KILLED BY A SHARK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19917, 10 April 1928, Page 6

KILLED BY A SHARK

— Igffggl BATHER'S TERRIBLE FATE. BEVERAL SAVAGE ATTACKS. . 4i ;: \ '• ■ -• r v, ; : ' • 1 ;•, . ;.; v>; HEROIC GIRL'S VAIN EFFORTS. VICTIM DRAGGED TO SHORE. A surf bather was fatally attacked by a shark while bathing at Merewether Beach, Newcastle, just as the light was fading last Wednesday evening. The victim, who was Mr. Arthur E. Lane, rtanuger of Henry Lane, Australia, Ltd., a Newcastle business, was terribly mauled, and died a few minutes after being carried out of the water. An outstanding feature of the tragedy was the splendid pluck displayed by Miss Lucy Donaldson, of Brisbane, 20 yea's of. iige, who with no regard for her own safety swam out to Mr. Lan6*s assistance and succeeded in dragging him to the shore. Miss Donaldson, who was visiting friendti in Newcastle, is a daughter of Mr. A. Donaldson, Brisbane manager for' Gibbs, Bright, Ltd. At the time of the tragedy the only people bathing in the sarf were Mr. Lane, Miss Donaldson and Miss Connie ChaU len, of Newcastle. The two girls, who were friends of the deceased, had been is the water some five minutes before Mr. Lane arrived. After exchanging a few words with them, Mr. Lane swam oat to a sand bank about 50yds. from the beach, where the water was only a little over his waist. Plucky Girl's Action. The 'two girls, who were not taking any particular notice of their friend, were suddenly horrified to (hear Mr. Lane shout, "Help! a shark has got me." Thejr saw Mr. Lane throw up his arms, and the nftxt instant the water was tinged with red. Miss Donaldson, acting with great presence of mind, and extreme courage, told Miss Challen to run for help, while she herself swam out to the victim's assistance. As the plucky girl, with powerful strokes, swam toward the sand back she saw Mr. Lane attempting to beat the shark off witb his right hand. The roan,. however, wag attacked again and again by the monster, and by the time Miss Donaldson reached him he was almost unconscious. ''

"Reaching Mr. Lane's side," added Mist Donaldson, in telfling the story subsequently, "I got hold of him, and found that he was held by some force under the water, and I was unable to pull him away. Then, suddenly, I found the r„>sistance died away, and Mr. Lane fell idward me." Miss Donaldson had splashed the water vigorously, and had thus evidently frightened the shark. Victim's Terrible Injuries Miss Donaldson succeeded in dragging Mr. Lane to shallow water, where she was assisted by Messrs. McLeod and McNamara, two junior memhers of ihp Cooks H!ll fcsurf Club, who had run down from the sheds and rnshod liiflv clothed into the surf Mr. Lane was carried on to the shihl. where the terrible nature of his injuries was seen. His right hand had been bit ten off, and a large piece of flesh takeu out of his left thigh and calf- His right shin bone had been laid bare to the bone, and displayed the teeth marks of the shark. Before the arrival of the ambulance, which was at the scene a few minutes later, Miss Donaldson covered the dying man with her bathing gown, and tended him as best she could. Mr. Lane was rushed to Newcastle Hospital, but was dead on arrival there. A Doctor's Lucky Escape. Dr. Bourke, of Merewether, had been * swimming in almost the same spot. He came out, dressed, and was on his way to the beach when he met Mr. Lane and talked with him for a while. Some time later he received a call telling t; -n of the tragedy, and on arriving at the hospital was horrified to learn of his friend's frightful death. Miss Donaldson suffered considerably from shock. The late Mr. Lane, who was 27 years of age and unmarried, resided at Merewether. He was well known in Newcastle commercial circles, and was a member of the St. George Masonic Lodge. He was a native of England, and had recently returned from a trip abroad. Miss Donaldson maintained an attitude of extreme modesty regarding her part in the tragedy, and on the following day she politely but firmly declined either to be interviewed or photographed.