DEADLY SNAKES LOOSE

Grey River Argus, 8 May 1936, Page 5

DEADLY SNAKES LOOSE

SCARE AT MONTREAL U.S.A. Exhibitor’s Tragedy (Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.) (Received Alay 7 at. 7.50 p.m.) AIONTREAL, Alay 6. Three snakes of a deadly species are believed to be loose somewhere in Montreal to-day while their owner lay dying from a bite from one of them, lie is Edward Smith, of Louisiana, who came to Montreal to exhibit the reptiles, which he had raised on his southern farm. He had kept twelve poisonous snakes in a cage in a room at a hotel, including an adder, which he attempted to treat for some ailment. The adder bit him and by the time lie rushed to the hospital the poison had so far spread through his system that the amputation of his arm, where he was bitten, was ot no avail. -In fleeing from his hotel room. Smith left the door open, and three of the snakes are believed to have escaped. A municipal chemist, by the application of poison gas, killed the nine snakes in the hotel room.

A panic was caused in the section of the city where the hotel is located, as the police roped off the streets and permitted no pedestrians to approach, and also made a systematic search for the reptiles that are believed to have escaped.