HORRIBLE DEATH.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3610, 6 February 1883, Page 4

HORRIBLE DEATH.

A Max Diskmi.owki/lt.d v.y a Stiat.k

One of th" most horrible incidents that have r-tai-iled Sydney for some year.-, took place at an early hour on Sunday morning, the 21st instant, when a man named John Eaton, who had gone to bathe, as was his usual custom, in Iron Cove, Balmain, was attacked by a shark, and before he could escape had'his bowels completely torn out by the sea monster. The following are the facts connected with, this terrible alf air, as related by the Sydney Town and Country Joiirnal:---"lt appears that a resident of Balmain, named Thomas Bowc, who lives in Goulon-street, went to the new bridge at the foot of Western-street, Balmain, about half-past 0 o'clock on Sunday morning for the purpose of fishing. When near the bridge lie saw some clothes lying on the bank of the cove, and naturally enough, lie looked into the water to see the_ bather ; but he saw no one, and after looking- thoroughly around, he became somewhat alarmed, fearing that the unfortunate man might have met his death by drowning. He immediately aroused the caretaker of the bridge, and together they proceeded to make a, "thorough search of the waters of the bay and the'land itself : but for a considerable lime their efforts were unrewarded. However, shortly before 10 o'clock tliey came upon the object of their search. The body was lying in rather shallow wafer, and was" naked. "What was their horror on li'oing close to it, to find that tho whole of the stomach and entrails had been torn away, showing that the deceased had been attacked by a "shark. They recognised the body as that of a man named John Eaton, a stonemason. 37 years of age. He was a, native of Gloucestershire, England, was a single man, and lived in Yv'ithiconibe-street, Bainiain. He was known as an exceedingly indu.-frious and steady man, and was in the habit of bathinir overy morning in

the cove in which he ultimately met his dealh in so horrible a manner. The police authorities were communicated with, and Constable M'Laughlin removed the body, which presented a horrible appearance, to the dead-house, at; Circular Quay. It was afterwards examined by Dr Egan, who at once came to the conclusion that the man's stomach had been torn away while he was alive. There can therefore be little doubt as to the terrible character of the man's death. It was at first thought that he might, have been seized with cramps and drowned and afterwards attacked by sharks, but the (lector's evidence does away with this hypothesis. For some time past it has been known to be extremely dangerous to bathe in the harbor, which about this time is infested with sharks. It is only a few weeks ago since this journal chronicled the death of a. valuable Newfoundland dog, which was attacked near the l'ynuontbaths by one of these ferocious monsters and literail v cut in two ; both portions of the body being immediately afterwards snapped under water.