The 1916 Jersey Shore Shark Attacks (Part 2)

Summary

Morbid Podcast: The 1916 Jersey Shore Shark Attacks (Part 2)

Hosted by Ash Kelley & Alaina Urquhart | March 12, 2026

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Episode Overview

Ash and Alaina return for the gripping conclusion to the true story of the 1916 Jersey Shore Shark Attacks, one of the deadliest and most mysterious series of shark encounters in American history. Picking up where Part 1 left off, they recount the unbelievable sequence of attacks that unfolded in Matawan Creek—a seemingly safe freshwater inlet—while maintaining their signature blend of creepy history, dark humor, and compassion for the victims (both human and animal). They examine the panic and myths that followed, the hunt for the "man-eater," and how these events changed public perception of sharks forever.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Setting the Scene & Shark Behavior (03:44–11:25)

• The episode opens with the hosts recapping the previous attacks and teeing up the infamous Matawan Creek incident.
• Alaina: "Isn't a crick a pretty shallow body of water?" (04:08)
• They break down the shocking fact that only a handful of shark species, notably the bull shark, can truly tolerate freshwater, but some great whites can temporarily traverse these environments, likely causing confusion and distress for the animal.
• The hosts reflect on the dual horror and pathos: the terror for the townspeople, and also the animal’s desperation and confusion.
• Alaina: “This animal is not killing people because it’s like, you—I’m gonna eat you because I’m mad. It’s desperate, hungry, scared, and like flipping out.” (10:16)

The Matawan Creek Attacks Begin (11:25–16:20)

• On July 11, 14-year-old Rennie Cartan is the first victim in the creek, sustaining unexplained lacerations—likely from an exploratory bump from the shark’s rough skin.
• The initial injury is misunderstood by peers and dismissed as an accident:
  Alaina: “Given what happened the next day…it’s more than likely that what Rennie experienced was an exploratory bump by a shark.” (15:20)

Horror in Matawan: The Fatal Attacks (21:18–32:29)

Captain Cottrell’s Warning & Dismissal (21:18–23:28)

• Sea captain Thomas Cottrell sees a massive shark but his urgent warnings are disregarded:
  Alaina: “The normally very respected Thomas Cottrell was quickly dismissed by people…his story about a shark in the creek…was laughed off by all the men who had gathered around town.” (21:34)

The Attack on Lester Stillwell (23:28–26:50)

• A group of boys swimming in the creek witness 11-year-old Lester Stillwell being seized and thrashed by the shark in an eruption of blood and chaos.
• “They are literally naked running into town, like, covered in their friend’s blood, screaming…that’s like a horror movie.” (25:26)

Stanley Fisher’s Heroism & Tragic End (26:51–34:56)

• Local merchant Stanley Fisher courageously leads a recovery attempt for Lester’s body, personally diving into the muddy, shark-infested creek.
• During his search, Fisher is attacked, fighting the shark underwater in front of crowds, and emerges grievously wounded.
• Memorable moment: Despite mortal wounds, Fisher manages to bring Lester’s remains to shore before succumbing to his injuries en route to the hospital.
• Alaina: “On the shore…everyone saw that half his thigh was missing, and when he lifted his leg…he quietly said, ‘Oh my God,’ before falling back into the water.” (33:52)

Joseph Dunn’s Lucky Escape (36:08–46:29)

• Shortly after, brothers Joseph and Michael Dunn and friend Jerry, unaware of earlier events, are attacked while swimming further down the creek.
• Joseph’s leg is bitten and only through the heroic intervention of his brother and a bystander is he freed and ultimately saved, though left with a permanent disability.

The Aftermath: Panic, Hysteria, and Hunt for the Shark (46:47–59:00)

• The stunned community and media descend into a frenzy, reporting wild and dubious sightings.
• Locals attempt to “clear” the creek with dynamite and armed patrols, exemplifying early 20th-century crisis response.
• Ash: “That’s terrible because there’s other things there too.” (47:45)
• The governor makes sweeping statements, assuming “schools of sharks” are ravaging the whole coastline, showing widespread misinformation.

The “Man-Eater” is Caught (51:50–59:00)

• Michael Schleisser, a New York taxidermist, catches a 7.5-foot great white shark near Raritan Bay.
• Upon examining the stomach contents, human remains—including a shin bone matching a child—are discovered, providing strong evidence this was the killer shark:
  Alaina: “By the time they finished the examination, they also discovered roughly 15 pounds of suspicious fleshy material…later determined to be human remains. So this was the shark that had done it.” (56:00)
• Attacks suddenly stop after the shark’s capture, strengthening the case.

Reflecting on Nature and Blame (53:35–59:00)

• The hosts emphasize the tragedy on both sides and criticize the human tendency to blame wildlife for acting according to instinct.
• Ash: “That’s like somebody walking into your house and beating you over the head…You live there. You’re allowed to be there.” (53:28)
• Alaina: “It’s tragic…but it’s hard to swallow that we’re just gonna kill a wild thing for acting like a wild…” (54:01)

Modern Legacy & Shark Science (59:00–59:59)

• The horror and confusion led to a long-lasting shift in public perception and marine research.
• Prior beliefs about “shy” sharks were dispelled, ushering in a more complex understanding of shark behavior and risk to humans—including the idea that sharks do not generally seek out humans as prey but can become dangerous when disoriented or desperate.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “This animal is not killing people because it’s like, you—I’m gonna eat you because I’m mad. It’s desperate, hungry, scared, and like flipping out.” – Alaina (10:16)
• “They are literally naked running into town, like, covered in their friend’s blood, screaming…that’s like a horror movie.” – Alaina (25:26)
• “On the shore…everyone saw that half his thigh was missing, and when he lifted his leg…he quietly said, ‘Oh my God,’ before falling back into the water.” – Alaina (33:52)
• “That’s like somebody walking into your house and beating you over the head…You live there. You’re allowed to be there.” – Ash (53:28)
• “I want everybody to be able to go swimming in the water. But it’s not ours.” – Alaina (54:24)
• “By the time they finished the examination, they also discovered roughly 15 pounds of suspicious fleshy material…later determined to be human remains. So this was the shark that had done it.” – Alaina (56:00)
• “Although he may have been wrong about some of the specifics, his theory is more or less accurate…At least by standards now. Having been thrown off course, this animal would have gone looking for food and not found what it’s used to eating, so it’s turning to mammals.” – Alaina (58:54)

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Segment Timestamps for Key Events

• Explaining creek environment, shark confusion: 03:44–11:25
• First creek attack (Rennie Cartan): 11:25–16:20
• Captain Cottrell’s warning: 21:18–23:28
• Attack on Lester Stillwell: 23:28–26:50
• Stanley Fisher’s search and attack: 26:51–34:56
• Attack on Joseph Dunn: 36:08–46:29
• Town’s panic, dynamite, and local hysteria: 46:47–51:50
• Catching the shark and examining evidence: 51:50–59:00
• Reflections on blame and shark science legacy: 53:35–end

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Closing Tone

The hosts end the episode on their usual "keep it weird" note, expressing empathy for both the human victims and the shark, emphasizing the tragic nature but also how events like this often result from humans misunderstanding or invading animal habitats. The mood balances horror, sadness, and a recognition of nature’s complexity—with a final humorous animal fact to break the tension.

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Summary Takeaway

This episode delivers a thorough, dramatized, yet factual account of the 1916 Matawan Creek shark attacks—framed with compelling storytelling, critical analysis, and the kind of humor and compassion that keep Morbid’s fans coming back. Whether you’re drawn by the macabre history or fascinated by animal behavior and public panic, this episode offers unforgettable insights into both nature and human nature.

Transcript

[A]

On Mind of a the Hollywood Ripper Uncover the life and crimes of serial killer Michael Gargiulo, who stalks and kills his neighbors in Los angeles throughout the 2000s across six episodes. Hear from friends and acquaintances of Gargiulo, along with investigators and experts close to the case, as they recount what happened, how he was caught, and where his trial stands today. Listen to Mind of a Monster, the Hollywood Ripper Wherever you get your podcasts, some stories hinge on a single decision, one choice that changes everything. What if earning a degree was yours? Southern New Hampshire University offers online degrees built for your life. No matter your program, you'll gain practical experience through hands on projects and with no set class times, you'll do it all on your own schedule. Sometimes the right decision is right in front of you. All you have to do is trust your gut. Start your degree at snhu. Edu Morbid this episode is brought to you by Kleenex Lotion Tissues Cold season shows up like one of those mysteries that always keeps you guessing. Luckily, you can be prepared with Kleenex lotion tissues that protect, soothe and moisturize your skin when you need it most. Keep them close wherever your day takes you. Whether you're unraveling a mystery or facing a sniffle, Kleenex lotion tissues with coconut oil and aloe are the little comfort that goes a long way during cold and flu season. For whatever happens next, grab Kleenex.

[B]

Hey weirdos. I'm Elena.

[A]

I'm Ash.

[B]

And this is Morbid.

[A]

Morbidito.

[B]

And guess what?

[A]

What's up girl?

[B]

You better keep your eyes peeled on Friday the 13th for so for various reasons. Because it's a spooky day one and two. Because if you're on our Instagram, which, like, where are you? Actually, to be honest, I. I understand if you're not on Instagram at all. Well, yeah, if you're not on Instagram, maybe you don't need to go back. That is understandable. Good for you for getting off of it. But if you're on our Instagram or want to, we're going to be announcing something on Friday the 13th, which is tomorrow when this comes out.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

So it's gonna be pretty cool, everybody.

[A]

And if you're not on Instagram, don't worry, we'll be announcing it on the pod too. Just not on Friday the 13th because we don't have an episode out that day.

[B]

It'll be Monday.

[A]

That is Jinx.

[B]

What is it? 13 16th. Yep, yep. Monday the 16th. We will announce it on the pod. So, you know, you're gonna hear it. You're gonna hear it, you're gonna see it, you're gonna feel it, you're gonna sense it. All the things. Yeah, it's gonna be awesome.

[A]

It's gonna be ready? Awesome. I'm excited for this announcement.

[B]

I am very excited for it as well.

[A]

Can we put trumpets when we announce on the PA de Audi. Announcement, Just put that.

[B]

That's what we'll do.

[A]

Perfect. Like you said, I won't be doing that.

[B]

Like, he's just staring at us like. Are you two all right? Has something gone awry?

[A]

I don't. We're kind of silly today. I'm not sure why. Is it. What's the.

[B]

Is it Friday? Oh, we have. It's because we have a new. A new setup in this room. Well, almost. Well, it's definitely new.

[A]

We're working on it. Everything is everywhere right now. And maybe that's why our energy is so cray cray.

[B]

Yeah. We're moving everything around in the room.

[A]

That stack over there, there's just a stack of bins with a bag on

[B]

top of it and half a couch.

[A]

I'm like, damn, that's precarious as fuck.

[B]

We're just, you know. Do we have workers insurance? I think we do. I don't know. Who knows? Don't let that fall on your head. It's gonna. It's gonna be great.

[A]

All right, Are we back to talk about shark attacks?

[B]

We are. And this second one somehow gets even more wild.

[A]

Okay. Like, there's already been two shark attacks. I'm not sure how you. How you outdo that.

[B]

I can definitely do it. I can outdo it, so. I believe in you. I'm not saying I don't. So we. I said last time that we were going to be moving on to a cricket.

[A]

Oh, yeah, A crick.

[B]

A shark is in a crick.

[A]

Isn't a crick a pretty shallow body of water?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Wait, is it the same shark?

[B]

Yeah. No. Yeah, no, I think it is. What even is a crick? At the end of the day? It's like a shallow body of water.

[A]

But does it connect to the ocean?

[B]

Well, obviously. No, it doesn't. No. The shark. The shark Ubered real quick into the nearest crick.

[A]

I worked that out on my own. Okay, get out of here. This bitch has been making fun of me today.

[B]

I think you have been making fun of me. I've been making fun of you, too, actually.

[A]

I have been making fun of you, too.

[B]

But you look at her trying to round up the listeners right now against.

[A]

I'm not.

[B]

I am absolutely not. I'm absolutely not. Like, she's been making fun of me.

[A]

She's hurting my feelings. I made fun of you for a tiny minute today. It was about. It wasn't that much. What was I gonna Google? What is a crick?

[B]

What is a.

[A]

Leave me alone.

[B]

What is a cricket?

[A]

Can I say something? When people say leave me alone, I fucking hate that.

[B]

Yeah. I mean, I don't like it. It's never like a good thing when someone says, leave me alone.

[A]

It just has that.

[B]

That energy. Leave me alone. No.

[A]

Anyways, I don't really come across people saying that that often.

[B]

I was gonna say, do you hear that in your everyday life?

[A]

Yeah, it just says a stream, brook, or minor tributary of water.

[B]

Yeah. Which, like a minor tributary. That tells you how little it is.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Like a stream or a brook. An inlet. Yeah. This is little.

[A]

A similar word is fjord.

[B]

A fjord. I love.

[A]

I love a fjord.

[B]

I love the word fjord.

[A]

I love the Conan song that he sings about fjords.

[B]

Well, this one is called the Matawan Creek Attacks. Okay, so now you know. Remember, they had totally. They had kind of like gone into high gear after all those last attacks. They, you know, all people were patrolling. Yes. Trying to stay out of the water. Now, with the shark problem seemingly under control for a minute at least, visitors to the Jersey. Jersey. Jersey shore flock to the beaches in record numbers, all eager to get in the water, enjoy the summer. And for those who were still not entirely comfortable getting back into the ocean, there were plenty of local rivers and cricks where the chances of an encounter with a shark were, like, non existent. Right, right. Yeah, you're fine in a creek. Should be, I guess. Yeah, you should be. I've never been in a crick. Now in Matawan, New Jersey, a small village about 30 miles from Spring Lake, the tourism industry was much smaller, and so was their capacity to serve, like a lot of people. But the village was happy for the business and the visitors were happy for the opportunity to finally get into a body of fear of a shark attack. Right. In fact, there are only a handful of sharks that can travel between saltwater and fresh water. And only one of them, the bull shark. Yes. Is large enough and suitably aggressive enough to attack and kill a human.

[A]

They're like some of the most aggressive.

[B]

They're gnarly.

[A]

I remember learning about them on Shark Week.

[B]

On Shark Week. Shark. That being said, other sharks, including the great white shark, can pass between freshwater and saltwater temporarily.

[A]

Oh.

[B]

But they can't linger very long without being significantly har. Not good for them.

[A]

I didn't even know that they could temporarily do that.

[B]

Yeah, they can do that. But because of this, the bathers and residents in Madawan had every reason to believe that they were safe that summer. Where they were even now so many years later. It's really not well understood how this shark came to find itself in the waters of Matawan creek that year.

[A]

Because this is literally a great white.

[B]

Like what the. The most likely. How did it even fit in the creek? That's the thing. The most likely theory is that it had been exploring the coast and followed an inlet into the creek. Like acc. Mentally.

[A]

I literally just said inlet. Yeah.

[B]

But once it got into the eight foot body of water. Eight feet, guys.

[A]

That's just like a pool.

[B]

Yeah. It became confused and couldn't find its way back out.

[A]

That's actually really sad.

[B]

It is sad. That's the thing that this is sad. Of course people are dying here.

[A]

It's horror.

[B]

There's sadness on both sides. But this is an animal. It's. It doesn't have like. Like, this animal is not killing people because it's like, you. I'm gonna eat you because I'm mad. It's desperate, hungry, scared, and like flipping out. Like, just doesn't know where it is, where it's supposed to go. Doesn't have its family, doesn't have anything crashing out. It's crashing. I have to say, this great white is crashing. One could see that this great white had the most massive crash out there in its valid. This shark did have a crash out. To be clear. It's funny that the. To say the shark is having a crash out. It's obviously not funny what happened.

[A]

No, I'm not laughing at what happened.

[B]

I think if there's neurons firing. You Guys, guys. We have to explain everything we say. Sometimes the girlies who get it. Get it. That's the girlies who have crashed out. Get it?

[A]

I crash out. On the weekly.

[B]

We've all been. We're this shark. Yeah. At one part in our life.

[A]

That was me earlier this week. Mikey was legit afraid of me.

[B]

We all were.

[A]

You were afraid.

[B]

Here's something you didn't know. Mikey just ripped off his headphones. Can confirm.

[A]

I don't even know what was wrong with me. I think it was the lunar eclipse.

[B]

She was scary.

[A]

I just. I. I think at one point I was like, I'm gonna kill you all.

[B]

No. You literally said that at one point. And then we're all just like, no, you said, I'm not. You said, I'm gonna kill everybody. And we were like, not us though, right? And you literally said everybody.

[A]

And we were all like, I don't feel safe here.

[B]

We're not marked safe.

[A]

I don't know.

[B]

I was. I was pissed, so.

[A]

See, anyways. But I get it.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I was probably hungry. We've all been there.

[B]

Yeah, that's the thing.

[A]

Yeah, it was cr.

[B]

Exactly. I was crashing out. I need to be clear that, like this it's. It is. When you look at this, like, obviously the sensational part of it and the horrifying part of it is that like, people, kids, like the, like human beings were terrorized, traumatized, murder, like murdered. Not murdered, killed, eaten, like harmed in irreparable ways. But also you have to look at it on the other side that, like, this animal. It's really sad what happened. Yeah. That, like, they.

[A]

It was like, it was so turned around.

[B]

Yeah. It just, it made me really sad.

[A]

It does make me really sad because

[B]

I don't think there's malicious intent on this animal's part. I think it was literal desperation and just evolution. That's just what it is. So again, he got confused. He couldn't find his way out. And under those circumstances, that shark wouldn't have just been hungry, it would have also been really frightened, like, really scared, extremely agitated. And all those things together makes for a dangerous situation. It does. And again, it's not eating. It doesn't have food. Animals have eating. We all do. And it's like to them, this is just meals arriving. Like, that's right. That's all it is. It's not being like, wow, a human. I'm gonna hurt it.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So on the morning of July 11, while bathers clogged the beaches of resorts in Ashbury park In Spring Lake, 14 year old Rennie Cartan, a Matawan local, opted for, you know, the muddier waters of Matawan Creek, as they had done so many summers before that, Rennie and two friends ran down to the old swimming hole, they stripped off all their clothes, they reached the dock and they dove into the cloudy waters. They were splashing, stirring up the water, doing all the things that you do when you're 14, jumping in a muddy crick. 14, yeah.

[A]

I'm like, I would do that right now.

[B]

Yeah. Rennie had barely poked his head up from below the water when all of a sudden, the ordinarily cool waters of the creek felt warmer. Huh. There was considerable temperature difference the sensation was not like anything that he had really experienced before, and he couldn't put his finger on it, but something was wrong. Yeah. Then the cloudy water suddenly looked crimson around him. And suddenly Rennie's nervous system went into overdrive, sending waves of burning pain through his torso. So he didn't even feel the initial bite. That's what happens.

[A]

Crazy.

[B]

And that's what they talk about. That, like, painless torture, that it's like you don't feel that initial bite the way that you think you probably would.

[A]

And that's the thing that's so fascinating here, like, with these specific episodes, is, like, I said it, when I came into work this morning, I couldn't stop thinking about that heartbeat thing from part one. How they hear your heartbeat, and they're just designed to feel that way. It's also insane that our human bodies take such good care of us that when a shark rips through your torso, you are designed not to feel it initially.

[B]

Yes. To go into shock. Right.

[A]

Like, it's nuts. Even when you break a bone sometimes, like when I broke my pelvis, I don't remember what that felt like.

[B]

Yeah. And your body was like, nah, you don't need to feel this.

[A]

I knew it was bad and, like, I literally couldn't move, but I didn't.

[B]

It didn't hurt. Yeah.

[A]

Like, it was. It's a very weird sensation.

[B]

Yeah, it's. So that's why, like, when I. When I did autopsies, I remember, like, every single day when we would do one, I was like, damn, our bodies are crazy. Like, when you see how complex and wild and delicate all the crazy strong these systems. Systems are. It's. You'll never stop thinking about it.

[A]

No, it's.

[B]

You really won't. Like, when I had the. When I had my twins, I lost, like, a ton of blood.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

And I went in, like, my body was basically just shut. So my kidneys just shut off. Like, they were just like, bye. And the doctor was explaining to us that, like, oh, your brain thinks that you're dying. And so it's being like, hey, let's conserve energy so that you die slower. Like, let's. Let's not.

[A]

You don't die.

[B]

Maybe we can get you help before you die. Like, that's. It's just like, those kind of things. You're just like, why does it know that? Like, a perfectly run system.

[A]

It's science, man.

[B]

Truly, science is so cool. Love science. So it was only when he saw something large and dark moving in the water beneath him. That Rennie started putting the pieces together and he swam as fast as he could to shore. Cuz he wasn't being held onto right now.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

He scrambled out of the water in a panic. And once he's out of the water, of course he's like, what the f. He's looking around like, are there pieces of me missing? Like, what's going on? And that's when he could. Rennie and the other boys could see the large scrapes and cuts across his chest. And blood was streaming down his chest and stomach, but they were huge, like lacerations. And despite his panic state, Rennie explained that something in the water had hit him and cut him. But his friends, who hadn't seen anything below the surface, they were not sure. They were like, what do you mean? Something just went by and cut you? Like what? To them, it looked like he may have brushed up against something that was jagged, like a jagged branch or something. And his friends were like, are you just exaggerating?

[A]

Like, are you messing with us?

[B]

Did you get a cut? Yeah. Now you're like smearing it all over yourself. And given what happened the next day, it's more than likely that what Rennie experienced was an exploratory bump by a shark.

[A]

So it just like bumped its teeth into him.

[B]

Basically. It's something that a shark does to assess the size and threat level of potential prey. It. It. They don't do it with their mouth. That's an exploratory bite. But a bump is just with their skin. But their skin is so rough and abrasive, it can cut or tear human skin. Wow. Which is why he was bleeding so much. I. It like bumped across him because he saw the big shape. Like he saw the shape. Right. Once they determined their friend was no longer in danger, the rest of the boys jump back into the creek. Oh, and Rennie is being like. No, like protesting. Being like, you gotta get back out of the water. In the end, the other boys won out and they stayed in the water while Rennie went the home. Yeah, he's like, nope. Fortunately, everyone did make it out of the creek that day with all of their limbs intact.

[A]

The shark just like lingering in the creek though.

[B]

Yes. But in others were not going to be so fortunate in that creek. So the next morning, retired sea captain Thomas Cottrell set out for his usual walk along the creek. He had done this every morning for years.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And he had heard the story about Rennie's brush with some unknown sea creature the day before. And that morning he stopped and he kind of just like lingered on the edge of the creek. He's looking at the water and he's like, you know, I just wanted to see if anything unusual was in there. There was a storm that we had talked about in part one the previous days that had kind of stirred up the the sea and the water a little bit, and it was still hazy in there. But then he could see what appeared to be a large gray shape moving under the surface. And having been out to sea more times than he could count, he's a retired sea captain. He immediately recognized that shape as a shark. And he said, a big one.

[A]

And he said, how the fuck is it in the creek?

[B]

Exactly by his estimation, he said it looked to be about 9 or 10ft long. Damn. And it was just swimming casually in the creek like it belonged in the creek.

[A]

That's so sad because, you know, it was like, what the am I doing?

[B]

How do I get out of here?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Foreign.

[A]

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[B]

Now. Once the surprise had passed, Thomas turned and head back towards town, walking as fast as he could because he wanted to beat the shark into town because it was traveling in the same direction.

[A]

Oh damn they're just like walking. They're just having a walk together.

[B]

A walk off. It's a walk. David Bowie showed up and said it's a walk off. Now unfortunately, when he reached the town constable who also served as the tons barber because it's 1916 iconic. The normally very respected Thomas Cottrell was quickly dismissed by people. And his story about a shark in the creek. Which is a crazy story. Yeah. But maybe go check it was laughed off by all the men who had gathered around town. Right. After all everyone knew sharks swam in the open ocean. And no one could think of any havings ever gone into fresh water of a creek. Yeah. Much less one that was barely 8ft deep. Despite their dismissal, Cattrall persisted and moved all around the town telling everyone he could warning them away from the creek. He was like, I don't give a if you don't believe me. I'm letting you all know because I can't have this on my head. So that afternoon, Bill Stillwell and his sons, 16 year old Russell and 11 year old Lester were hard at work at the local basket factory which was one of Matawan's biggest employers. When the factory boss rang the bell signaling that it was the end of the shift for the afternoon, Russell and Lester, the two boys both made a break to the door and they wanted to run right to the creek. Cause it was an intense summer. It was really hot that time. Neither now, the boys or their father, neither of them had heard, you know, any of the warnings from Thomas that day. Cause they were at work. And even if they had it, they might have dismissed him too as like, what the fuck? Right now at the center of town, Lester joined up with a group of other boys and they all walked together down Dock Road towards the creek. They all did the same thing. They all like, you know, ripped off all their factory uniforms and just jumped into the creek. And by the time they had jumped in the creek, Captain Cattrall had already made his way through town and was now heading further down the waterway to warn others which like Thomas Cottrell.

[A]

Just the fact that like everyone's lolling at him and he's like, I'm gonna keep spreading my word.

[B]

He's still going. He's like, I don't want people in this water. So with no idea of the danger that was lurking mere literal feet from them, the boys were wrestling. They're playing in the water, jumping, diving, you know, jumping off that dock at the end of the water. And the water is murky, remember? And they're getting out and keep and repeatedly jumping in, which is churning the water up, creating a huge commotion. Yeah. And they had only been in the water for like 15 or 20 minutes when one of them, Charlie Van Brunt, saw what he described as, quote, the biggest, blackest fish I had ever seen.

[A]

That's not a fish, baby.

[B]

And it was swimming swiftly below the surface in Lester's direction. Oh, just seconds later, they all heard Lester shriek as the shark grabbed him. As it burst from beneath the surface, its teeth and underside you could. They said they could see its belly because it rolled after it got him. Because sharks will do that. They'll literally like a crocodile almost will roll to like trap you, like drown you essentially. Yeah. Now. And so he's pulling Lester under. Lesser resurfaces a second or two later. But the shark still had him by the arm and was whipping its head back and forth, jerking this like 11 year old back and forth. The shark went under a second time, taking Lester with it. And this time it's law. It's huge tail. They said it was huge. It whacked one of the other boys in the face and it knocked him several feet back into like some pylons, like literally sent him flying. Then just as suddenly as it all started, it was over. But Lester was gone. Nowhere to be seen. A large bloom of blood on the surface of the water was the only thing left. And they freak the out. And all five of them scrambled out of the water and they just ran screaming into town for help. None of them even got dressed. That's how scared they were. They are literally naked running into town, like covered in their friend's blood, screaming. Can you imagine this? That's like a horror movie. So they're smeared with mud, grass, streaks of blood. They're running into town screaming shark to anyone who will listen. And when Renny Cartan had told his story about being cut by something big in the water, most people didn't really believe him.

[A]

Right.

[B]

Just like Thomas. And when, you know, when Thomas raved about this shark in the creek, everyone was like, yeah, I don't know about that. Well, now you know, this time it was different. This was clearly not a prank. These boys were genuinely terrified, genuinely traumatized and screaming about how a shark had not just bit their friend, but had eaten Lester Stillwell. Oh my God. So the constable gathered up a group of, you know, able bodied men of the day and they all hurried down to the creek hoping they would reach him, maybe find him and help him. But at this point they figured that the boy had just drowned. Yeah. Now, back in town, all the boys continue telling their story. Though at this time, it's weird because so, like, some of the town was believing of them and obviously ran down to the creek. But some people are still like, are you sure that's what you saw? Like, are you sure he didn't just drown? Like, you know, like, did something bad happen? But finally, when they reach the business of Stanley Fisher, who is a real one. Oh, thank goodness they found an adult who was willing to listen to them.

[A]

The fact that it took them a minute.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Is crazy.

[B]

Fisher had grown up the son of a sea captain, and he had spent more than a little time on the water.

[A]

This episode is brought to you by Sea Captain.

[B]

Sea captains. You know, men of the sea, which my father is. So. And my grandfather. So men of the sea. Let's go. But, yeah, so he had spent a lot of time in the water. He knew what sharks were capable of operating under the assumption that the boys were telling the truth. He followed them, and he. He ended up closing his shop for the day and changed into a bathing suit to rush down to the creek because he was like, I'm getting. I'm getting this kid.

[A]

I'm like, don't get in that water, brother.

[B]

So as the most experienced on the water, Stanley Fisher took command immediately. When he got to the creek, he started assigning each of the men tasks to do. Like, he was just like, let's go, girls. For his part, he climbed into a rowboat with another man, and after crafting a net out of chicken wire and stones, they started dragging the water for Lester's body.

[A]

Oh, wow.

[B]

By then, many other locals had gathered at the shore, and they were all calling for Lester. It was like a whole scene. After an hour of searching the shoreline and dragging the water, the men still didn't find anything. And Fisher suggested the boy's body may have sunk to the bottom where the next nets weren't reaching.

[A]

Right.

[B]

The only way they would know for sure was to dive down and look.

[A]

And, like, who the. Why would you get in the water and do that?

[B]

And, you know, obviously it's super muddy. It's super silty in there, so it's like, you're not gonna see anything. Right. But having accepted that there was no other way, Stanley Fisher and a few other men left the boats and started diving to the bottom of the creek, just trying to find Lester's body.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[B]

Which, like, wow.

[A]

Just of their own volition, too.

[B]

Yeah. And they just wanted to bring this boy's body out of the water. They didn't want to leave him. Now, for the next half hour or so, Stanley Fisher repeatedly dove and resurfaced, determined to find Lester's body, as one by one other men gave up the search and begged him to abandon it too. Yeah. Finally, in the late afternoon, he resurfaced and shouted, I've got it. Wow. And the whole shore, like, applauded and cheered. So, intending to help, two men rode out to where he was, while another man, George Berlou, dove into the water and began swimming towards Stanley. Now, George hadn't made it more than 10 or so feet when he suddenly stopped swimming. Oh, God. The water around him started churning and swirling and he was like something big was moving under the surface and it just, like, stunned him. He just stopped where he was. George then looked up towards Stanley Fisher just in time to hear him cry out, he's got me. He.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[B]

He's literally in the middle of search and rescue. Yep. And he's got Lester's body. Yeah. Like, he's got Lester's body. And now he's being.

[A]

Would you wonder if the shark was gonna go back too? And that's why he ended up going after Fisher.

[B]

Ding, ding, ding. Now, those hard to see from their position on the shore, it looked like the shark had grabbed Stanley by the leg and was dragging him back and forth in the water as he was trying to pull himself out of its mouth. George later said, I never saw the entire fish. But from the tremendous upheaval of the huge tail that thrashed above the water, it had to be a big one.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

From the shore, everyone watched in horror as Stanley Fisher fought this large shark, beating it in the head, kicking it as hard as he could as this great white shark dragged him under at least four more times. He resurfaced four times, just beating the shark. The men in the rowboat made it out to Stanley just in time to see him get dragged under a fourth time. And the sharks, they said this is when they could also see the shark's white belly again because it was rolling, trying to pull him deeper. But remember, it can't even go that deep, right, because it. Yeah, yeah. Meanwhile, George was paralyzed with fear. I mean, this was his friend, like Stanley's his friend, and he's just standing there staring at him being mangled by a wild animal. He said later, I don't know how I ever even got to the shore, but I remember the awful fear that the shark was right behind me and had slated me for his next victim. When the men in the boat saw Fisher go down for the fourth time, they assumed that was it. Yeah. But to everyone's incredible surprise, Stanley managed to free himself from the shark's jaws. Resurfaced a few seconds later, and he was still carrying the remains of Lester Stillwell under his arm.

[A]

Holy shit.

[B]

Stanley swam while holding Lester's body towards the shore. But it was clear to everyone he was clearly, like, exhausted and mortally wounded. On the shore, several men grabbed oars and started slapping the water to make as much noise as possible to try to distract the shark.

[A]

Well, and at least they're doing it from, like, different places.

[B]

They're trying to, like, pull the shark towards them, right, to get him to the shore. He had managed to get within about 10ft of the shore when his body was violently yanked back, causing him to cry out. This time, the shark had grabbed Lester's body, not Stanley's, and had pulled it from Stanley's grasp. And then he just disappeared with it

[A]

because he, the shark fully thought, like,

[B]

you were coming after my thing.

[A]

That's why I'm fighting you.

[B]

And in an incredible display of courage, Stanley Fisher did not hesitate to dive back at the shark to try to get Lester's body out of its mouth. Stanley. Unfortunately, when he resurfaced a few moments later, Lester's remains were nowhere to be seen, and Stanley had to get back. I mean, thankfully, Stanley's getting onto the shore, but he didn't have Lester's body, which must have been so infuriating and what happened to him. So, so much emphasis had been placed on the retrieval of Lester's body, obviously, that no one was thinking like you. They kind of. And they were watching his, like, incredible battle with the shark that, like, initially no one really thought, like, oh, wait, we should look at how Stanley is. So he's fully out of the creek. And the Matawan Journal reported that there was a crowd of 200 or 300 people present at the time. And the sight of Mr. Fisher being brought ashore was sickening, to state it mildly. In fact, it was only when Fisher attempted to climb up the embankment that he and everyone else saw that half of his thigh was missing. And when he lifted his leg to inspect it, he quietly said, oh, my God, before falling back into the water. Now, a group of men managed to carry him from the creek to the home of Dr. George Reynolds. They had tied a rope tightly above the wound to try to slow the bleeding. Smart. Unfortunately, like the doctors on the beaches in Spring Lake, And Ashbury Park, Though Reynolds hadn't seen any wound like this before. And it's. He said it stretched 18 inches from just below his hip to just above his knee. Oh. The flesh around the edge of the wound was ragged. It was shredded.

[A]

Stitch that back up.

[B]

And the femur had been scratched by the teeth of the shark. Like there was a deep gouge in the femur bone.

[A]

Holy, dude.

[B]

Dr. Reynolds did his best to dress it while Fisher. Still fully conscious. Still fully conscious.

[A]

Yeah. Let that sink in.

[B]

Told the man about how he'd seen the shark feeding on Lester's body. And he had tried to retrieve. Retrieve the remains. And it dropped the boy and grabbed his leg when he tried to do that.

[A]

Oh, wow.

[B]

Now, as a small town, Dr. Reynolds didn't have even a fraction of the supplies that they would have needed to treat surgery at this point. But he did the best he could with what he had. And while he worked, he instructed the men to fashion a stretcher from whatever they could find in the house. If Stanley Fisher was gonna make it, he needed to get to a hospital now. And the closest one was about 10 miles away. Oh. With Fisher's wound packed and wrapped, they carefully put him on a stretcher and brought him down to the train station, where all they could do was sit and wait for the train. Oh, my God. Which was scheduled to arrive at 5:06.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[B]

If everything went according to plan, they would make it to the hospital by 7:45. So this was literally.

[A]

You have to think of this. This was literally before ambulances.

[B]

Huh.

[A]

When was the first time?

[B]

Yeah, when was the first ambulance?

[A]

That's inconceivable.

[B]

Like, they had to get on a train. They had to wait for the train.

[A]

The first civilian ambulance service started in 1865 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

[B]

It's essentially what this is.

[A]

But modern equipped ambulances weren't until the 1960s.

[B]

Damn.

[A]

That's actually crazy to think about. Wow.

[B]

And especially here. It's like a seaside town, a little resort town. It's like.

[A]

And also when I'm saying the first civilian ambulance that was horse drawn.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And then they moved to in 1899. So, like, like, not too.

[B]

Not that far off from where we are. From where we are.

[A]

That was the motorized. First motorized ambulance. And then 1960s, finally, like, modern ambulance.

[B]

So they're waiting for the train to get Stanley to the hospital. We're not done with this afternoon, just so you know. Okay. We're not done. Like, that craziness that just happened. Take a quick little breath in. We're not done.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

While several of the townspeople waited with Stanley Fisher at the train station, word started spreading about these attacks. But not fast enough. Less than a mile down the creek from the Wyckoff dock where the attacks on Stillwell and Fisher occurred, 12 year old Joseph Dunn and his 14 year old brother Michael were swimming in the creek by the brickyards with a friend, Jerry Howerhan. During the year, they lived in New York City, but that summer they were staying at the Jersey shore with their mother in Cliffwood, just outside of Matawan. Now, that afternoon was so hot, like I had said, and they were all eager to get into the creek. None had heard about Renny Carton's encounter with the shark the day before. And they hadn't heard about the attacks that had happened a mile down the creek a half hour earlier yet. Oh, my. Because it just hadn't got to them yet. So they were just looking for a place to cool off. Right. Hadn't heard about anything. Now they race through town down to the brick docks where again, they jump right into the creek. Had they looked up the creek a ways, they might have seen a large dark shape moving slowly in that direction. Or maybe they would have caught sight of a fin, break the surface of the water, maybe giving them some kind of warning. Yeah, but you're not looking for it. They're not going out to the creek expecting a great shark. No. But again, their minds are just, it's summer. I'm having fun. I'm cooling off.

[A]

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[B]

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[B]

Later, it would seem strange to everyone that the boys would have willingly jumped in the water right after a vicious attack less than a mile away. But Captain Cottrell and the group of small boats still hadn't made it that far down the creek. So there was just no way for them to know.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

No. They had been in the water about a half hour, splashing, wrestling, when a man comes racing towards the shore, shouting a warning about sharks and urging them get out of the water. Now, Jerry and Michael were the first to hear the warning. And they were like that. They swam right to the ladder, pulled themselves out of the creek. Joseph had gone swimming to the middle of the creek and couldn't hear what they were shouting. Oh. Still, he could tell that something was wrong, so he started swimming towards the dock. He later recalled. Okay. He later recalled, I was about 10ft from shore and looked down and saw something dark. I did not see him the first time he hit me. Then he turned around and got my leg. Now, as Jose, this is a half hour. This is about an hour out of what happened down the creek. By the way, we're already on another one like so.

[A]

Listen, sharky, you're not hungry anymore.

[B]

As Joseph desperately tried to pull himself in the direction of the shore, the shark pulled in the opposite direction, determined to drag him under. Had it not been for the shallowness of the water, it's pretty likely that he would have met the same fate as Lester. But because of the shallowness, the shark was not able to move quickly and swiftly, and it struggled to turn around. That's how shallow this was. Wow. He said later. Suddenly, I felt a tug like a big pair of scissors pulling at my leg and bringing me under. At that point, Joseph began screaming in terror. He said, not from pain, just terror, but. And he said that, honestly, the biggest thing on my mind was, I'm going to be dragged underwater and drowning. Yeah, he said, it seemed the fish was trying to get my whole leg inside its mouth. I thought he would kill me. I thought he was going to swallow me. Now, as luck would have it, just as Joseph was struggling with the shark, a local man named Jacob Lefferts was motoring slowly towards them in his boat. Without hesitation, this man dove into the water fully clothed and started swimming towards the shark. And just what I'm like, who are all these people? Yeah, this is wild. From the other direction, Michael Dunn had dove back into the creek and was swimming towards his brother to help as well. Wow, That's a sibling right there. Yeah, it is like, damn. They both reached him around the same time and together began pulling Joseph and kicking the shark's head. Unfortunately, the shark was determined to hold on to its prey, though, and its jaws remained clamped around Joseph's leg. Finally, after a long tug of war, the shark let go enough for Michael and Jacob to get Joseph out of his mouth into shore, but not before the shark grabbed a hold of his leg one last time. By then, they were able to stand up in the water, and the shark was Putting itself honestly at great risk of drowning. At this point, he was literally coming onto the shore with them.

[A]

Holy.

[B]

That's how scary this is. Like, he's like terrifying. By the time. By that time, Captain Cattrall had arrived in his own motorboat. And after doing their best to, to slow the bleeding from Joseph's mangled leg, they lowered him into the boat and quickly made their way back up the creek in the direction of the hospital. Now, in the end, luck was on Joseph Dunn's side. The men managed to get the boy to St. Peter's University Hospital in New Brunswick and he was rushed into surgery and the surgeons did manage to save his life. But he had considerable mangling and scarring on his leg and he had a permanent disability because of it. Now, unfortunately, that same luck was not on the side of Stanley Fisher, which breaks my. That man, he's a hero. Gave everything. Although the men in Madawan managed to get him onto the train, he bled to death a short time later on the train.

[A]

That's a lot of blood.

[B]

Yeah. Long before he was able to get proper medical care. That's so sad. Now, in the span of an afternoon, the shark in Matawan Creek had killed two people and attacked and had gravely injured another. All in full view of like hundreds

[A]

of people and within like a couple hours.

[B]

Yeah. In the wake of the attacks, two things happened. First, there were several people around town, likely seeking attention in their time in the spotlight, who claimed to have had interactions with the shark. 13 year old Ernest Dunham, for example, claimed that he had also jumped into the creek to search for Lester's body when the shark, quote, unquote nipped him.

[A]

Yeah. Where's your bite, bud?

[B]

Considering that brushing up against the shark had caused severe abrasions on Rennie Cartan's chest, a nip or exploratory bite would have been devastating. Yeah, you would have seen it. 100. Now the second and more important outcome was that the entire town and surrounding areas became consumed in a panic over the quote unquote, man eating shark that had invaded the Jersey shore and was picking off residents at, at an alarming rate. At this point, in an effort to find the animal and kill it, hundreds of people descended on Matawan Creek, dragging the water with large nets and using dynamite to kill whatever was in the creek.

[A]

That's terrible because there's other things there too.

[B]

It's like most of the story, you're like, wow, the humanity here. People are diving into the water, saving each other, doing what they can, going all out and then they do things like throw dynamite in a creek. And I said, wow, we can't, we really can't. We can't always get the, the bat a thousand, you know, I'm also like,

[A]

damn, don't go swimming in that cricket.

[B]

Yeah, like, damn. And throughout the night, armed men patrolled the creek in boats, periodically tossing in sticks of dynamite. Okay, like we could just get him out of the creek.

[A]

You don't have to dynamite about it now.

[B]

At the same time, New Jersey Governor James Fielder put out a statement urging the towns along the coast to adopt the same safety measures taken in Ashbury Park. That's the other thing.

[A]

I'm like, how about safety measures?

[B]

Yeah, like maybe do that.

[A]

Like you go to like the Cape now and there's a ton of signage like don't go in the water.

[B]

High shark time. Now, the state could not afford to mount a serious effort to keep the sharks away from the coast. So that would have made more sense. Fielder's statement also makes the natural assumption that the attacks were not the actions of a single shark, but simply the behavior of sharks in general. The Governor said it is very evident from the widely scattered points at which attacks are being made that the entire coastline is being frequented by schools of sharks. Yeah. In simple terms, as far as the governor and the public were concerned, it was inconceivable that so much carnage could have been caused by one single shark. But, but he was there. No, right now. By the following day, the search efforts started paying off. On the morning of July 14, two local men were patrolling the banks of the creek when they saw the remains of Lester Stillwell rise to the circus.

[A]

It makes me happy that at least he was found.

[B]

You know, according to the press, quote, great jagged wounds in the abdomen and breast showed where the shark's teeth had closed over the 12 year old boy's body. The recovery of his remains renewed the efforts of locals to catch the shark, which was by then being described as somewhere between 12 and 15ft. Within a few hours, the creek was once again packed with men's and men and boats carrying rifles, harpoons and dynamite. Despite how unlikely it was for a shark to have made its way into the creek in the first place, the panic in Matawan was so much that people were starting to see sharks everywhere. According to the article, an article in the New York Times, there was well corroborated testimony indicating that there was at least four in the stream within two miles of where it enters Raritan Bay. And to that point it was generally understood that Sharks couldn't live in fresh water. But the experts had also informed the public that sharks didn't attack people. So the growing consensus was that the experts were wrong about sharks.

[A]

Yeah, basically there's more to learn about sharks.

[B]

Yeah. In fact, in Manhattan, several people reported seeing two large sharks in the Hudson River. Evidence that the panic had clearly reached beyond the borders of New Jersey and was stretching out into other places. Imagine, in reality, the dramatic increase in sightings could be explained. It was a combination of hysteria, mistaken identity and fabrication. But at least some of the sightings were definitely genuine.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And simply the results. And I don't think we think of it like this. The result of people having gone looking for something that had always been there. Yeah, but. But they just didn't notice it before. Yep. The northeastern coast of the United States, we know this now has a large and diverse population of sharks that if you were to go looking for it, it really wouldn't be that difficult to find. Yeah, you can find sharks around. You can, especially now. So the fact that people were seeing them in that moment only came as a surprise because most people had no idea they were there in the first place. More importantly than their mere presence were the assumed implications of their discovery. Mainly that the sharks possessed an immediate and extreme danger to humans. Only if you get in the water though. Right. Like, it's one of those things that I'm like, yeah, sure, don't go in the water. Right. Like as Jaws says, I mean, stay out of the water. Now, the story of the man eating shark finally came to an end on the evening of July 14th after countless sharks have been pulled from the waters around the shores of New York and New Jersey.

[A]

But they were just like, yeah, keeping them out.

[B]

Yeah. Oh. Among them was a 7 1/2 foot great white caught near Raritan Bay, about 5 miles from Matawan by New York taxidermist Michael Schleisser. According to Slicer, which is a hard name to say, Michael, he had been dragging his net behind the boat when he turned and saw, quote, a big bifurcated tail flash out of the water. Michael attempted to haul the shark on board, but the weight of it and its constant thrashing caused the stern of the boat to sink and raise the bow into the air.

[A]

Well, maybe you're not supposed to catch that shark.

[B]

Yeah. You're not supposed to put this giant shark on your boat, I don't think. Now, by the time he made it to the rear of the boat, he saw, quote, the shark rising out of the net and onto the Stern snapping its great jaws. With all the weight on the back of the boat, gravity went to work, pulling everything towards the shark. Not only putting Michael in danger of being bitten, but also threatening to sink the entire ship. In fact, it seemed that Michael, to Michael, that the shark was actually doing everything it could to reach him and his sailing partner at the time.

[A]

I mean, I think it's probably just protecting itself.

[B]

Yeah, I think so. Thinking quickly, he grabbed one of the now broken oars of the boat and began beating the shark in the head, striking it on its snout, its gills and anywhere else he thought could damage it. Let it go. Exactly. All while the shark is continuing to snap its teeth. Finally, the shark took one last leap onto the boat, trying to grab them both. But missed, giving both the opportunity to strike the final blows and ultimately killing him.

[A]

The Are you doing killing a shark that's in the water?

[B]

Yeah. Just leave alone. You're not supposed to be in there.

[A]

If they're there, that's where they live.

[B]

Live. And we don't.

[A]

That's like somebody walking into your house and beating you over the head.

[B]

Like just don't.

[A]

You live there. You're allowed to be there.

[B]

Exactly. That's how I feel.

[A]

I'm sorry.

[B]

I really do feel it's not my. That the water is not my home.

[A]

Like it's obviously tragic and like the, the shark shouldn't have been in the creek and like that's awful that that happened. But sometimes those things happen in nature.

[B]

Well and it's like when, like a bear will attack or something. When somebody's like out in the woods and they're like euthanize the bear.

[A]

It's not the bear.

[B]

You can see that. Like, yeah, this happened. Somebody died. Like that's.

[A]

And it's tragic.

[B]

It's tragic. But it's, it's hard to swallow that we're just gonna kill a wild thing for acting like a wild.

[A]

For acting like a wild thing in its own habitat.

[B]

Habitat.

[A]

That's the thing that pisses me off.

[B]

And water especially is the thing that I'm liking. That is theirs, man. That's theirs. I can't, I can't sit here. By no means did anyone deserve to lose their life.

[A]

Absolutely not.

[B]

Do something that they should have lost their life. Like you should obviously, like, honestly, I want everybody to be able to go swimming in the water. But it's not ours. Right. It's just.

[A]

And I just can't.

[B]

Like it's, it's a double edged sword. It really is. Because obviously you want to keep people safe. And this was horrific and tragic. But to yank a Yankee, like go looking for it and yank it onto the boat and beat the shit out of it, that just doesn't feel right to me.

[A]

It's supposed to be where it is.

[B]

But again, we're also in 1916. Yeah.

[A]

We didn't have all the.

[B]

We're much less educated. We don't know how. Enough about sharks at this time. But really sad.

[A]

But from this point of view, I'm like, you guys are really being.

[B]

Yeah. And it's like, it's just, it's all sad. It's. The whole thing is sad now. After resting and regaining their composure, they managed to push the shark and the net back into the water, riding the boat and allowing them to haul it back to the docks. When asked about this experience, he said it was, quote, the hardest fight for life I've ever had. Now by the time and again, I should say too, if I'm on a boat and a shark is trying to get on the boat and eat me, yeah, I'm probably gonna beat it with an oar to get it out of my boat.

[A]

But he was trying to catch. But it's like, so you wouldn't be in that position.

[B]

That's the thing. It's not like it just jumped on your boat.

[A]

Sharks don't just jump on boats.

[B]

Yeah, like you're gonna defend yourself. Obviously you're not. Like, I'm not telling anyone. Well, accept your fate and go into.

[A]

No, of course not. But like the likelihood of the shit shark just jumping, jumping onto the boat, like, I'm going to eat you.

[B]

No, it's like you pulled him onto the boat.

[A]

There's plenty of food in the, in where you are for the, for the shark to eat.

[B]

Now that. By the time Michael and his partner had made it back to shore, many others had returned with various kinds of sharks.

[A]

That makes me so sad.

[B]

All convinced they'd caught the so called man eater. As a result, everyone seemed pretty skeptical that this New York taxidermist and amateur hunter had caught the shark that was responsible for the deaths of Van Zant, Bruder, Stillwell and Fisher. But when they cut the shark open and revealed the contents of its stomach, they discovered, quote, two bones, one 11 inches long and the other a small fragment, really. When they examined by the medical examiner, it was determined that, quote, the long bone appears to be the shin bone of a boy. Oh. By the time they finished the examination, they also discovered roughly 15 pounds of suspicious fleshy material that was later determined to be human remains. So this was the shark that had done it. After the remains were removed from the shark's stomach and sent to a pathologist, Michael Schleichler took the shark's body back to his shop in Harlem, New York, where it was stuffed and mounted. Now, although they could never say for sure whether his shark was the one shark that was responsible for all the attacks, Right? There was evidence to support that it was. Yeah. And aside from the human remains found in its stomach, it had been caught roughly in the same area where the attacks had occurred, and it matched the descriptions of the shark in the attacks. And more importantly, after he had caught the shark off of Raritan Bay, the attack stopped. Yes. And there was no other additional sightings in Matawan Creek. Now, prior to the 1916 attacks, it was widely believed that with a few notable exceptions, sharks were pretty shy creatures that did not attack humans. Maybe that's why in the wake of the attack, so many people still refused to believe it was a shark at all and insisted sea turtle that it was. Like sea turtles or orca whales, which, like, valid. These stories aside, the 1916 attacks prompted experts to reconsider what they thought they knew. And they emerged with a new theory about sharks that suggested while they do generally stay not interested in humans as a source of food, like, they're not out here trying to eat us, they're not hunting us, they still pose a danger, and even their curiosity can result in harm. Like with Rennie. Yeah. Like even just bumping against you to see what you are, that can still hurt you. In the case of the Jersey Shore attacks, John Nichols, a cur curator of the Museum of Natural History, offered what was the most plausible explanation. He said, it is very certain that they do not ordinarily attack bathers, but if one of them got lost his way and got out of the Gulf Stream, where he could no longer find the green turtles to which he was accustomed, he would forget about, or he would forge about and might seek to make man his staple diet. Yeah. Although he may have been wrong about some of the specifics, his theory is more or less accurate. Yeah. At least by standards. Now, and having been thrown off course, this animal would have gone looking for food and not found what it's used to eating. So it's turning to mammals, of course. Right. If something's moving in the water. By the time it had found itself trapped in Matawan Creek, it was not only hungry, but it was terrified. That's. That would have explained the extremely aggressive and territorial behavior. Add to all of that, the facts we now know about shark behavior, including its feeding patterns and the distress behaviors it associates with food. And all the attacks in New Jersey suddenly have a very rational, still terrifying explanation. Still terrifying, but at least a rational explanation of he was hungry and lost it.

[A]

I mean, it makes.

[B]

And without a food source. Right. Like, any tiny fish is not going to do it. For a giant great white shark, he's hearing the heartbeat.

[A]

So he knows that it's something that he's.

[B]

Yeah, he knows it's a mammal.

[A]

You know, like, he's experienced at least something similar to.

[B]

So he's like, well, this will work.

[A]

Oh, but that's really, really terrible case.

[B]

That's the Summer of Blood. Wow. And it is indeed. Yeah, that's. That's a. Yeah.

[A]

Horrific summer.

[B]

A horrific summer and a fascinating and very tragic case on all ends. Yeah. Yeah. Damn.

[A]

All right, well, let me find a.

[B]

A fun fact.

[A]

Oh, here's a good animal fact for you.

[B]

Oh, here we go.

[A]

A group of bunnies is called a fluffle. Yeah, it's called a fluffle.

[B]

Yeah, it is.

[A]

A lot of people call them a herd, but parts of northern Canada.

[B]

Canada.

[A]

Kids of northern Canada call them a fluffle.

[B]

No, they are a fluffle.

[A]

And that's from Good Housekeeping.

[B]

Yeah, they're a fluffy fluffle. Forever. A fluffy.

[A]

One thing about Dolores is she bullies bunnies.

[B]

Yeah. I think that's like, dogs, right? It is, right? We have. So did Blanche and Sydney. Yeah.

[A]

We have bunnies that live under our porch, and she will not leave them alone.

[B]

I'm like, they just love a bunny moment.

[A]

It's a fluffle.

[B]

They love it. All right, guys, well, we hope you keep listening, and we hope you keep it weird.

[A]

But not so weird that you, like, kill a shark.

[B]

I don't like that.

[A]

I understand that this was a tragic

[B]

story, but you don't have to go

[A]

and kill a shark.

[B]

Don't go killing sharks.

[A]

Really sad.

[B]

Come on. Keep it.

[A]

So weird that you have a fluffle.

[B]

Yeah. Sa. Why have I asked my electrician I found on Angie.com to bury my pet hamster? I was so moved by how carefully he buried my electrical wires, I knew I could trust him to bury my sweet nibbles after his untimely end. This is very strange, Angie, the one you trust to find the ones you trust. Find pros for all your home [e-mail] ready for big fun Start for free at Chumba Casino. Sign up and enjoy a welcome bonus with gold coins and sweeps coins to explore hundreds of online social casino games, all from your phone. Spin, play and discover something new whenever you feel like it with no downloads needed. More games, more ways to play. Let's Jumba. No purchase necessary. VGW Group Void where prohibited by log.

[A]

See Terms and conditions for details.

[B]

21 plus.