The evening times., 1895-11-05
Mr.. Shaw Says
He Really Saw
A Sea Serpent.
IN. Y. Sun. }


Another chapter has been added to the
rather fragmcntary history of the great
sea serpent. This time the story comes from
the Jersey coast, and its sponsor is Nj
Willard P. Shaw, OF Al Wall street Not
only did Mr.. Shaw have an excellent view
OF the monster, but his wife, their nirrt year
old son, and Miss Ella B. d salter, of Pat
crson, who was visiting at the Shaws
cottage, al Spring Lake, also watched it
for several minutes. Moreover, a neigh
bor, who was walking along the beach.
observed the phenomenon, and his observa-
tions tailed exactly with those OF the Shaw
party.
AS il is Nr Shaw, who is sponsor for the
story, it is " orth while to take into Con-
sideration four points regarding him.
First, he is temperate; second, he is not
subject to Authorizations, third, his sight
is excellent, and fourth, his veracity is
unimpeachable The same is true of the
other observers. Mr.. Shaw, who is a law
yer at Al Wall street, ard also president
OF the New York Balance Dock Company,
lives in Paterson, and has a cottage at
Spring Lake, N. j., Just across the road
from the sea beach. On Sunday afternoon
be, Mrs. Shaw, Miss Salter. and young
willard Shaw were Sitting on the front
porch, which overlooks the sea. trying to
keep cool. The afternoon W as calm and hot,
and the only motion OF the water was
long, quiet swell breaking monotonousiy
ON the beach. The conversation, which
had been very desultory, had almost died
away, and about haif-past ! Mrs. Shaw
vas considering the advisability of going
up stairs for nap, when Miss Salter,
who had been looking intently out to sea
tow ard the north, said:
There's something strange ont there in
the water. and ii is coming this way"
Looking where che pointed, the Others
saw a black object projecting from the
water. and about it a considerable commo-
ton.
Perhaps it's school of porpoises,''
suggested Mrs. Shaw.
"Or a whale." exclaimed the boy CLAP
ping his hands. 'oh. papa, do you sup
pose it's a whale.
1T doesn't act like any whale ever saw,
and I've seen 4 good many" replied Mr..
Shaw, shading his eyes with his hands;
land it certainly isn't porpoises. IL be-
ieved in euch things, should say it-weI,
bring out the big field glasses
Running into the house, the boy quickly
came out with pair OF very powerful
field glasses. Boylike, he held them TO his
own eyes for moment before giving them
range, he cried out:
why. papa, it'e big shaker
Mr.. Shaw took one long look at the crea-
ture in the water and passed the glass to
Miss Salter. who. after using 1t. handed il
to Mrs. Shaw. Then they all looked at
one another.
The sea serpentI' they said simultane-
ously, and hurried down to the beach.
By this time the creature, which was
plowing through the water with tremen-
dous rapidity had reached q point opposite
them. Judging from the fishing net poles
set out in the water, Mr.. Shaw thinks that
it must have been about half mile out
from shore. about where the excursion
steamers usually run. The water there is
sixty or seventy feet deep. As there We're
NO waves to impede the sight. an excellent
view was obtained of the monsters every
motion.
As near as they could judge, the serpent
was from rs 20 100 feet long. The head.
which projected about six feet above the
water as 1T swan, was fiat-snouted like an
allisator's head. 1t seemed five or Elk
feet long and as large as n flour barrel in
circumference. No part of the body was
as large as the head, the mean iame;er be-
ing perhaps two feet. Its tail was long
and tapering. In color the creature was
very DARK No fins could be seen, nor were
there tentacles projecting from the head,
as described in the case of the serpent re-
Gently alleged to have been seen in Long
Island Sound. 1t made no noise. but the
water was greatly stirred up by its move,
ments. Progress was made by q series of
writing movements, not sidewise, but up
and down. Its speed was estimated as
being at least forty mikes an hour. At
times nearly all the body could be seen
as the huge seFpeBt contorted itseif, and
again only the head was out Of water.