Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-14

its struggles TO resist capture II finally
swan toward the sloop, and when near il
turned on it's side the anterior two-thirds
of its body being shot into the air and its
jaws wide open in an attempt to bite US.
Four bullets from AZ Calhre Colt revolver
were shot into the creatures body on his
attack upon our boat. II resulted in its
swimming to the full lcncth of line, and in
its efforts 10 escape II tugged our craft at
considerable speed. After several min
utcs he again returned and resumed the
attack this time, however. striking the bot
tom of the boat three or fou" powerful
blows. These were of such force that life
prescrvers We're got out in the fear that
he might cause serious damage, htSer 10
bullets had been fred into his body, a large
quantity of blood lost the monster was
sufficiently wcG Eened to permit four OF us
to haul him toward the sloop and hoist him
on board, 1t was within n half inch of
being | > feet in length and its mouth was
% inches across from one angle TO the
other. Its jaws were set with three rows
of teeth, which were one and q half inches in
length and triangular, so that the part next
TO the gum was about one inch wide and
the apex OF the tooth probably from a
quarter to half an inch wide 1t was tve
feet two inches across the pectoral fins.
after we had evlscerated the creature,
the mouth being opened, a bucket was
placed in it and the jaws snapped shut like
"A steel bear trap. This shark could have
bitten a human being in two.
AT the time It was caught those familiar
with sharks declared 1t to have been the
only one caught off the Jersey coast.
IN travelling from Philadelphia to ports
in the Gulf of Mexico and returning TO New
York il was a common matter daily to come
close upon this variety of man-eatins
shark, not once but several times through
out the day. Thus the fact should be
known that the waters from the Florida
keys to New York are inhabited by this
variety Of shark at the present time. SCv-
eral times every day on our return trip
would oppurtunity offer for us to shoot with
rifles these monsters, which, while they do
not swim together In schools, are present IN
great numbers at comparatively wide IN
tervas. This being fact, all theories
about single monsters lurking about place
should be recognized as erroneous, and the
danger to bathers who venture in water
over six feet in depth fully appreciated.
''In the recent fatality of the son of Doc
tor Vansant a young man IN the employ or
Mr.. y, 3. Kelly, of the Chamber Of Com
merce, by the name of Sherry Taylor hap
pened to be in close proximity TO Mr.. Van
SAINT on his return from a swim little be-
yOnd his depth. Mr. Nansant and Mr. Tay-
lor had returned sufficiently far TO stand in
the bottom in water up TO their shoulders
and were waiting for the next wave 10 help
them on to the beach, when Mr. Nansant
called for aid. Mr., Taylor, who was familiar
with the habits of the man-eating shark of
the West Indian waters, knew what had
happened Immediately, because the water
him and Mr.. Nansant was
crimson Mr. Taylor recognized what had
happened. reached Mr.. Eansant grasped
him by the hand. called for assistance and
two or three bathers nearby formed
human chain by graspin6 each others hands
and thus enabling Mr.. Nancant and Mr..
Taylor TO reach the beach. The monster
that bit Mr.. Vansant followed them in as
far as the break and swan seaward when
the bathers were safe on the sands
1T is not single monster, therefore that
is the cause Of this and the Spring Lake
fatality, but other man-eating sharks that
last year and this are known to invade the
waters Of the Atlantic coast, at least from
Florida as far as New York
"HENRY BEATES. Jr."