The Union flag. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1865-187?, 1868-07-31

TRIUNE, July IA, 1868
My letters to you on the subject Uf the
big suske,n seem to have excited more at
tention than dreamed Of, and am sorry |
wrote at all, especially as so many express
doubts as to the correctness ofmy statement.
Even you, yourself seem to think am only
trying tie gullibility of the public. Iwopld
not now come to you again, even with a
sworn statement, did not have proof that
will convince the most skeptical, all bur
lesques and sensation kilograms to the con
trary notwithstanding. Trush is stranger
than fiction, and if man only believes what
he sees, how little Of history would be re-
corded. a
But am even able to offer, to a doubling
| public, that proof, namely; THE MONSTER
HIMSELF IN propria persoaae for we have him,
the very snake that has created such an up
roar However, will proceed with my mar
rative, and give you a PLAIN, unyarnished
statement offacts
wrote YOU on the 9Th instant, that the
serpent had broken the box and cleared for
| the woods This created great deal Of ex-
citementi in the community, and all Gay, low
NATL toward evening, when the neighbors got
| together and devised some means oput an
end TO him On close examination of the
box it was discovered they had put defec-
| tive plank in it, 1t being windshaken from
Que endltO the other and thus when the cap
tive began to surge, be soon started this
plank, andwas then able to break out The
! hole in the ground was now securely
stopped and every one present determined to
/ make /. their business'to hunt him up and de-
stroy him. They felt IL necessary for their
safety. Strong bands well armed went to.
gether and secured the woods, beat the thick
cts and searched closely everywhere until
they began to despair of success. But when
they least looked for ii fortune smiled upon
their efforts Some mile and a half or two
miles from the den lives MI, Isaac Nelly and
Mr.. Irvine, close neighbors, Yesterday
morning Mr., Nelly walked over TO Mr. r.
vines, carrying with him his gun, an Enfield
ride. Finding Mr.. Irvine in his field, nearly
at the top of the bill, at work, be called to
him, and Mr.. Irvine and he seated themselves
on the fence, with their guns for no man
now went without one near them. Mr., Irvine's
was a common squirrel rife. They had talk
ed some time here when they became aware
Of peculiarly musky Pdor pervading
the AIR. They bad felt it at FIRST, but it did
not excite their attention until it became
sickening 10 its power Mr.. Nelly looked
unconsciously to seewhat cOpld produce it,
and there within sixty yards Of them, and
lust above, lay the serpent, the object of their
dread. Their first impulse was to run, but
after they had inyoldntarily jumped from the
fence they thought better of il, and, like true
meb, as they are, they determined TO FIRE on
liz They laid their guns carefully on the
frnce, the snake never moving, and taking de-
liberate aim, fred at his head At the crack
of the guns AN awful crashing and slashiug
was heard, aud believing the awfal creature
was upon them, they threw away their guns
and 6ed for dear life, nor did they stop until
they reached the house. .g.r
The country was quickly alarmed, and af-
ter good deal of careful accommodating, the
spot was approached, TO find the serpent
oape, but Leaving behind him such a great
trail of blood they knew he was badly
wounded. Without difficulty, they followed
; this trail, aud die not proceed more than two
bundled yards down beside the fence before
they esped him, perfectly limp aud dead.
Rut IL took ,seveih shots from distance to
eonvince them Of this before they dared to
= The struggle where the monster was shot
must have been terrific, for large bushes
were beaten to the earth, and the ground was
torb IN. where he had lashed with his tail
Great credit Is due 70 the intrepidity Of the
: gentlemen who shot him, for few would have
dared Il. I
Mr.. Irvine quickly brought pair Of mules
. 10 drag him Oh, but when the mules caught
|. sigbt N the huge animal they became 80
: highteued nothing could hold them, aud they
broke and tore away like mad. By this time
: a great many people had collected, and they
Z tied a chain around bis neck witha running
Q moose. and dragged him through the feld to
b .hebie road They now found a couple Of
4 strong horses gentle enough, and they With
:. these de,ermined 70 carry him TO NolenaTille,
5 jtlbeing the nearest point on the pike. Hear
( inc OF these circumstances, /, in company
at with Mr.. Ben. johnson, OF this place, started
I, for thescene Of action When near Nj. Bit
Z torks We met with Esquire Greene, going 70
oil ,he same point. We bad not gone far before
!, we were In sight, and here We met with q
' very serious accident for no sooner had our
d horses caught sight Of the hnge body Of the
! sernent, than they began 20 plunge q such 4
y faarfdl rate ~ 10 throw all three Of Us, Nc.
. tobnson and mysslfsustaining no injury ESQ.
t,reeoe received a severe disocatlon Of The
: ankls, that win probably lame him ior life,
, However, we soon reached NolensSille, and
J. ihs onestion afose, Whst viii We do With it :
! We wero anxious 10 take Tito Nashville Just
D 4. "A Iav. but The cRrcas8 would, We knew,
, heroine very offensive from the great heat Of
; fhe wsathen SO at last We agreed 70 skiu
1 hiu,. Ard amer sf6link and drying take him
down 10 the city iof Inspection. took 4
, vood survey Of him and found bis length not
{ al srsat As 10 had Imagined for be vaaiua,
4 ivsnlt.nlus feet eight Inches from UP 70 Up.
!, liis rfsslest oircuuiisfence was thirty and 4
} h.if inches, and be wasiu1t seventeen inches
I srourd tbs neck, Or father Just behind ths
/, head About tea feet Of bis iail bad spin.