BABOON LOOSE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume L, Issue 16426, 9 May 1924, Page 6

BABOON LOOSE.

CITY BOARDERS CHASED.

SHORT-LIVED SENSATION

■SYDNEY, .May 2.—The antics of an escaped baboon a* a residential! chlairibers on Wednesday created a shortlived sensation.. Having frightened several men and women, he eventually submitted quietly to "arrest" by his owner.

Thei animal made his ,, appearance at the People's Palace, crowded With visitors for the Easter season, shortly after the guests had finished breakfast. Most of the housemaids were engaged cleaning the rooms when the fearsomelookimg! stranga- appeared on the back ftra escape, having escaped from captivity a few doors down Pitt Street. He was dragging his chain .behind him, and it was the rattle of th& links that attracted attention, to the visitor.

Having cfliimbed through a window on the first floor he paused at one of the doors and ralttled hrs chain in ominous madmer. Two girls in the room screamed and ran. out of another door, and the ba.boon, more in fright than anger, it is thought, followed tlhom in loping leaps. A man appealed in the passage, and, recognising the same enemy which had kept Iran in captivity, the 'baboon gave up the chase and dambered through a window ifco Ithe fire escape. The man followed, and, emboldened by the cliastcned appearance of the fugitive, approached; too close, and was bitjteji on the hand.. Theteboon mounted three floors with wonderful rapidity, and scared al number of persons standing on oi landing., One girl threw him an apple to stop his onward pßogress, but he refused to play Adam Hxn her Eve, and allowed the tempting bait to pass untouched. He rushed up the fire escape to the roof, and threw a scare into some painters working there, while some of the guests promenading in tho sunlight, scampered for safety. The baboon centred his attention on one man and chased him round and round the roof. Unable to catch him, or perhaps tiring of the unwonted exercise, he came to rest on a seat, and soon had the roof to himself. There his master found him, in undisputed possession, and after administering certain aldanomitory remarks (unprintable), he /book tho chastened animal back to hia home.