The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-06-10
A HUGE SNAKE AT LARGE.
A Ffsteen-Foot Pithon On Grand
Street. New York, Causes a Panic.


New York Worldly
Fifteen feet of snake sQuirmed conn
piacent1y out of a third-story window
at No. 24S Grand street yesterday af-
ternoon. and it's apparent inclination
to roam further threw the neighbor-
hood into well-nigh a panic. The snake
was a python belonging TO Louis Ruhe.
an importer OF animals and birds. who
occupies the entire nve-story brick
building at that address.
A woman's scream first drew the at
tention 10 the python. She caught
sight OF it while passing on the oppo-
site side OF the street The cause OF
her excitement was quickly communi-
Gated TO other passers-by. and within
a few minutes Grand street. between
the Bowery and Chrystie street. was
damned with people. Cars on the sec
ond avenue line. which turn into Grand
street OF the Bowery. and the Grand
street horse cars were blocked by the
crowd.
The python. the largest in Ruhe's
collection. Is zen feet long and rs
thick as a man = thigh at the middle
OF its bod. It's destructive power Is
tremendous- ---I to guard against es-
cape :. is ured in a strong cage be
hing tn- ~;aIrd-story window The up
per sash had been lowered to give bet
ter ventilation TO ms animals in the
building. A stout steel screen Is fas-
tened across the WINDOW. bGt the Il
tom OF the screen had warped. leaN-ag
a sufficient aperture for the snake to
crawl through.
Discovering this exit. the python slid
through, and it's glistening, mottied
length recl:ned for ten feet along the
cfOrn haarl wrhksa Efa han1 nn1 nA-<
waved s~earchingly to find a Pathway
Of escape. As the numbe OF specta-
tors grew startled cries were heard.
These apparently alarmed the python.
for IL turned away from the building
and darted a menacing head at the
crowd below. The fluctuations or its
restless body gave rise TO the fear that
pavement. and this added to the ex-
citernent of the crowds.
The noisy gathering attracted the at
tention OF the occupants OF the three
story building adjoining Ruhe's place
on the west.
Two women on the top floor OF No.
246 approached the window to see what
was going on mex door. The python
was weaving about. restlessly and &c
heard the sounds OF the women ashley
approached the open d The nat
head darted forward. and DUST as the
women leaned out they caught sight
of IL.
The crowd heard two piercing
shrieks as the women fell back. one OF
them instinctively slamming the win
dow down with a bang. The mn
alarmed other tenants and soon YER
window n door was shut and ho1ted.
and some OF the tenants prepared to
stuff the chimney holes to prevent the
python's entrance. The building vas
in a state OF seige for an hour, the ten
ants not daring to leave.
Policeman Flanders. of the E1dridge
street station. t~elephoned for the re-.
serves. Passengers on the Third ave
nue. IL were able TO see the python
from the Grand street station and SOON
the platform was denseiy packed.
The python would vary its antics by
now and again opening wide fts jaws
as ii swung out from the signboard and
over the startled crowd. While the
police with difficulty were opening up
the street TO traffic the python enjoyed
a sunbath. Then 1t was seen to turn
and slowly drag its length back through
the window and into its cage. Imme-
diately it had disappeared Policeman
Flanders crawled through the scuttle
of the roof of No. GAG and with a long
hooked poker raised the lowered sash
by the python's cage. Preventing q
repetition of the performance. Ruhe
was t~elephoned to hurry down and
better secure the python.