New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-09-03
Death of the Little Girl Said TO be Fasci-
mated by snake.

At half past ii O'Clock yesterday forenoon, the
little daughter of B. D. Davis of this city, whose
familiarity with snake has been frequently
noticed died at the residence of her parents on
Centre street. The facts connected with her case
we shall state and leave the public to draw their
own inference. All that we have heretofore pub
lished has been strictly correct far we could
obtain information.
few weeks since, when Mr.. Davis resided on
Monroe street, in the outskirts of the city, near
nursery where he was employed, this little daugh-
ter-less than two years old-was accustomed to
go into the yard or field and play with snake.
How long these meetings had been held before the
discovery by the mother is not known. At all
events the mother one day found the child with
the snake in its arms, and the little girl was fond
ling it and calling it her baby Subsequently the
snake was seen in the yard and would run to the
child whenever she was permitted to go out. The
child lost its appetite and pinned away, and con.
stantly thought and talked of this reptile. He1
mother took her darling to the city to divert her
mind from the hideous object, but in vain. Under
the advice OF a physician who was called, the
snake was not destroyed, and continued its visits
to the premises at will retreatilg to the field wheI
any one but the child appeared.
At length Mr., Davis moved into the city and tool
a house on Centre street, hoping that the change
would be advantageous to his child, and for a TIM
she improved in health and took her food. Twi
weeks ago last Friday the child was taken ill AMI
continued to sink until yesterday, when she died
She was subject to commissions or spasms, whicl
were very VIOLENT and at no time could she taks
food and retain it on her stomach. Her mothel
informs our reporter that she was attended by DR.
Fleming, who treated the child on the electrical
principle, and she says that he found it difficult
case to treat, and expressed the belief that the
snake had taken the electricity from the system OF
the child
On the day following the Friday on which the
child was taken seriously i'll, a Mrs DeFns, who
occupies the house on Monroe street vacated by
Mr.. Davis called at the house he now occupies anu
stated that a German named Conrad kenehenbaeh
had killed the SNAKE which had troubled the Child,
on the day preYous-the Friday on which she was
taken ill. The mother says that when the little
girl heard the statement she said, " Mamma, Is
baby dead ~ and soon became worse.
There is not much doubt about the statement
made, so far as the facts are concerned. The con.
cIusions and differences are quite another thing.
The snake killed by keuchenbach was about three
feet long, and was doubtless the same seen by Mrs.
Davis aud her family repeatedly with her daughter.
It's being killed at the time the child became i'll
may have been eoincdenee-probably was.
The child was two years and one month old when
it died, aud was very bright and interesting little
girl. To what extent it was under the fascinating
influence of the reptile, we cannot say. We only
give such facts as we have been able to gather
andleaye every reader to make his own conclusions