Ottumwa weekly courier., 1878-10-02
KILLED BY A SERPENT.
Terrible Encounter With a Dead.
" Blowing Viper in a
Dark Room.

A terrible calamity befel DIR. Paul
hamus and his lovely and accomplish
ed daughter Eleanor, Tuesday even
ing, at Williamsport, Pa. Ii seems
that . couple Of weeks ago two
tramps captured pair of enormous
reptiles, which the Doctor pronounc-
ed to be of that deadly species known
as "blowing viper" The Doctor,
having desire to contribute some
thing that would commend itself
from this district, purchased the rep
tiles, intending to forward them to
the Geological Gardens in Philadel-
phia. Biding their transportation,
tho snakes were placed in large
glass jar, the top being carefully Sc
cured by covering of wire gauze.
The jar was then placed on an eleva-
ted bracket in remote corner of the
Doctors Office. Last evening the
Doctor and his daughter were return
ing from visit to the country, and
the Doctor having occasion to make
up prescription they both entered
his office, the Doctor lighting q lamp.
And now comes the terrible denou-
ment. A large owl swept in through
the transOm above the door, and few
with the speed of an arrow against
tho lamp, knocking it over, and scat
tering the oil and broken glass in ev-
cry direction. The bird seemed fran
tic, flying and dashing in every direc-
tion, while general crash of bottles |
and glasses was heard on every side. |
Meantime the Doctor had lit another |
match, but just in time to receive his
daughter. who sprang with . wild
cry to his arms; in the darkness he |
gathered his darling in his arms, and |
in moment realized the situation.
The owl had dislodged the jar from
the bracket, and the vipers were at
large. Speedily he groped his way,
calling aloud for help, which, the
hour being late, was slow to put in
an appearance. They seemed slow,
but scarcely five minutes elapsed un-
til full dozen ladies and brave men
were on the spot. No living hand
can indite the horrors of the next few
minutes. Miss Eleanor, who had
been insensible since she sprang to
her fathers arms, was now being
cared for by the ladies, when one sim
ultaneous shrek almost froze the
blood and paralyzed each nerve-yet
not all I! 1t was Thomas Lutz's hand
that seized the glittering reptile by
the neck and choked its fearful fangs
apart. 1t had bitten the lady mid
way between the ankle and the knee
She was now carried Immediately to
her home, where every known anti
dote for poison was administered by
her frantic father, but ell to no avail.
She died at 6 80 o'clock this morn
ing. After taking the poor unfortun-
ate lady home one of the men know
ing there had been two snakes, re-
turned to the office and dispatched
the other An examination showed
its two large faDgs missing. This led
TO the conjecture that possibly the
Doctor had been bitten. A hasty re-
turn and close examination resulted
in finding the fangs in the thick leath-
or of the Doctors boots, who being
so alarmed for his daughte had not
the slightest knowledge of being
struck. Tho corpse ofthe young lady
has swollen to enormous dimension,
while her complexion is in harmony
with the spots and general coloring
Of the snake. The larger of the
snakes measured four and a half feet,
the smaller four feet. They are pro-
nounced by our old people the lar
gest Of the species. II was the short
er one of the two that bit the Young
lady.