Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-07-06
A Passenger Train stopped by a
10 2t.al4 lf1= Cat. 5ja u eu1

IFrom the Albany IN. Y.) Knickerbocker.l
One of the most unpleasant places for
an, excitement to- exist is in railroad
car while the train is in motion. Yet
conductor Gardner's car was subjected
to one Of these scenes day or two since.
Itappears that an Albany lady, wife of
one of our honored officials, was a pas
senger from Schoharie. The lady had
as baggage basket, contents unknown
to any save herself. The necessary COM
motion of the ears under full headway
naturally caused a commotion in the
basket. The lady was seen to stoop
down several times to the basket, which
was at her feet, to arrange it, yet the con-
tents were unknown. When. the train
was few miles from the city, q scene
occurred that revealed the myste-
rious contents and set the whole car
in commotion. Suddenly. and when all
were unaware, big tom cat, black as
the ace of spades, and frothing at the
mouth from the annoying and fretting
process it had undergone in its confne-
ment, dashed out of the basket and
among the drowsy and easy reclining
passengers. In an instant almost all
the passengers were on their feet
Women screamed and tainted; men
yelled and shouted, and hung them
selves on the racks overhead; children
elung to mothers, mothers to husbands,
and the latter to anything they could
lay their hands on. In the mean time
the old tom cat, which was almost
.erazed from the jostling it had passed
through, became more furious over the
conduct of the passengers, and few to
and fro through the closed car, with
more rapidity and terror than did Bar
NUNS infuriated animals when sur
rounded by fire. -
Confusion worse confounded was the
order of things as Conductor Gardner
opened the door of the car to ascertain
what had "broke loose" The door was
no sooner closed bohind him than he
caught glimpse of that infuriated cat.
1t was making directly for him, with
eyes glaring like panther. Gardner
began to realize the condition of affairs.
A timid female rushed to Gardner for
protection. Gardner, by dextrous and
unparalleled effort, suspended himself
and lady to the cord. Engineers atten-
tion was attracted. Locomotive whis-
tied down brakes, and then stopped
Passengers from other cars rushed to
rear, expecting to see a smash-up, but
Witnessed an extensive exhibition of
ground and lofty tumbling, combined
with a menagerie. among the
number who entered was Detective
Hale. He saw his catship, and
Judging from the intense excite
citement about him, imagined the cause
something unusual, and concluded the
"animile" to be a skunk. Having his
best toggery on, and not desiring to be
scented with perfume less fragrant than
flor del santo, he gave the cat a wide
berth at first. He soon discovered that it
was nothing more nor less than cat,
prepared for an attack, and soonthe brute
was captured and thrown overheard.
Quiet once more restored, exhausted men
and women fell into their seats. Gardner
started up the train and arrived safely
at the depot in this city, all more or less
frightened, and the Albany lady regret
ting the loss of her cat. Conductor
Gardner has issued confscation order
against all baskets supposed to contain
tom-cats, as be has no desire to carry
such mysterious freight in the future.