The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-10-24
Tho following account of the astound-
ing events that resulted is taken from
(ln1nrol Cfarnft,a nr,r, rnnnrk.


Colonel Sterett's own report:
When the two men had reachet
within few feet OF the fish, whicl
evinced not the least felr, Klein go
up on the seat and with all his NIGH
for he is q man Of six feet and over
and OF powerful build-hurled tht
harpoon at the monster. With &
bolt of steel about the length of ,
railroad spike with the weight o1
eight feet of half.inch iron rod be.
hind it and with man of marvel
lous strength impeling 1t tho harpoor
sank into the mass Of meat severa
inches. There was q boiling of water,
The bow Of the boat sank deep and
away it went for the Gulf.
General Oleary and bis boat were
closer to the fish than any other per.
sons at the time the harpoon was
thrown. His boatman started In
pursuit, and when the fish made It's
first swerve he threw a line to the
boat Of Klein and Farley. Now 1t
had two boats to pull with four men.
Soon it made another deviation and
another boat threw it's anchor in the
Cleary boat. All the other boats,
seeing tho success Of Cleary, were
rushing as fast Is they could to do as
he had done. The result was that In
half an hour the beast was towing
thirteen boats, In each Of which were
two men. The most of these boats
were heavy sixteen-foot boats used for
tarpoon and sea fishing, while some
of them wore gasoline launches.
It was about 1880 O'Clock when
Kline threw the harpoon. Eleven
O'Clock came and the monster was
scurrying around with apparent ut
most ease. Out to the ocean buoy,
away beyond the Pass buoy he went
with bis string of boats, and around it
again. Once he went 80 close TO- 1t
that we thought no would foul or foul
us on tho chain of the beacon, but
there was no trouble. Then out in the
+ Gulf he won't until the land had al.
most faded.
Twice, when he was circling, he
took short cuts and went under the
boats. In each case it was al the
world like Z mad beast surrounded,
that had resolved to break through.
AS he made these moves there was .
scurrying in the boats, an untying OF
towlines and breaking away each
h0af; for its6lf.
At about half past twelve it was
agreed to hoist a signal Of distress,
and call out the life-sIving crew. SO
We hoisted . red and white hand
kerchief on q fishing pole and stuck 1t
Is high IS possible toward the sky. At
this season of the year the life.saving
service has man 1T each station in
the cupola on tho top Of the building.
The watch at tho pass saw the signal
with bis glasses he ascertained our
trouble. He notified Mr.. Ootter, who,
with another harpoon and Savage
rife, shooting Z 30. 30 soft nosed bull
let, came out to where we were with
what was once our prize, but which
now had about reversed conditions and
made us its prize.
Then Klein, Farley, Grow and Cot.
ter used their supreme efforts to pull
the fish to the top. For time their
efforts wore unavailing. But after .
while the line slackened . little and
the bulky thing began to rise. Up, up
it came, tho personifcation OF stub.
borness and weight. Whom within two
feet of the surface Cotter with all bis
force, threw bis harpoon. Tho mon.
ster, stung again, threw one OF its
fIppers in the air, sank in . fash and
was gone again. Men who had been
standing up In their boats to witness
what they hoped would be- the coup dc
maitre, fell back In their seats with a
back, dislocating jolt. Again the
monotonous travel around the Gulf
began. 1t was about 2 O'Clock. Two
ropes were attached to the fish now,
and the two could be used by two
crews to stop him and got him to the
surface.
"A SHOWER OF EXPLOSIVE BULLETS.
Tnsn it stopped. Now was the time
for strength. On the bottom the Great
ure lay, fully eighteen hundred
pounds in weight. The two crews
bent over to get hold Of the ropes as
near the water as possible. They
heaved. From every throat came
cheers Of encouragement. They heav.
ed again, and there was slack In the
ropes. Again the cheers arose and
tho monster weight gradually came
up to the surface, Ootter seized his
rifle. Bangl There was splash.
Away went tho boats again. Again
tho creature slowed up. Again 81
premest effort lifted it to the top.
Again, bangl Then, bang. bangl The
creature sank. But there was no
Tightening of the ropes on the boats.
1t had sunk under mortal, paralyzing
wounds. Slowly again it was brought
to tho top. The blood from it redden.
ed the sea all around. Ropes were at.
tached to 1t, and then fastened to the
big launch, and back toward tho no.
tei it was towed.
The fish measured twelve feet across
and somewhere about seven or eight
feet in length. There were no scales
to weigh it on, but the taxidermist t
located at the Pass, who preserves
tarpon and other fish and birds TO,
those who desire to decorate homes,
estimated the weight at between 1,50C
and 1000 pounds. Two boatmen esti.
matad IL at that weight from the