The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1897-01-14
FACEING DEATH.
James Payne Sealed Up In a Fruit Car
Infested with TarantuIss - Ills
Fiancee Saved HIS Reason.

Pullman car on the southbound Mis-
souri, Pacific limited last night were
two passengers who attracted sym
pathetic attention. The woman was
strikingly beautiful, while her COM
panion might have been either 80 or
60 years old. Sharp lines disfigured
his otherwise attractive features,
and there was a quick, nervous
movement of the head and hands
that suggested palsy.
The mans name is James Payne,
and ne is a resident of Parkersburg,
w. Va, where his family is well to
do. Two months ago he started for
the Pacific coast. On the train he
tween Great River and Pocatello his
pockets were picked. lie was even
unable to telegraph home for money,
and determined TO make his way
through by the box car route. On
the second night of his stay in Poca-
tello, a west bound special pulled in,
in which were several fruit cars. lie
climbed into one and prepared to
make himself as comfortable as pos
sible. lie had scarcely concealed
himself before the door was closed
and sealed.
The car proved to be loaded with
bananas. lie composed himself TO
sleep. When lie awoke it was to find
himself in darknes, With the train
flying along at high speed. He had
been aroused by something soft and
velvetv creeping across his face. lie
struck a match to see what had dis
turbed him. To his horror he saw
several large tarantulas.
Payne did not dare TO strike an
other match, and he knew that he
was in imminent peril of his life. To
leap from the door of the car meant
certain death. With these thoughts
darting through his mind, a cold
hairy substance dashed itself in his
face and he tainted. How long he
lay unconscious he does not know,
but when he regained his senses it
was broad daylight and the train was
still speeding along.
lie tried the door, only to find it
fastened and that he was doomed to
suffer hours longer the prospect of
an attack at any instant from the
hideOus creatures, whose character
he knew SO well. The struggling
rays that penetrated the cracks of
the door, enabled to see dimly the
objects about him, and he recognized
his visitors of the night before, and
saw that their number had been
trebeled. lie looked about for a
loose board, and found n small one,
but be knew if he was attacked the
tarantulas would leap at him and he
could not ward them off.
His apprehension was increased
wheu he saw that they had engaged
in fearful and deadly combat among
themselves. For hours he sat there,
facing these dreadful creatures, who
neither advanced nor retreated.
Then night came on and again he
became unconscious.
When next he knew what was GO
ing on about him, he was on a cot in
hospital in Portland. lie had been
there month and had gone through
a well nigh fatal attack OF brain
Meantime the authorities, having dis
covered his identity from his delir-
ious talk, had telegraphed to his
people, and the young woman he was
to marry had fastened 10 his bed
side.
He lhad not been found until the
car was opened at its destination,
wnen he was unconscious and a raw
ing maniac. y mark on his forehead
indicated that he had in reality been
bitten by tarantula, probably when
he tainted the second time. As soon
as he was able to travel he started
for home by easy stages, first having