The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1886-10-21

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A GREAT SNAKE At LARGE.
New YoaK, Oct. GA hungry boz
constructor, twenty~leven feet long,
and weighing nearly 300 pounds, lay
coiled up near the police station in
the City Hall park about 10 o'clock
this MOI ming. 1t reared its head
anxrily in the air and darted it's
tongue out viciously. A great crowd
assembled in short time, but took
extremely good caro- to keep at re-.
spcc,ful distance. The snake was
from the animal importing house Of
Charles Richie Il Brother, in Park
row, aud was started this morning
for iiobUkeD on handcart, there to
be fed for u week or no, and then to
be given warm bath TO inluse q
little African heat into it. The
snake is the largest Que in captivity
in America, and was brought here
last week on the steamer Fulda,
from Reiche Il Brothers Broman
headquarters. IL was taken by one
Of then travellers in the Soudun.
The huge reptile has not had any
thing TO eat for several weeks, nj d
this morning Mr.. Reiche resolved to
send it TO lloboken, whero lie las u
sort Of mn eating house for apacon-
das. inst bow it happoued will
probably never be known, but as the
boy aud hand-cGrt were near the po>
lice station the boy slipped on q bit
Of apple skin. AS lie fell be let go
of the cart harlles. Up they went
The cart tipped backward, the box
rolled out on the walk and the great
suaIe burst through tho Stats on
top. In an instant it was spread
over the walk,
The boy stood palsied with fright.
lie was Immediately hemmed in by
n curious crowd, which grew larger
faowohtarily. Very quickly several
Lolicemtn we're on the scene, but
they needed 10 exercise no effort to
keep the crowd back. Word was at
onco sent to Mr. Reiche, but it was
fully twenty minutes before he APP
appeared. IIo was accompanied by
seven men. In tho meantime the
hot rays Of the sun beating down on
the tar walk rapidly thawed out any
iorpidity that remained in the snake
and he began to move about. The
hoy couiageously kept in front OF
the reptile and with the aid of mis-,
siles, furnished him by the crowd, he
succeeded in keeping it within cir
cle of fifty feet from where the box
was broken open. But it was evident
be could not control the serpent
much longer, when Mr. Reichs's men
appeared. They were afraid the po-
licemeu would shoot the reptile aud
made all possible haste to capture il.
The serpent was now resting on
its coils, with its huge head elevated
more than eight feet in the air. 1t
was thoroughly angry. It's eyes
seemed to dart flashes of lightning
its great mouth was wide open, show.
ing it's white teeth, and its tongue
darted forth viciously. 1t also gave
d series Of Kisses which served to
keep the crowd still further off. IT.
was beginning to make ready for
spring for about half lis length, The
leader of the men advanced, and by
a judicious throwing of cloths, after
five attempts, succeeded in covering
the reptiles ead,and then the seven
men quickly sat down Oh its body
Then the eight men picked it up and
carried it to the store.
The snake is very old and is
worth 81 900. That it would have
bitten any person 10 its reach, one
of Mr.. Reiche's men said, was be-
yond doubt. lie was much afraid
the reptile would get into the trees,
where it would Lave been still more