Animals: Girl v. Octopus

In Menlo Park, Calif, last week Leon F. Douglass, inventor, proudly told the Press a shocker. He had wanted someone for an acting job. The job was to play opposite a 12-ft. octopus in an underwater “death” struggle which he wanted to film with his “inverted periscope” cinecamera. Inventor Douglass’ pretty daughter Florence, 17, volunteered. First time she dove into the tank the octopus was unimpressed. Next time the monster, as desired, slithered its eight long tentacles around her body, glued them tight with each one’s double row of suckers. Father Douglass filmed breathlessly, finished his reel. But the octopus did not know it was only play. It continued to embrace the heroine, keeping her on the bottom until several male bystanders dived in, pulled it off. To soothe her bruises, Florence’s grateful father gave her a diamond bracelet.