The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-01-24
TARANTULA LOOSE IN COURT ROOM
POpe's Pet spider Spread Censterna-
ton Among OMcers and prisoners.

A live tarantula. at large in Essex Mar
ket police court this morning. suspended
judicial proceedings abruptly FOR a while.
h MED the ,o ooars t room WITH panic ana
standing in the lire for examination. There
were a few moments OF real agony, during
which IL was shown that a poLce court Is
no place for chronological exhibitions;
then quiet was restored with the capture of
the deadly spider. and the prisoners asked
for pledges 10 sign The proverbai bull IN
the china shop was another shattered Idol.
Francis Pope, d porter at l5S Franklin
street, was the scientific demonstEator Of
the occasion. He secured the bug yester-
day al Pier 8, East river, from an aeQuaint-
aFace WOE king on a banana ship unloading
there, who found the sarantula in the hold
Pope Immediately put himself into friendly
relations with the little stranger from the
tropics. made a bed and a home for him
in c.gar box. and when he went TO Essex
Market police court this morning to testify
IN an ault case he took the taran;uia
along to show Policeinaa Byr-es. Byrnes
Is known as connoisseur in bugs, snakes
ard poisonous insects, and Pope wanted to
consult with him about the care OF his
charge; TO learn IL IL could not be doues:f-
Gated on die; OF milk and be made to lie
down with the family cat and become a
household pet.
Pope placed the cigar box carefully be-
side him on the bench on which he sat and
Interested himself In the dispensatfon OF
justice. Several minutes passed and Pope
became more interested and forgot all
ABOUT his queer companion. until the sight
OF Policeman Byrnes stimulated his recoi-
lection. He aeckoned 20 she latter and
picked UP the cigar box and lifted the
cover Then he turned pale. The box elat-
tered 70 the floor, and the frightened Pope
stood up and yelled.
My oioa' That bug is loose somewhere
here IN the court room Il may bite some
body and kiil him.
He sank back In his seat in ;.1sIesr. The
prisoners In the line exchanged startling
Siances and the magistrate frowned Sc
vereiy and looked about to say something.
when Policeman ponnely crossed over 10
Pope and asked, cynically and susplclousiy:
What bugs b0thering YOU"
Bug bugl tarautplar' shrleksd Pope
Don't you know what II is? IL il tstes
you your body swelIs up and YOU die IN
awful pain IN an hoar."
The wretched scientist covered his face
with his hands, bu: the uncompr.hensfing
and urseeliag DonnoiIy thought that h,
had Se- this kind OF thing before. A tit
ter ran around the silent room and the
prisoners breathed i little more freely as
pouaolly said:
My friend We have a place here FIR fell
lows when they get Ike You I'd advise
VOC 10 80 ouf and get some medicine ntItck
% nav have 10 call an ambulance from
Bellevue fos you"
Pope pulled himself together az his and
managed 10 gasp out an explanation OF the
true state 81 affairs and the court ~ryaA
waicn nad gathered around. began to feel
Tor Their pistols. hut Policeman Byrnes
knowing InoFe about natural history m
desStoe-t ti1at yosI could not 20 cunning FOR
a taFaatnia as Il Il we're mad dog, ard ne
called of the target p~sctlce and started
an alarm Eh3ch spread around tn. room
axe wil@fre. No one remembers w1a, the
officers behind the desk did, bat there was
a haStR scramble from the spectators
seats. the prisoners cIateaei each other
sftiedertng, and the policemen bbs-si M
oroofIis. sticks. billies and rulers and pro-
ceetied 70 beat up the jungle II aenches
ard ratings. but the black spider did NOT
appear.
Pope volunteered the Information that
the man who gave him the tarantQia told
him thai he could jump twenty-five feet it1
one SPITE. ard he few spectators who
were left. and VITO tad been haiancf~g
themselves on the backs Of the seats i'm
rrstifa tely vacated the court room aEsox~s a
er. while the lfHe Of trunks licked tFl...T ar,
ligs ard stood on their ;n~s 20 give me
- rs n Hss a chance at The next xfsars T1rss..
" 30 had oes~sis neTvcus!y enclosed than in
their ie%@gisn pains. 20 keep the iaFanttaIa
trorss landing there w9ssH he made that
jump. But a few Of them had doubts even
mere 'e-rtsya-g than tae reality cossia be.
i>ecg. L<~5g shouted one as re sssasrsas
she maa in front % him and pointed 70 the
TIE nsan who Wa grasp-a4 looked and
seized the FIRST one by he collar ard ask4.i
r.
= a." was he emphatic answer.
Ar you sure"
.-raaak Gea' Ics true But This man.
RELIEF was not shared by the ether .s-tsgn-
ers. wsso booked du~a and saw me tsran
t1A@ cT&%an. slowly toward Them Trav
- 2p yets aissch brought the all1e-s,at -,
hunters 80 tser.s en- a r7Ir. Pop. with tnern
" leE sA~ alter Saw ris pet he REACHED
down, Rsssls ms spectators aGlv~res4 az ~.
ss0sGg. An3 picked grs the dssstsrasev - t&s
Essses, -; Gs.1 hack sn :hn h7x ard ~ 81
tss.sso1 SAs offered - BIS Instant Ssys.~-
slrs.
wasie IRE eossFt rom resumed is r.,~rna,
condition .Ts~& f@ Pore exr,ES{ s4s4 .,..ss.
.>-SS Tia iAxAS..-A pAS ,osaAa ssa,u %