The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-01-03
TARANTULA TOM.
A Man With Peculiar Fenchant for
Tanning Spiders.
From the Alto CaIifor1ian,


porter recently. AS he spoke he pointed TO
a short, stout man, dressed in light suit,
who stood at the other end of the hotel
counter.
"A tarantula trainerr' remarked the re-
porter, inquiringly.
That's it, exactly" was the reply; she
makes speciality OF training tarantulas and
spiders. He was once almost crazy on
snakes, but now he appears to be wrapped
up In the education ofspiders Talk to HIM.
de can probably tell you an interesting
story"
The reporter acted upon the suggestion.
An introduction 10 Mr.. Schandley followed.
Yes" said Mr.. Schandley, IL must
admit that Pm what some people term me
"a crank on spiders. l like the creatures
and never tire of studying their habits.
Solomon of old advised the lazy man to
study the ways and manners of the ant. |
don't care to pose as a rival of Solomon as
a dispenser of wisdom, but | will maintain
that the spider ca teach better idea of
industry than any ant that ever lived. I've
watched the creatures. An ant runs about
all day and puts in all its time hunting for
the hole where 1t lives. In contrast to the
actions of the ant the spider spins a web
and at least max S showing as to what it
can do. If you will come to my room I'll
show you some of my pets"
The reporter willingly accepted the invi-
tation, and before an hour had expired he
did not regret the time which he devoted to
his new acquaintance.
Here's my favorite spider" said Mr..
Schandley, as he placed a cigar box with
holes bored in the top on the table He
threw back the lid and disclosed the occu-
pant of the b x, which was an ugly. hairy
tarantula. As the light was thrown upon
the tarantula it began to move its joints and
cavort around the box in manner that
would have caused a timid woman to go
into Mysteries. The reporter drew back as
the savage-looking creature displayed a
tendency to creep out of the box
"Oh, don't be afraid of Tim | call him
Tim O'Brlen, You know sud Mr.. Schand-
ley; it's only a little nickname He can't
hurt you I've drawn the poison from his
nippers, Come, Tim aud to the horror of
the reporter Mr.. Schandley reached bis hand
out and allowed the tarantua to crawl
upon 1t. tarantula is not o very hand
some or pleasing specimen of an animal
under any circumstances, but it causes a
shudder to come over the ord nary man to
see one dragging its hairy form over the
hand of human being. Mr. Schandley
allowed the creature to crawl around his
fingers, and it worked its way up his coat
sleeves. 1t stopped when ne + Mr.. Schand-
ley's elbow and cooked It's eyes up at the re-
ilOl tel III WlldO I1bUGl d WICKED
manner.
60 back to your box, Tim" commanded
Tins master in harsh tones, and to the re-
porter's surprise the animal quickly turned
and crawled over its owners hand and
dropped into the cigar box.
II have him we'll trained, YOU see,
'aughed the trainer of tarantulas as he closed
the lid on Mr.. O'Brien; "but I'll show YOU
another specimen. Here is jim Blaine"
Araha 81 -, B., !
posed to view a reddish brown tarautula
1t was lively customer and as soon as the lid
of the box was thrown back it fairly leapei
out upon the table. The reporter sprang
back. Don't he alarmed said the trainer
and he seized jim around the body, The
namesake of the Republican leader kicked
and struggled as bard as his human proto-
type aid in 1854 when he heard that New
York had gone back on him.
Jim is a Texas boy and the dandy of his
kind. Just feel him. The reporter re
quested to be excused from feeling IN.
The only failing that Jim has is that he
drinks whisky and is a confirmed topper"
Drinks whiskvm
eyes, Stree. I'll prove it." Mr. Schand-
ley laid Jim back in his box and closed the
lid. He took a bottle of whisky from
stand and saturated a small sponge with
the alcoholic Stlmulant. I'm put this in
with Jim and let him wrestle WITH it, said
Mr.. Schandley. And he dropped tine sponge
IN the box.
"A queer business Pm i'm" said the taran-
lula trainer, in reply to question thrown
out by the reporter yes, it is. Money ia
it. Yes. | was a snake hunter in Bucks
county, Pa, about fifteen years ago. |
made considerable money out OF it, hut the
rattlers got kind Of scarce and | followed
Horace Greeley'S advice and came West.
When / was III Texas | got an idea that
tarantulas could be trained and started IN.
| was successful and soon had about fifty of
the ugleSt devils Of tarantulas, that would
do almost anything. OF course | drew
their poison SO that there was no
danger to be incurred in hand
ling them. | took 'em to New York
and sold EN-. Who bought them Wen,
the greater part of them we're Purchased by
who wanted to attract Gus
tom by exhibiting them on their bars
Some of them | sold to ladies' who had a
bent of mind something like Bernhardt
They made pets out of them. / tell YOU
that there are at least dozen Murray Hill
bellies who keep their pet tarantuaS with
their lapdogs now. | got very good prices
from them Tor a tarautula that was well
trained and would not betray any vicious
ness. Some of the hrutes can never be
trained They will bite. No, | don't ex-
actly make living out of selling tarantulaS,
luz l am always willing to accom-
modate any one who wants one of
the animals. I've got about eighteen taran-
tulas now. | hope 10 inaugurate craze
among the ladies for the creatures. Ii |
can get up boom you'll see women prom
enading on Market street on Saturdays
with their pet tarantulas on their arms
A small blue ribbon around their waists is
what keeps them in place. The novelty of
the thing is taking. By the way let us
look at Jim Blaine" Mr.. Schapdley opened
the Blaine box. The sponge and Mr.. Blaine
were lying en- rapport. Mr. Blaine was
helpless The sponge was dry. He had
sucked every drop of liquor from it. Mr..
y turnei Mr.. Blaine out upon the
table, but he was like a chunk OF wood
Only spasmodlc quivering of his jointe1
legs showed that he was alive.
''Ah, he's royalty drunk" said Mr..
laughing. He'd get this way
every day if I'd let him. But it's only
about once a week | give him liquor. I
always think that it must have been an ami
NAL Like jim that gave rise to the name tar
antula juice. He Is the only spider | ever
had out of many that | could get to touch
liquor. How long does it take to train
Oh, not over two weeks You'd
be surprised to know what a comprehension
the ugly brutes have. They can he trained
easier than a dog"
Mr.. Shandley then showed the reporter
eight other tarantulas that were undergoing
courses of training. They all seemed to
recognize certain sounds which he made.
"Jim Blaine won't be sober until morn