The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-24
FOUGHT A SHARK THREE HOURS.
San Francisco Bay Fishermen Make
an Ugly Catch in Their Net.


an Ugly Catch in Their Net.
From the San Francisco Chronicle.
Nicholas Marsha and Vincent Maggie,
fishermen in the employ of the American
Union Fish Company, made yesterday the
most remarkable catch of their lives. In
one of their nets freshly drawn from the
bottom of the bay, they found a man-eat-
ing shark. 1t gave them terrific battle
for three full hours, their only weapon
being the oars of their boat, with which
they had the utmost difficulty in beating
off the monster from capsizing their boat.
They put him hors de combat at last and
brought him and some hundreds of faith
oms of ruined net into Fisherman's wharf.
Long before daylight yesterday Marsa-
la and Maggie put out in small boat
to draw in the nets that had been placed
the night before. In the course of their
work they reached those stationed near
Alcatraz Bringing the boat to stand
still the fishermen began drawing in the
great net Hundreds of fish were brought
to the surface and piled in the boat when
suddenly the ease of their work was in
terrupted A heavy weight held back the
net and the men rejoiced in the expecta-
tons of an unusual haul. AS they pulled
away the water around the boat was
churned into foam and the little craft
rocked and pitched in waves that had their
origin DeneaUn the surface.
Wonderstruck, not knowing what was in
the net, the fishermen put all their strength
in an effort to bring the thing, whatever
1t might be, to the surface. Suddenly a
great body shot up, and they saw a 81
gantic shark lashing the water in fury.
The enormous fish at once began battle
for life and, before the fishermen had re-
covered their scattered senses, had almost
capsized the boat.
MARSHA and Maggie, however, apprecia-
ted the greatness of the catch and the lau-
rels that would be theirs if the monster
could be landed, so, instead Of cutting
loose the net, they undertook to kill their
captive. Both men caught up their oars
and as the shark charged upon the boat
the heavy wood fell upon his shining back
The blows, instead of rendering him harm
less, only augmented his rage and again
and again he charged the boat, or endea-
vored to break away from the net which
held him within reach of the descending
oars
For full three hours this struggle contin-
ued, the men at times almost exhausted,
the fish strong, wicked and furious The
oars fell hundred times against the
maneater, but it was nearly O. clock be-
fore the tide of battle changed AS the
fishermen were about losing hope OF kill
ing the shark a sudden blow landed upon
a vulnerabl spot, and the maneater show
ed Cndt ne at last was weakening. Inc
oars then fell with Increased force, and in
short time the monster slowly turned
and died.
No time was lost in towing the huge
body to the shore. A wagon was engaged,
and it was taken to the main store of the
fish company, at 500 Merchant street,
where it was placed upon the scales. It
registered over 500 pounds. The experts of
the company and others viewed the body
and pronounced it one of the largest of
its kind.
The man-eating shark is an unusual Wis
itor TO the waters of San Francisco bay.
Only three times in seventeen years have
they appeared, the last being captured
twelve years ago When it was cut up
by the knife of the fishermen all sorts
and conditions OF things were discovered
in its stomach.