Money-grabbing monkey escapes fair

KENNETT, Mo.

A hat-tipping, change-clipping spider monkey named Fonzie escaped from the Delta Fairgrounds this week, apparently to take a tour of Kennett.

By the time he was finally caught, his reputation had grown even bigger.

After about five years as a fair regular, Fonzie has become known for his antics while working with an organ grinder. He snatches money from passers-by on the midway and, being a gentleman bandit, tips his hat to them.

But earlier this week, he apparently got tired of the fair.

Paul Diggs Jr. was the first to report the wandering bandit when he noticed him passing by the front of his auto shop.

Diggs didn't call police. He called Danny Rhew, a member of the fair board.

"He said he saw that monkey and that I was the first person he thought to call," Rhew said.

Rhew called the fair board office, which reported Fonzie to the police.

The police cornered Fonzie in a culvert between the Kennett car wash and Weaver's Transmission. But he escaped.

Rhew joined police in their search.

"I thought, 'Where would you go if you were a monkey?'" Rhew said.

He said he started searching in nearby trees and the surrounding neighborhood.

"I was yelling for Fonzie when some kids came up and asked me if I was looking for the monkey that was in the tree," he said.

Rhew said at that time he saw Fonzie running up the ditch bank to him.

"I got down on all fours. Fonzie's arms were out like he was going to jump in my arms, so I had my arms out too," Rhew said.

But it turned out to be a ploy. Fonzie took off down another street, away from Rhew.

Fonzie finally hid beneath a nearby building.

"I saw the building, and underneath it there was a little black tail hanging out," Rhew said.

"Someone yelled, 'Pull him by his tail.' I was a little scared at first, but I pulled him out by the tail. He nipped me in the hand, but he was scared and I could tell that he was glad to see me."

Rhew said that Fonzie was returned to his owner and is doing fine.