Birmingham state herald., 1896-07-30
HALF A TON IF SHARK
A Huge Man-Eater Caught Off
 the New Jersey Coast.
HE MEASURED 12 FEET LONG
Crowds See the Big Fellow, and Fisherman White Reaps Harvest of
 Dimes
New York World.

New 4ork Nofld.
 Within a mile of the white sands of a beach at Normandie a monster shark became entangled in the meshes of a flsherman's net some time between Sat urday afternoon and 6 o'clock on Sunday morning. In his frantic struggles to es- cape he had wrapped the net around and around him and had rent great holes in it. At last, exhausted by his efforts, he succumbed and quietly died
 The shark was a genuine man eater. He measured nearly 12 feet in length and his weight is reasonably estimated at 1000 pounds. The ends of rope feet long scarcely meet around his body. The dorsal lin stands up feet above his great carcass, and a mans head could easily be placed within his mouth.
 The dead shark proved very interesting to bathers. Alive he might have proved much more so. Because this monster was caught a mile from shore it does not follow that he had never been nearer the beach or that others of his kind will not today lie within easy reach of the bath- CTS.
 Bluefishing along the Jersey coast has yielded an uncertain harvest this sea son. On one noteworthw occasion 1000 fish were found throttled in the mesheS of a net. But day after day bronZed ana sinewy men have dragged into their boats nets as barren of captives as when they were sunk beneath the waters. It was in a doubtful frame of mind, there fore, that Peter D. White unloosed the fastenings of his net at o'clock last Sunday morning and, with Charles II. Searles, began slowly to drag It into the boat. At first it came from the water easily. Then it required some tugging, and finally the two brawny men had to put forth all their strength to recover it. Finally a great round black body heaved into sight, with the lower edge of the net wrapped around it.
 Let go," bawled White.
 The men released their hold and the body slowly sank with the net running out after it.
 That's the biggest shark ever saw" said White. "Tain't no use trying to get him into this boat We need help"
 The men rowed to shore and got an 1S-foot fishing boat as broad across the gunwales as the stern of a New Eng land sharpie. Then they got Henry Chasey, Nathan Woolley and William White to help them. All of these men are typical Jersey fishermen. Warning them to say nothing about the shark un- ti1 it+was inclosed in a tent and the price of admission fixed, White gave the word and at o'clock Sunday afternoon the work of loading the monster began.
 Again the net was hauled up, and moose was drawn tight around the sharks gills, that lie in folds for space of feet back of the small eyes. Then the body was drawn alongside the boat and disentangled from the net. Reach ing shore the body was drawn up on the sands and the boat, being tipped over until 1t rested on one gunwale, the carcass was rolled into it. The shark was then conveyed to Seabright, where it was dragged on the sands above high water mark and great square of can vas was rigged over 1t. The five fisher men and hundred of their friends went abroad and spread the news.
 It was then after 4 o'clock, when Ocean avenue is thick with handsome vehicles, and when nobody is afoot save the society reporters. But the news reached up into the carriages, and pretty soon long procession of men and wo- men were plodding through the sandy lane that led to the tent. The shark was laid out on three great wooden boxes with a big cake of ice on his black hulk and small cakes along his white belly Relic-hunters wrenched and cut from the lower jaw a number of the great double teeth. Women poked their hands into the red mouth and shivered. When night fell smoky lantern was hung from the outer pole of the tent, and all corners were accommodated with sight of the ocean terror. At least 300 paid 10 cents each to see 1t.
 Among the visitors was a shrewd busi- ness man, who made arrangements to have the shark carried to Asbury park last night, where it Is to be embalmed and car'ted around and exhibited. only one other shark fit to be compared with this fellow was ever caught on the Jersey coast.