ever swan the seas did il single
handed too / aver that this fish was
worth more at the timc of its death than
the finest sperm whale that was ever
harpouned. although we should really
leave whales out Of the question when
speaking Of fish. u was 30 years ago,
and was young and foolish enough to
be u deep sea diver. Our diving schooner
and crew had been sent to Cuba TO try
TO recover some stuff from n Spanish
boat that had f1undercd of the coast of
Cuba, Just where / don't now recollect.
II was quito long trip Cor us, and Hs
the employment Of n diving outfit was
an expensive thing in those days the
boys knew that thcre must be something
pretty valuable in the hold Of tho wreck.
was quite close to our skipper, and he
told me that there were several boxes Of
gold coin in the wreck On our arrival
ut the port near whore the wreck lay in
80 feet of water the agent OF the owners
of the sunken schooner told us some
thing more surprising It was that the
gold had not been slowed in boxes in
the cabin MS was usual but for some
reason had been bagged and placed in
the hold, being billed as copper washers.
Nhal, 10
any chance of the spirit of cupidity aris-
ing in tho crew, for the treasure was
very great.
CAS- the confidential man, was Sc
lected to go down first and find the mon
ey bags, attach lines to them and have
them taken out before the other divers
should proceed with the work of taking
out the other freight that the water had
not harmed. Twas soon in the hold and
was surprised to find that the bags We're
only little distance from the hole in
the side that had caused the schooner to
founder. / had been told that there
would be 10 bags, but l could lay my
hands ON but IL of thom. Finally ]
spied torn bag lying near the hole in
the hull, and on picking it up discover
ed that it contained few gold coins. /
decided that the heavy triple sacking
had been torn open in some way or 9th
er when the schooner sank. / fastened
lines about tho IL bags that were intact.
and had them hoisted, afterward going
up for air, for our apparatus was not
very good.
sin few minutes returned to tho
hold to search for the scattered coins
Very few of them were in sight. 1t oc-
Cured to me that they might have been
washed outside the boat, Judging from
the position Of the wreck and the fact
that the hold was far down toward the
ships bottom. Twas about to crawl out
Of the hole when remembered that il
might hazard the air pipe, so I was
pulled up and let down again over the
vessels side I was disappointed not to
find any indication of the gold near the
hole in the schooner, but set to work
digging resolutely in the sand. / had
gone but foot down when ! struck the
gold pieces all in lump. picked out
great handful and turned the light on
them, for was lover of gold then,
even though it did not belong to me.
'''Just then l saw something that
made the rubber helmet rise from my
head. 1t was man eating shark. I
hadn't thought Of one in so long that ]
had neglected to bring my knife. 1t was
rushing at me. The stupid creature
never stopped to consider that with q
rubber and lead dressing a diver makes
poor lunch. was kneeling beside the
gold. At the sharks onslaught natural
ly hung to the handful of gold as though
to use 1t as n weapon. He turned ON his
side, opening his horrible mouth. A
feeling Of grim humor had come over
me. The cruel goldbugs had sent me
down here to be devoured, after saving
thousands, of dollars for them would
be q aspendthrift at the last So with all
my force flung the heavy handful of
coin into the yawning mouth.
"The shark must have thought it was
part Of me, for he snapped his jaws
over the golden morsel. / am satisfied
that he broke some teeth. he swan
back little, and then rushed at me
again I.had no weapon but the gold,
SO again / flung into the hideous nav
enough to buy me a home in New Eng
land. I saw him snap and swallow it.
Again and again was the attack repeat
ed, and as often did hurl gold into the
sharks throat. Pretty soon he became
dizzy, as 1t were, for the gold had un-
balanced him, settling in the forward
part Of his body. Then he writhed in
agony, and 4 had to keep dodging his
furry. Then, with one terrible shudder,
he sank to the bottom, weighted down
by the gold. tied line about him and
then gave the signal to be pulled up.
Then helped hoist the shark. We cut
him open. Gentlemen, yov must take
the word Of an ex-diver that there was
e45, 900 in him. Gold had killed him."
Silence smeared itself all over the
veranda. The pale moon slid behind
cloud. The amphitheater organ slowly
wove weird chunk Of melody. The
chimes began to ring. "Those were
great days." said Mr.. Gaulin sadly.