South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-03-07
KILLING \ SHARK
To AMUSE THE PUBLIC

OF all dangerous occupations or di-
versions that Of killing a shark from
10 TO so feet under water would seem
10 be the one most 10 be Stunned.
Yet MANY sof the native negroes in
the Bahama islands engage in t+st
sport, and one white man has fought
the tiger of the sea-" as the
monstrous blue shark is called, with
only a long bladed knife to defend
himself from the razor-like teeth and
the powerful tail of his antagonist
The white man who killed this
shark under water is Ernest William
son, one of the Williamson brothers
who made submarine motion pictures
a possibility. And he did il for the
purpose Of having a film of a fight
between man and shark TO show to
the public for its amusement y ma
tive shark-fighter had tried in vain
10 entice one Of those monsters to
attack him within range of the sub
merged Photographic chamber. He
killed several sharks but they were
all out of range of the motion picture
camera.
1t was then that Mr. Williamson
decided ne would attempt to kill a
shark himself. He had watched how
the natives went about il. The mem
bers of the expedition tried TO dis
suade him. but he was determined TO
marine motion pictures fight be
tween a man and a man-eating shark.
lie prepared himself for the fight in
the native fashion. having his body
and head thoroughly oiled and arm
ing himself with the long thin bladed
knife, which the Bahamas use in
killing sharks.
Twice ne plunged under the water,
seeking 10 get the shark within range
Of the camera. but it was not until
the third attempt that ne succeeded.
To protect himself from the powerful
tail of the shark and is six rows of
pointed teeth. he grabbed it 10y the
fin and then as he was drawn rapid
Is deeper by the shark. he gave a
quick upward thrust with the knife,
plunging DC into the vital spot. He
had been under water a full minute
and shot quickly To the surface for
breath of fresh air. The wounded
shark turned slowly over and sank TO
the bottom of the sea, leaving trail
OF blood behind. All of this is re-
corded i'm the Williamson submarine
motion pictures. which the Universal
Film company viii present at the
oliver theater all this week, opening
Monday I'm fun detail and in pictures
as sharp and clear as though they
had been taken in a studio.
Mr.. Williamson has had a varied
career, although still "a very young
man. His first profession was that
OF a marine engineer and for some
time he was employed in the navy
yard at Newport News. While in
Denver he conceived the idea of be-
coming "A cartoonist and Immediately
began studying for that purpose at an
art school. He had drawn cartoons
for various papers. notably for his
home paper. The Nirginian- Pilot"
Shortly thereafter ne became a sport
ing writer on the Philadelphia Rec
ord. He had also been interested in
photography and had taken pictures
for various papers II was one day
while he was down in his fathers col
lapsible submarine tube that he had
the inspiration 20 invent some sort of
chamber. in which he could take
moving pictures below the water That
resulted m the submarine photog-
raphic chamber and later i'm these sub
marine motion pictures.