Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1870-08-18
DEATH STRUGGLE WITH A SNAKE.
A Young Man Attacks q Rattlesnake
Both are Killed In . Fight.

Young Man Attacks q RattIesnake
-both are Killed In . Fight.
A correspondent of Southern newspa-
per writes: r-.-s.- 3, ..ft. ,s- -.-sas
LAST Saturday morning was the wit.
ness OF such scene az pray God may
never see again. l baheld a combat be-
tween young ran and rattlesnake, in
which the former was bitten, and died in
ten minutes thereafter. The particulars OF
the terrible affair are as follows:
"On Friday last a young man named
Graynor asked me to spend the night with
him and go coon hunting with him the
next morning, to which request 1 readily
assented. We started out about three
O'Clock a. M, and near Gay the dogs open
ed on trail in the swamp of Bear Creek.
just after sunrise the deep baying of the
dogs informed us that the game had taken
q tree. We proceeded to make our way
through the bogs and tangled brush and
vines IN the direction of the dogs, until we
came to small space of firm ground,
which was covered with low growth. of
oak bushes. Here We halted a moment to
listen for the dogs. II f-tg '~..
1--WE had barely paused, when we were
startled by loud, strange, ,rattling sound
issuing from beneath a low, thick bush,
within few .teet of us. Though / had
never heard the peculiar noise before. /
knew instinctively that it was arattlesnake;
and ! sprung back in terror, remarlling,
'Gfaynor, let's leave here.'i = 70 80 T.
r "'What, S. said he, are you
afraid p 'F % % .,.-a.L fi,.'i' -
"'Yes, said l, 4 am afraid
:. well, ST. he coolly remarked, Il
am going to kill the snake; it would be a
pity to leave such a fine fellow here. So,
here goes 5Nt1M
while Graynor was speaking, caught
a glimpse of the snake, which, as nearly as
1 could judge, appeafed to be about eight
feet IN length and three inches in diane ter
in his larger part. ae was lying coiled up
in perfect circle, with his head drawn back
in terribly graceful curve, his small eyes
sparkling, his slender forked tongue
darling swiftly. back and forth, and his
brown neck swollen with fatal wrath.
while ever and anon he twiried the warning
rattles in the air with harsh, blood
curdling sound.
'For Gods sake, let's 60, said l. shud-
dering at the torrible sight.
"sDon't get scared said Graynor; Just
climb tree, and he wont bite you. 1t
amt every day that q fellow meets with
such fine large snake as this, and it
wouldn't do to lose him.
He had picked up small tick about
yard long, and while speaking was draw
ing back the bushes from above the snake
so as to get sight of him. He threw his
foot around over the bushes, and tramped
them down in such q manner that the
monster was fairly exposed to view; but
just as he did SO, and before he had time
to strike, the snake made a sudden spring
at him, and turned away my face in hor-
ror. The next instant Graynor exclaimed,
I've got him. by Georger
81 turned to look, and with his right
hand he was grasping the snake by the
neck In such o manner that he could not
bite, while the monster was gnashing his
teeth most furiously, and twisting and
writhing in huge folds around Graynor's
arms. All of a sudden, in some unac-
countable manner, the snake freed his
head, and quick as lightning plunged his
deadly fangs into Graynor's right cheek !;
when, dropping on the ground, he glided a
few PAGES and again coied himself up,
keeping his head erect md ringing his
fearful ,rattles. Graynor turned deadly
pale, paused moment, and then with a
little stick advanced toward the snake. As
he did SO the snake made spring at him,
but Graynor struck him with the stick and
knocked him back.
"A second time the snake sprang at HIM,
and he again knocked him off with stick
but before he could strike third blow, the
snake had made another wound in Gray
nor's arm. This time Graynor again man
aged to seize the monster by the. neck; and
dropping the stick he drew forth his knife
with one hand, opened it with his teeth,
and then deliberately cut off the snakes
head. Blood spurted from the trunk, and
Graynor, still graspine the snake whose
huge folds tapped and writhed around him
turned towards me, staggered and fell. l
rushed up to him and asked him:
What. in the name of God, can l do
for your
I" Nothing said he calmly. j. am. ,dy-
ing. Tell them, good -' and his features
became frightfully contorted. his eyes roll
ed over as if starting from their sockets.
and his black, swollen tongue protruded
from his mouth. Then he ,fzed his rsd
wild, staring, eyes upon me. and heaved a
deep. piercing groan; shiver passed over
his frame, and then all was Still. was
alone with the dead.
\ Marking the place as'well as l could, /
hastened to house we had passed on the
road, some half q mile distant from the
fatal tragedy Runners were sent through
the neighborhood, andtin the course oftwo
hours, some twenty of the neighbors had
gathered. We proceeded to the place,
where I found no difficulty in pointing out
the body. ss 70 iasr,-i ,.ls an :, : -. I.
'Good heavens what a sight met our
view. The face, and ]bsdy had turned. to
deep purple, iahd veretss~oflen' to three
times the natural size, presenting the most
horrible appearance l bad ever Witnessed.
The snake lay where he had been thrown,
and was still writhing.
"kiitter of boughs was hastily COP struct-
ed and, -Uith heavy. hearts, we.took oukway
to the residence of his parents. I will rot
attempt to describe the heartrending scene
when they saw the tody. Grief like theirs
cannot be portrayed"
Trn Mr~ .ruu ~r, Tn Tr~-rrrr>