KILLED BY A SHARK

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 43, 15 February 1912, Page 2

KILLED BY A SHARK

TAKEN BEFORE THE EYES OF HJS COMPANIONS. IX LANE COVE, SYDNEY. Cables from Sydney on Friday, January 2Uth, gave bind' particulars of tho death of a young man named Morgan, who was killed by a shark at Lane Cove River, on that date. The “Sydney Morning Herald” supplies the following particulars of tho terrible fatality:—

James Edward Morgan, the victim of the accident, was aged 21, and a blacksmith by trade. He was the only support of his mother.

A young lady, with whom he was spending the holiday, and two men were witnesses of the awful occurrence, but wore . unable to move a linger to save ‘him, so suddenly and silently did the shark make its attack. The two men., however, at the risk of their lives, managed to bring Morgan ashore, where he expired a moment after from his frightful injuries.

Mr Alfred Barlow, of Dalgcty’s Terrace, Miller’s Point, an eye-wit-ness of it all, and one of those to bring the body ashore, had a thrilling experience, being in the water with Morgail when ho was attacked. In an interview lie said:—“l only mot Morgan about half an hour before the occurrence. He came up to our party when we wero on the jetty below tlho Inebriates’ Home, at' Lane Cove, and asked where he could: got water. We told him to go to the hospital, and when he came back he said to me and Mr Mackay, my friend, ‘Are either of you chaps swimmers? Would you care to have|a swim with me?’ “Wo told him we had not costumes, but could rig up something, and he went back to ibis young lady, some distance away, to have his lunch. After we had' had our lunch wo went in, but did not go for him, as we did not wish to disturb him before ho was ready.

“J must have been swimming about for nearly ‘25 minutes with Maekay, when Morgan came along and asked, ‘What's it like for a header?’ I told him I would go in first, and went in, and lie followed. Then ibe remembered that he had not taken his ring off, and so went ashore and gave it to the lady to mind. “No Fear of Sharks.” “When lie came back to the jetty, I asked him, ‘ls there any fear of sharks? I’m a bit nervous!’ “And he answered, ‘No, I don’t think so; it’s too far up.’ So we went on .■Swimming, and I was making for an inland out in the stream, and 'he was 'making down stream. 1 had my habit 1 to him, when suddenly I heard him scream, ‘Help,' oil help. (A shark has got me.’ 1 ' “1 turned and saw him going for the jetty for all he was worth, and as I did so I caught sight of the tail of the shark swirling off down stream. It was more, than a foot across, and of a dark grey colour. ‘ ' “The next thing 1 saw was Mr Mackay taking a header from the jetty. II struck out as hard as I could, and swam the thirty yards to shord' at a furious pace. When I got there I was pretty well exhausted. Mbanwliile Maekay, who is not a very good swimmer, had hold of Morgan, and tbad all ho could do to keep him afloat, so ho called to me, and (1 went to his help. We got Morgan to the Shore, and as wo did so felt all his weight go suddenly dead, and knew it was all up with him. When we got him out on the bank ho was still breathing slightly, and the young lady, INI iss Mello, my wife, and Mrs Maekay carried him into the shade and Covered him with rugs. “Then we sent up to the hospital, and some nurses and priests and a doctor came down. “The water was hot very clear just, about where we were, for the mud had been stirred up by the launches that were going up and down all the time. I did not seo t'he shark till after Morgan was taken, but saw a lot of shoal fish in the shallow.”

What the Others Saw. Miss Mclle, the young lady who was spending the holiday with, Morgan, was sitting on the bank at the time, and hoard his cry when ho was attacked. It says much for her strength of mind that she was able to render what help was possible in bringing Morgan ashore. Mr William Mackay told his story with modesty, making no mention of the risk he ran in entering the water when Morgan was hurt. “I was sitting on the jetty,” lie told Constable Gorman, who was quickly on the scene, “when 1 heard his cry. Ho swam towards the shore, but 1 saw in a minute he was helpless, and hoard him just manage to gasp out, ‘(Jive us a hand, mate,’ so I went in, and, with the assistance of Barlow, got him ashore.” Dr Ifoveaux, of Chatswood, was sent for, but on arrival was only able to pronounce life extinct. The body was taken to the Sydney morgue by Constable Gorman. The wound made by the shark was of a frightful nature, and bore eloquent testimony to the power of the monster’s jaws. Death must have been almost instantaneous, as the nigged gash extended from an inch below the abdomen on the left side to a few inches above the left knee and across to the right centre of the groin.