The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-12-22
WITH SHARK
JUAN MARTINEZ GRAPHICALLY DE-
SCRIBES HOW HE LOST HIS LEG.
BITTEN OFF BY SEA MONSTER
FOR WHICH HE HAS ASKED DAM
AGES FROM OWNERS OF THE
BARK MARGHARITA.


Suit Yesterday DiscIaiming Any
Liability on the Part of the Ship
or Its Owners-MartinezT Tells How
He Fought rs His Leg Was Being
Ground OF.
E. Baero, master of the bark Mar
gharita, through his attorneys, Messrs.
Adams & Adams, answered the petit
ton yesterday for damages filed in
the United States Court several days
ago by Juan de la Cruz Silva Martinez.
The suit is the outcome of one of
the most unusual accidents ever re-
the victim escaped with his life is
looked on as little short of a miracle.
In his petition for damages, Mar
tinez said that he sailed from Pisagua,
Chill, July q, on the bark Margharita,
bound for Savannah. During a storm
while the bark was some miles off the
coast of the Falkland Islands, he was
ordered aloft to reef a sail. When
he reached the yard arm and started
to perform the hazardous job the yard
arm gave way, and he was plunged
into the sea. AS he sank a shark, or
some other sea monster, bit one of his
legs off. He was miraculously rescued
from the water, almost dead from loss
of blood and the severe shock to his
nervous system.
Claimed Yardarm Was Insecure.
Martinez claims that his fall into the
sea was in the discharge of his duty,
and was caused by the insecure man
ner in which the yardarm was faSten-
ed, which was the fault of the ship
owners. He alleges that though the
bark was in few miles of the coast
and that there were no physicians on
board, and he was sorely in need of
medical attendance, no effort was made
to put into port and secure the proper
treatment for him. His leg was en-
tirely severed, and Martinez claims he
is forever incapacitated to serve as a
seaman. He asked that he be given
judgment against the bark and it's
owners for $1,000.
In his answer Capt. Baero admits
that the plaintiff sailed as set out in
his petition, also that he fell from
one of the spars into the water and
had his leg bitten off by some sea
monster, but he denies that the fall
was due to any carelessness of the ship
owners or its agents.
1900 Miles from Port.
1t is claimed that at the time the
accident occurred the bark was 1900
miles from a port, and that every
thing possible was done for the COM
fort and care of the injured man.
1t is in the narrative of Martinez
that the real horror of such an ordeal
as he went through is truly depicted.
in his description one not at all IA
miliar with the Spanish language can
supply with imagination what some of
his excited sentences mean. Martinez
hobbies about on his crutch, and was
seen at the Federal building yester-
day by Morning News reporter. II
never want to go to sea in a sailing
vessel again." he said. 81 shall new
er forget that night" and then he re-
lated the story Somewhat as told in
the Morning News on his arrival here.
we We're sailing off the coast of the
Falkland Islands, somewhere, when a
heavy gale struck u.s." he said. 81
was ordered to go aloft and reef a
sail The masts were whipping about
like reeds, and it was all that I could
40 to Keep from being snapped into
the water. When 1 reached the yard
arm and prepared to reef the Tapping
SAIL l felt something give way, and
down L went. l seemed to have fallen
a mile before l struck the water. AS
L felt the sea close above me and I
went down and down into the waters.
winch We're even darker than the night
Itself, gave up all hope of life.
Saw n Monster.
LAS 1 was rising to the surface
again L felt a powerful pressure on
my leg. Quick as a flash 1 drew nv
knees up to me, putting one against
the head of the sea monster in an
endeaVor to break his hold. This SEEM
ed 10 lnfuriate him, and he commenced
shaking me like a bull terrier would
a rat. l had no instrument that would
be effective against such a powerfl1l
monster, but in sheer desperation I
pulled out small pocketknife that 7
mad, and made an effort to strike with
1t. l was strangling, and my strength
was tast leaving me. l began to lose
consciousness, and 1 could feel the bone
IN my leg being crushed 1 felt some
thlng give way as l neared the sur
race but never had an idea that NV
leg was really gone. AS / rose to the
top L saw light up above, and I
knew that l was at the side of the
bark. L called as loudly as I could
and was finally hauled aboard, where
L lost consciousness. When I came
to my leg was missing, and they told
me that l was in that condition Ubap