St. Paul daily globe., 1891-10-23
A DESPERATE BATTLE.
Terrible Experience of Trainmer
With a Boa-Constrictor.

Terrible Experience of TrainmeD
With a Boa-Constrictor.
Think Of desperate conflict on board
of a rapidly moving train, between
number of men and an immense reptile.
Such thing occurred on board a Chi
cago & Northwestern passenger train
yesterday morning while the train was
on its way from Chicago to Minneapolis.
Among the baggage which was taken
aboard at Chicago was long blue box,
which looked like coffin-boX and from
which strong odor emanated. The
baggageman, Ed ii. Gardiner, was told
by the persons who brought the box to
the depot that it was to be called for at
the Minneapolis depot, and that the box
contained specimen of natural history.
The train men are used TO carrying
queer pieces of baggage, and nothing
was thought OF the blue box in the
moving about of the baggage in the car
the box was placed near the stove, and
the heat seemed to intensity the smell
which came from it. When the train
reached Eau Claire pile of baggage
was added to that in the car, and in
some manner the blue box was tipped
over. After the train started up again
the box was piled up OH some trunks,
when it became displaced and with
crash 1t fell to the floor of the car. The
conductor of the train, E. ID. Mcdonald.
was sitting on box counting up his
tickets when the box fell. With him
was freight brakeman named c., E.
Miller, who had got OH the train at
Janesyille, and was OIL his way to st.
Paul. AS the box fell there was crash
and Kissing noise, followed by shout
of horror from the men in the car. An
immense snake rapidly uncoiled itself
from tile splintered box and began to
take possession of the car.
There was no way for the men in the
car to escape, and even If one was to go
it would make it all the more dangerous
for those who would be left behind. Nc
Donald was nearest the door, and he
could have got out, but he did not think
of deSerting his companions.
''Hit him on the headi" called Miller,
but this was harder to do than it would
be supposed. Mcdonald seized the
glass box in which the axe and saw 10
be used in case Of wreck are kept, and
with blow of his fist he broke it open.
He grabbed the axe and made a strike
at the reptile, but the blow was not true,
and as the weapon struck the serpent
on the body it seemed to only infuri-
ate it.
Then there was a lively time. The
snake succeeded in getting cOiled
around the body of Miller and The others
could hear the cracking of the bones
as the construction powers of the snake
were brought into play! They were
rendered frantic at the cries of their
companion, and finally Mcdonald sue
ceeded in getting in good blow on
the head of the reptile. Gardiner seized
it by the sail and the coils were uu-
wound. Miller lay helpless and uncOH-
sciouS on the floor of the car, and the
others were bruised by the knocks
which they had received during the
struggle. \ few blows with the axe
settled the existence of the snake and
the lfelesS body was placed in the blue
box again.
Miller was suffering from the break
ing of four ribs, which had been crushed
in by the immense strength of the rep
tile. In few moments, had it not been
for the bravery of his companions, he
would have been squeezed into pulp.
He was placed on board tram at the
st. Paul depot, and in care of one of the
company'S surgeons, was taken to the
hospital in Chicago. The others were
not injured so seriously as to cause them
any great Inconvenience. The snake
was being sent to Minneapolis for pur-
poses of exhibition. 1t was valued at
$1,000 and was an immense specimen.
Its length was over seventeen feet and
the body was as large in the middle as
mans thigh. The snake was Ill a stupid
condition when it was placed in the car
and the warmth of the stove aroused it.