The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1901-06-14
EATEN BY SHARKS.
That Seems to Have Beon the
Fate OF The Fisharman,
LOST OFF CHARLESTON BAR.
a Horribly Mutllated Arm Of a
Negro Man Taken From
the Stomach Of a Il.
Monster. J.


arm Of negro man, horribly mutilated
and msnglod, was out Wednesday from
tho stomach of ton.foot shark,
which was captured aftor desperate
struggle by tho GROW Of tho light ship
The arm was undoubtedly that Of ono
of the ffteon fishermen lost in the
squall Of the Eastern Patches recently.
Whom brought to the city by the fish
ing smack Victoria and delivered to
Coroner Vaughn the laoorated limb was
examined closely by tho fishermen who
escaped tho storm, but thore was no
mark or sign by which it conld be iden-
tilted. The negro was probably dead
whom his body was seized by the sharks.
With this Latest discovery at the
light ship the evidence is almost con-
elusive that tho crews aboard tho three
fishing boats wero drowned. The
searching parties which wont to sea
Saturday and Sunday oame back with
storios Of tho numerous sharks seon
skirting the wators and apparently
hunting For prey. Those rannoious
monsters seemod to have dotcotod an
odor of death and many of them fol-
lowed the boats doggedly. Thoy
aplashed through the waves, darted back
aud forth, and followed water trails
which might have boen loading to whore
bodies were ahoat.
Two OF tho boats which managed to
escape tho fury Of tho storm pulled to.
ward tho light ship and remained there
Friday night. The sharks had followed
at distance. Thoy returned toward tho (
Patches, but earlp Saturday morning
they were soon again, wandering aim.
lesly through the vater and eagerly
searching for hidden, ghoulish food.
The men aboard the light ship cast out
line, but without making a oaptura,.
and the sharks Disappeared. Theysa ap.#
pearedi again at intervals; aid then,
rushed away. Tuesday, however, anv-
oral Of tho ten.foot monsters swan ear
the light ship and in the afternoon sew.
eral Of tho mon on board let I'd own u a
rope line on which had boon aftaohod11as,
strong hook. The bait was supplied; ,is
One shark diyed playfully about tie
hook, jorked at tho bait and then dis.
appeared. He came back again aud
seomed bolder. All at .onoehe opcned
his big jaws, took !, in the HOOK, and 4
started Y away with tho q prize .,vV hon 1
tho rope was hauled In taut tho m0nstoTSs
squirmed and fought. The mon hold
ing the line wero exports at shark fish,
ing, however, and they y let tho rope
slaok off and by the peculiar twisting
known only to the experts gave the +
shark big jerk which caused his big
mouth to open for gallons OF salt wator
to pour in. After this had been repeat
cd once or twice tho monster beoame
groggy, although he was still fighting
vioiously and slapplng at the boat,
while his eyes glsred with anger. He N
saw the desperate situation and tried
nara to escape. But ths line waB
drawn in more and moro, finally, when.
woak and whipped, tho shark was drag
ged on dock, and Law there twitohing
and dying. Quick work by the Grew
ended his existonoe.
Tho light ship crew had suspected
that the sharks were out prospecting
for the dead fishermen and it was de-.
oided to rip tho stomach open to sec If
the monster captured had toasted on
the unfortunates. Long knives wero
forced into the tough meat and
tho flesh was torn apart. After dig
ging for the stomach tho crew pull.
cd out strange object, which proved I.
on closer examination to be the arm
Of man. The oaroass was removed
and the arm was preserved. When the
fishing smack Victoria hove in sight
early Wednesday SHE was signalled from
tho light ship and turned her course
near in. Capt Abram Gray, in com.
mand of the smaok, was deputized to
bring the arm to tho city. t rs