Connecticut western news., 1876-08-18
A Foolish NIan's Doom.

lFrom the Kansas City (Mo.) Times, July M.l
 Yesterday afternoon a queer, repulsve looking mortal came bowling down Main street. Reaching the corner opposite the courthouse he staggered moment, and then rolled himself bowling upon the door of Ebersolds restaurant. Here be exhibited a bleeding hand aud announced that be had been bitten by rattlesnake. This fellow, who gives his name as George Noble, is a native of Jamaica, and spent large DOT ton of hls life in the West India Islands, where he became Voudoo doctor. When he arrived here two or three days ago, he brought with him valise, which on being opened, presented the inviting prospect of a mass of twining, writhing snakes, all lit tie yellow and spotted fellows. such as may be seen at almost any time in and about farm houses, barns and garden patches, all comparatively harmless. It is the habit of this repulsive looking wretch, when enter ing the cabin of a patient, to turn loose his swarm of reptiles over the bed, and while they were wriggling and writhing over the floor to repeat his incantations and apply his nostrums and medicines, most of which are composed of snakes, lizards and other reptiles He is held in perfect awe and respect by certain class of people who fear his.power and respect his skill. Yes terday about l o'clock he went to the of- flee of Professor Jefferson, the colored doctor on Fifth street, near the Lindell House, and inquired whether he had 8 snake Jefferson said he had one or two live specimens of the rattlesnake family, and at once showed the foreign looking visitor glass case containing rattlesnake three or four feet in length, with one or two young rattlers. The Voudoo doctor admired the horrible looking reptile, and announced his intention and desire to pur- chase it. He said he was snake-charmer, and that he wanted just such snake as that with which to inspire respect among bis patients. Professor Jefferson informed his visitor that his snakes were not for sale. But the more the Voudoo doctor looked at the huge, wrlthing reptile in his glass box, the more importunate he became for it's purchase. Finally he asked permission to handle and play with the snake. This was reluctantly granted by Prof. Jefferson, who repeatedly told the foolhardy fellow that the snake would bite. The doctor opened the trap-door and inserted his hand, and seized the reptile by the neck and drew the startled snake forth. Nearly every one fled in horror and dismay. But the snake charmer seized the now angry snake by the head and proceeded to repeat his strange incantation. Suddenly the rerulsiye look ing reptile gave an angry rattle, and in a minute had twisted itself from the grasp of the West Indian doctor and turned and planted its fangs in his right thumb, hear the end. Then again it seized him in the deshy portion of the thumb, near the hand, planting load of deadly venom in the flesh. Tue doctor, startled by this attack, attempted to tear the now enraged reptile from his hand, but it writhed itself around his arm and neck, and for a moment it batfled all attempts of the doctor to return | u lO llS CdScs AC presence of mind during the contest, and succeeded in placing his deadly antagonist Tn tue box and closing it. He then called for a string, tied it tightly around the bitten thumb, and started out for relief. He per. sistently refused all medical attendance, saying that it would destroy the charm and he would die: that Voudoo would save him. When told by the doctors, Day and Harris, that he would die if he did not a! low himself to be treated, he said, ''Well let me die. can only die once." He al lowed himself to be filled with whisky, ant at last reports had been taken to a cellar or Third street, whlre he was slowly dying IT the most horrible agonies. The hand ane arm were terribly swollen, and as blue al indigo. The colored people on Thlrd stree
 were much excited over the event. There were those Tn attendance on the crippled Voudoo doctor who believed and assured our reporter last night that he could 'chaV up de paper and spit out de greenbacks, an chaw de nickles and spit out the gole pieces" Of course, such man as this
 who could sleep with snakes all the tune
 would not die from the bite of twelve year-old rattlcsnake.