Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1898-01-06
FIELDS OF ADVENTURE.
THRILLING INCIDENTS AND DARING
DEEDS ON LAND AND SEA,

AAu0OAC AHiHS Ohy ana BauIy /
Injuries d Man in Philadelphia-A Di- |
A Brazilian anaconda twenty-eight
feet long made it's escape from q box
in a local dime museum in sPhiladel-
phia one day recently, and after near
~ killing a Waterman wrapped its
coils around a valuable pony and
crushed it to death.
The performing horse and the snake
were part Of the attractions at the mu-
scum. The pony belonged to W. C.
Reber, of New York, who placed q
valuation of $40, 900 on him. The an
aconda was imported by the manage
ment aud arrived from New York in q
box six feet long, which was thought
to be ecure The box was placed in
the corner of a curio hall. The pony
was also shipped from New York. He
was tied to a feed box in the curio
hall. Samuel Mosher is the watch
man in the hall. He was in the cellar
with the other attendants engaged in
sorting out lumber for an exhibition
platform to be constructed in the
course of the day. The manager sent
him on an errand to the curio hall. He
stayed a long while, but no notice was
taken of this until wild shrieks from
the trick pony and, other sounds Of
commotion in the curio hall caused
the attendants in the cellar to drop
their lumber and hasten to the scene.
The spectacle hat met them when
they reached the upper floor terrified
them for a moment. Watchman Mos
her was stretched on the floor uncon-
scious, and not far away from him the
handsome trick pony Bucephalus was
wound in the coils of the serpent.
Blood was oozing from the pony's nos
trils and every vestige of life was
squeezed out of him.
Waterman Mosher was dragged to a
place of safety, and a hasty examina-
ton showed that he was not dead. He
was hurried to the Hahnemann
Hospital, where the physicians found
two ribs fractured. It is not known
whether he has any other serious in
juries beyond shock from fright.
At the hospital Mosher revived and
told the story Of the encounter, of
which he was the only witness. He
said On reaching the curio hall he was
startled by finding about six feet of
the a%naconda's length out on the floor.
A board became loose, and through
this'the captive began slowly to work
his way to liberty. The watchman's
first impulse was to try to force him
back, and he started to do this alone.
The snake attacked him fiercely, and
in less time than the Waterman could
tell it the great folds of the reptile
were entirely free from the box and
out on the floor. In another instant
the Waterman was writhing in them.
He was too terrified at first to give an
alarm, and when he did try, the coils
of the monster were about his chest,
crushing him.
The noise which summoned the res
cuers was made by the pony. The
actions of the pony we're q remarkable
display of animal intelligence. He
saw the struggling Waterman in the
serpent's coils. and, with shrill neighs
sprang to his aid, drawing the feel
box with him. With his sharp hoof.
and his teeth he t%iercely attacked til,
snake, which slowly unwound its fold.
from the helpless Waterman, ant
turned on its new assailant. It wa
not long before the pony's neighing
was stihed. The monster wound it
clasp around the brave little animal
body, and with m%ethodical slownes:
broke bone after bone in its ribs.
The men who rushed to the seen
and saved the watchman's life wer
afraid to attack the boa or to go nea
1t except with weapons to destroy it
The serpent Kissed at them and darte'
its tongue out. It was evidently pre-
pared for another attack and to seiz
a third victim. Pat McGlinchy, on
of the attendants, who is an old plains
man, suggested to lasso the snake
head. This plan was adopted and Iii
headwas firmly secured. The probler
Of securing the rest of the body wa
less easy to solve. but the tail was Sc
cured Ill some way after it uncoile'
from the pony's body, and the snak
was dragged to an iron cage with
heavy screen and securely imprisoned
This pony slayer is nearly thirty fee
long.
Cl.--rx ra