Wilmington journal., 1875-08-13
RALTIMORE's TERROR.
The Monastery Snake. Hts Capture ,
and Escape
Rnltinnra i nnarinaHa 2Rfh.

and Escape
4 Baltimore American, 26th.l
| It will be remembered that a few
| weeks ago the american gave de-
| scription of a monster snake, which,
it was claimed, had been seen in the
| vicinity of Halls Springs, on the Har-
| ford road. Several parties have been
| organized in the city for the purpose
| of hunting his snakeship, but most of
| them, on going out to Halls Springs
and hearing the marvellous stories told
| about the serpent, concluded that
discretion was the better part of vaIor,
and that they would let him sever ely
alone. They were told that the snake
was fully sixteen feet long, that he
| could swallow a ca1f several weeks
old, that four-year old child would
make only half meal for him, that
he could travel faster than the fieetest
horse in the county, and that when in
pursuit of an object he could shoot
over an ordinary country fence or
stone wall with as much ease as he
could make his way through the grass.
In fact, the most wonderful stories
are told about this snake, and it is
safe to say that in months time his
size will have increased in the minds
of many OF
THE EXCITED DENIZENS
of Hartford road to at least thirty
feet in length, and that he will be fully
able by that time to swallow whole
COW, horns and all, without any chok-
ing. On Saturday there were rumors
in Baltimore that the snake had been
caught and had afterwards made bis
esca pc. The rumors we're tracked to
the Baltimore Corn and Flour Ex-
change, of which Mr.. Lee, of Messrs.
Lee & Shaw, is a member. Mr.. Lee
IS the owner of the OliveHill, situated
short distance beyond lIil's Springs.
This gentleman resides near the mill,
and reporter of the 1n3t3ic0,a Wis
tied him yesterday for the purpose Of
'ascertaining the very latest concern
ing the snake. Mr.. Lee stated that
THE SNAKE HAD BEEN CApTUFED
in trap on Friday night or early Sat
urday morning, and had freed himself
from the trap on account OF his great
size and strength by breaking a por-
ton of the top off. He the
reporter to where the trap was set.
On Saturday morning after the escape
of the snake the trap was reconstruc-
ted. It is now about eighteen feet In
length The sides are made of boards
one inch and quarter in thickness.
while the top and bottom are made of
strips of the same material and thick
ness. These strips, which are about
six inches in width, are nailed firmly
on, and around the whole have been
placed PIECES of thick hoop iron. The
opening is fourteen inches square, be-
ing sufficiently large to admit the
snake, which is supposed to be about
eight inches IN diameter and two feet
in circumference. In one end of the
trap there is a box twelve inches
square containing a live chicken. In
the other end of the trap there is
door sliding up and down in grooves.
The door is kept open by means of
lever which works on q pivot, and is
attached to u trigger. In passing
down the trap to secure the chicken
| the snake will touch the trigger, when
down comes the door, and he is a pris-
| oner. It was in this manner that he
| was caught on Saturday morning, but
| finding himself imprisoned, he got his
back up, SO to speak, and three or
four of the Stats composing the top
| flew off and the snake was once more
] free Mr.. Lee says he visited the
| trap about $50 Saturday morning,
| when he was at once convinced that
| the snake had been in it during the
| night or morning. Besides the fact of
the top of the trap being brokens
| there were two distinct tracks along
| the ground, marking the lngress and
| egress of the snake. At ABOUT o'clock
| the same morning colored man walk
ing down path on Mr.. Lees place,
encountered the snake, which was
| lying costly on the race bank. The
| colored man did not stay lopg enough to
get an accurate idea of the size Of the
| snake, which will account for his
statement that the body of the snake
was as thick as flour barrel and
twenty feet in length. The snake had
| not been seen before that morning for
| two weeks. He is supposed to reside
| on small island, which is covered
| with a dense underground, and is
| Olive Mill, on the east bank of Her
THAT direction. Mr.. Lindhart, Mr.
Lees miller, it is alleged. has seen the
snake several times. A laborer named
Thomas Rickert, who was fishing on
the dam several days ago, also en-
countered his snakeship, who raised
his head and stuck out his forked
tongue, Rickert flew from that spot
and was unable to work for two weeks
| afterwards,
FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS REWARD
/ Mr.. Lee considers the snake harm less
unless attacked, He is very desirous OF
capturing him alive, and would give
| $500, or even more, to any one who
would bring about THIS result The
, new trap is like the old one, with the
| exception that it is bound with hoop
iron. The talk occasioned by the
, reports about the wonderful snake has
, deferred many persons, it Is under
, stood, from visiting Halls Springs
woods. O. well-known place for holding
picnics. There is no danger whateve,
, | of a visit of the snake to any pert ol
I these woods, as he does not go but I
! short distance from the island home
: Passengers on the cars yesterday t.
l Hills Springs talked of Little else save
! the snake, and some Of the stories tole
= about him threw the tales OF Barol
! Munchausen completely IN the shade