N
ot many people know that just over 100 years ago, there was a series of shark attacks along the Jersey shore that terrorized the nation and the world for two weeks. When it was over, three men and two boys had been viciously attacked; there would be only one survivor.
The summer of 1916 was brutally hot. Philadelphia and New York were virtual ovens, driving all those that were able to take advantage of the cool breezes to the Jersey shore. Polio, a deadly virus that caused many children to become crippled, was also on the rise, and the prescribed health benefit was also the clean air and cool breezes of the Atlantic Ocean. It was a time when ocean-bathing was becoming a favorite pastime, and the Jersey shore was the place to be.
One Saturday afternoon, on July 1, a prominent family from Philadelphia took the train to Beach Haven for a weekend of relaxation. Charles Vansant, his mother, father and sisters were staying at the Engleside Hotel, one of the most luxurious hotels on the Eastern seaboard. Charles decided that there was just enough time to go for a swim before supper. On the beach, he made friends with a dog, who joined him for his swim. Charles was a good swimmer, and so was the dog. They were about fifty yards out, when the dog suddenly turned and quickly swam back to shore. Though Charles called to the dog, he would not go back in the water. Charles then decided to head back to shore himself. This was when a few people on the beach saw a large fin slicing through the water. With yells of “Watch out!” they tried to warn him, but he couldn’t hear them above the surf. He made it to water that was three and a half feet deep before the shark attacked, grabbing him by the left leg just below the knee.
The lifeguard, Alexander Ott, and other men rushed to help Charles. What followed next was a fierce tug-of-war with a large shark that simply would not let go. As the men dragged Vansant and the shark to shore, it was not until the shark’s belly scraped the sandy bottom that it finally released its grip and swam out to sea. Vansant was carried to the hotel and gently laid on the manager’s desk, where he died an hour later. Though his physician-father desperately tried to save him, his injuries and loss of blood were too great. He was only 25 years old.
Dozens of witnesses could testify that Charles was bitten by a shark. Many had seen the large dorsal fin sticking up out of the water and the large, pointed nose. Lifeguard Alexander Ott certainly knew that it was a shark, as he stood just a few feet from the shark and had looked into its deadly black eyes. Yet only a few newspapers carried the story, and the New York Times referred to the creature as a “fish.” As the story spread, most people did not believe that it was a shark, even though sea captains had reported large sharks swimming off the coast of Newark and New York. Surely it had to have been a swordfish, a giant sea turtle, a mackerel or even a killer whale. After all, respected scientists believed that sharks were shy creatures with weak jaws and small appetites. Also, there had never been a proven case of a shark attack on a human before. So, the story quickly faded from the news and people’s minds.
Strike TWO
Only five days later, it happened again.
Charles Bruder was a popular bellhop who worked at the upscale Essex & Sussex Hotel at a popular Spring Lake resort, which was about 45 miles north of Beach Haven. It was his habit to swim in the ocean during his early afternoon break, which was exactly what he was doing on July 6. Without warning, he was viciously attacked by a large shark. A woman on the beach alerted the surfmen that a red canoe had capsized. But there was no red canoe, only Bruder swimming in his own blood as he struggled to stay above water. When the surfmen got to him and lifted him into the boat, they were surprised at how light he felt — until they realized that both legs had been bitten off, one just above the knee and the other just below the knee. He was able to tell the surfmen that a shark had attacked him before he lost consciousness and passed into eternity.
There were over 500 people on the beach that witnessed this event. This time, there was no question that a man-eating shark had attacked and killed a man. Within the hour, every beach along the Jersey shore was closed. Overnight, people’s perceptions about sharks had changed; instead of being shy, they were considered predators; instead of being weak and powerless, they were perceived as being ferocious and vicious; and instead of having small appetites, they were perceived as prowlers with voracious appetites that were always on the hunt.
Dealing With Reality
It took two vicious shark attacks and hundreds of witnesses for people to finally admit to the fact that there was a killer shark or sharks on the loose. We, too, have ample witness that there is a God, that there is life after death, and that we must spend eternity in one of two places, either heaven or hell. Creation tells us that there is a God, “for the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they [man] are without excuse” (Romans 1:2020For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: (Romans 1:20)). Simply put, God is saying that He has revealed Himself so clearly in the natural world that we have no excuse for not seeing His existence.
Jesus Himself gave fair and faithful warning of what comes after death. He also told us how to escape eternal judgment. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:16-1816For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:16‑18)).
Steel mesh barriers were immediately placed around the public beaches in an effort to keep sharks out. A sharp eye was kept out for any shark sightings up and down the entire Jersey shore. After Charles Bruder died, a respected doctor, who was also an experienced fisherman, examined the wounds and came to a conclusion: There was only one marine animal capable of inflicting such wounds — a shark — and not only that, he was absolutely certain that he would strike again.
The doctor was right — the war between man and sharks was not over yet. There would be three more shark attacks in one day — in the most unlikely place! Find out how and where it happened in A Deadly Afternoon.
A Deadly Afternoon
Thirty miles north of Spring Lake and about fifteen miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean lies Matawan Creek. It is a tidal creek, more suitable for mud turtles and cattails than a shark. However, it is only about a mile and a half from Raritan Bay, which does open into the Atlantic Ocean. Many fishermen would cut through Raritan Bay on the rising tide and enter Matawan Creek.
Thomas Cottrell, a retired sea captain, was well aware of this fact. One day, on July 12, he was crossing the trolley bridge when he spotted a large dorsal fin coming towards him. He thought his eyes were playing tricks on him, but as the fish came closer, he could clearly see that it was a large shark! Heart pounding, he ran into town to the barber shop, where he knew the barber (who doubled as the police chief) and many men would be. Bursting through the door, he shouted, “There’s a shark in the creek!”
No one budged; there was no response. Yes, they had all heard about the two attacks along the Jersey shore, but that was six days ago, and, besides, how could a shark be in a creek that was only a foot deep at low tide? It was just simply impossible! Surely, the stories of shark attacks and the heat were playing tricks on the Captain’s mind!
Because of their unbelief, three more people would become victims of a large shark. Did you know that it is the sin of unbelief that lands people in hell? “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:99That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (Romans 10:9)). “But the fearful, and unbelieving ... shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Revelation 21:88But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Revelation 21:8)). Do not let the sin of unbelief carry you into a lost eternity! Put your trust in Jesus now, while you are still able to do so!
Captain Cottrell, realizing that he was not going to get help there, wasted no time. He hurried to his small motorboat, intent on sounding the warning along Matawan Creek. He knew what he had seen — he knew that there was a large, dangerous shark in the creek! He also knew that Matawan Creek was a favorite swimming place for young boys on brutally hot days like this one.
Disaster Strikes Again
Somehow, he just missed Lester Stillwell and his friends, who were cooling off in the creek. Or it could be that the boys jumped in the creek for a swim just after Captain Cottrell passed by. Lester was showing his friends how he could float, when suddenly there was a huge splash, and a large shark rose out of the water, its jaws wide open. Grabbing Lester by the arm, it dragged him under. The terrified boys jumped out of the creek and ran for the center of town, shouting, “A shark’s got Lester!”
Though the hysterical boys knew what they had seen and were certain that it was a shark, the townspeople responded with disbelief. They thought it was far more likely that Lester, who was an epileptic, had suffered a seizure and had drowned. Two of the town’s best swimmers, George Burlow and Stanley Fisher, decided to do their best to at least retrieve Lester’s body. In front of a watching crowd, they took a rowboat out and used long poles to drag the bottom of the creek. After an hour went by, they decided to jump in to try and find the body. They dove again and again, with no results. Finally, George Burlow decided to give up and swam back to the dock. Stanley decided to dive one more time. “I’ve got it!” he shouted, coming up with Lester’s body. Two men in a rowboat went out to help him, when suddenly he shouted, “He’s got me!” In front of a horrified crowd, Stanley battled the shark, hitting him in the nose and gouging his eye. The shark dragged him down several times before Fisher was finally able to free himself and struggle to the dock, where strong arms lifted him to safety. Horrified, the crowd saw that the flesh and muscle had been torn away on Fisher’s right thigh. Though he was rushed by train to a hospital, he died that evening due to shock and loss of blood.
Thirty minutes later, downstream, unaware of the attacks on Lester Stillwell and Stanley Fisher, three boys were enjoying a refreshing afternoon swim in the creek. They were two brothers, Joseph and Michael Dunn, and their friend Jerry Hollohan. Suddenly, they heard a voice warning them to get out of the water because there was a shark in the creek. Not even trying to figure out what this meant, they swam for the dock as quickly as they could. Michael made it to safety, and then Jerry did. Joseph was still about ten yards out when, suddenly, he was grabbed by the leg and pulled under. It would seem that he was to be the shark’s fifth victim!
Final
Deliverance
But his brother and friend were both brave and loyal. They jumped back into the water and grabbed Joseph by the arms, trying to pull him from the shark. But it was a losing battle. The shark was too strong for them. Just then, Captain Cottrell arrived with other men, two of which jumped into the water to help the boys. In the next few minutes, a furious tug-of-war followed between man and shark. Finally, the shark opened its jaws and released Joseph. He, too, was rushed to the hospital. Though his leg was horribly mangled, his bones were not crushed, nor was an artery severed. He would be the only one to survive the shark’s attacks. Two months later, he was released from the hospital with a bad limp, which eventually healed over time. He lived on into old age.
Overnight, sharks became public enemy number one. Fishermen, sea captains and any man who was able to patrolled the entire Jersey shore, determined to catch this monster shark that was ruthlessly attacking unsuspecting victims. President Woodrow Wilson issued an order to the Coast Guard to seek out and destroy sharks. The mayor of Matawan offered a $100.00 reward to anyone who could catch and kill this deadly shark. Large numbers of sharks were being killed with a vengeance. No one knows how long it would have gone on, except that two days later, a Mr. Schleisser killed a great white shark in Raritan Bay at the mouth of Matawan Creek. When he cut the stomach open, fifteen pounds of flesh and bones were inside that seemed to be human. It seemed that the ferocious man-eating shark had been killed! Everyone was relieved and rejoiced to hear the news. As there were no more attacks that summer along the Jersey coast, or in the next ten years, it seemed that they had indeed caught the one shark that had attacked five people.
We have an enemy much greater than this who is waiting to devour us. It is Satan, our archenemy. He does not want any to come to salvation through faith in the Lord Jesus, so he distracts us with pleasure, business, entertainment, or any lie or deception that he can use. “Wait, don’t do it now,” he will tell you, or, “What will your friends think?” or, “If you accept the Lord Jesus as your Savior, you won’t be able to do this or that!” But God’s Word is clear. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:1212Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)). Do not let anyone or anything hinder you from coming to a saving trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. “The Lord is ... not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).