Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-01-11
AMONG TARANTULAS
Terrible Experience Of James Payne
On q Journey WsSt.
He BECAME A RAvISG MANIAC,
And Had TO BE Taken 10 Hospital,
Suffering From an Attack Of
Brain Fever.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo-, Jan. 11.-In
Pullman car on the south bound Mis-.
souri, Pacific, limited, last night were
two passengers who attracted eym.
pathetic attention. The woman was
elrikingly beautiful while her COM
panion might have been either 80 or 80
years OLD. Sharp lines disfiguted his
otherwise attractive features and there
was quick nervous movement of the
head and hands TINT suggested palsy.
The mau's name is James Payne,
and he is resilient OF Parkersburg,
W. Pa, where his family is well.to-do.
Two months ago he started Tor the
Pacific Coast. On the train between
Green River and Focatelio his
pockets were picked. He was
even unable to telegraph home
for money anu determined to make
his way through the box-car route.
On the second night OF mis- stay IN
POCatello west bound special rulel
in,in which were several fruit cars.He
climbed into one anu prepared to make
himself as comfortable as possible.
He had scarcely concealed himself
The car proved to have been loaded
with bananas. He composed himself
to sleep. When he awOke 1t was TO
find himself In darkness, with the
train flying along with terrific speed.
He had been aroused by something
soft and velvety creeping across HIS
lace. He struck match to see what
had disturbed him. To his horror he
saw several large taranlulas.
Payne diu not dare TO strike another
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 carting
through his mind q colo, hairy, sub
stance dashed itself iDto his face and
he'faiDted. How long he lay uncon-
scious he does not know, but when he
again came to 1t was broad daylight
and the train was stillspeeding like the
wind. He tried the uOor to find II
fastened ana that he was doomed to
suffer houre longer the prospect OF an
attack at any instant from The hideous
creatures, which character he knew 30
well. The struggling rays that penet.
rated the cracks of the door enabled
Elm to see dimly the objects about
him and he recognized his visiters of
the night before and saw that their
pun1bcr had been trebled. lie looked
about for loose board and found a
email one but he knew 81 he attacked
them, the tarantulas would leap at
him and that he could not ward
them vi.
His apprehension was increased
when he saw that they had engaged
in fearful and deadly combat among
themselves. For hours he sat there
facing the ydreadful creatures who
neither advanced nor reiterated. Then
unconscious. When next lie knew
whet was going on about him, he
was on cot in hospital In Portland
He had been there month and had
gone through well nigh fatal attack
OF brain fever. Meantime the author
ties having discovered bis identity,
from his deiirious talk, hal telsgrspheu
to his people, and the young woman
he as t0i marry hau FASTENED to HE
bedside.
He had not been found until the car
vas opened at lis destination when he
was unconscious ana raving Ike n
maniac. A mark In his forehead indi-
Gated that no mad in reality been
bitten by tarsntul0, probably when
he tainted the second time. AS soon
al he was able to travel he started for
home by essy stages, first having mar
ried the devoted woman who had
Joined him under such peculiar cir.
cumstRnces.