Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-09-18

The Altoona Tribune of the 18th inst
published the following shocking occur
renee:
The correspondent of the TRIBUNE
at Williamsburg, .'Gaiis," writes the
following account of shocking occur
renee In that village under date of
Wednesday:
a terrible calamity befel our esteem
ed fellow citizen, DR.. Paulhamus, and
his lovely and accomplished daughter
Eleanor, last evening. 1t seems that
a couple of weeks ago two tramps cap
tured a pair of enormous reptiles which
the doctor pronounced to be of that
deadly species known as "blowing vi
per- Tie doctor, having desire to
contribute something that would COM
mend itself from this district, purchas-
ed the reptiles. intending to forward
them to the geological gardens in Phil
sdelphia. Biding their transportation
the snakes were placed in large glass
jar, the top being carefully secured BY
a wire gauze. The jlr was tnen placed
On an elevated bracket in a remote
corner Of the Doctors office. Last
evening the doctor and his daughter
were returning from a visit to the coun-
try, and, the doctor having an occasion
TO make up prescription they both
entered bis Office, the doctor lighting
lamp. And now comes the terrible de-
nouement. a large owl swept in
through the trapsom above the door,
and few with the speed of an arrow
against the lamp, knocking it over and
scattering the oil and broken glass In
every direction The bird seemed
frantic, flying and dashing in every
direction, while a general crash Of bot
ties and glasses was heard on every
side. Meantime the doctor had lit an
other match, but just in time to receive
bis daughter, who spraDg with a wild
cry to his arms, and in a moment real
lied the situation. The owl had dis
logged the jar from the bracket, and the
eipers we're at large. Speedily he
groped his way. calling loudly for
help, which, the hour being late, was
slow to put IN an appearance. They
seemed slow, but scarcely five minutes
elapsed until full dozen ladies and
brave men were on the spot. No liv-
ing hand can indite the horrors of the
mex. few minntes. Miss Eleanor, who
had been insensible since she sprang
to her fathers arms, was low being
cared for by the ladies', when one sim-
ultaneous shrek froze the blood and
paralyzed each rerve-yet not all, 1t
was Thomas Lutz's hand that seized
the glittering reptile b. the neck and
choked its fearful fangs apart. 1t had
bitten the lady midway between the
ankle ant the knee. She was now car
ried Immediately to her home, where
every known antidote for poison was
administered by her now frantic father,
but all to no avail. She died at $50
o'clock this morning. After taking the
poor unfortunate young lazy home some
of the men, knowing there had been
two snakes, returned to the Office and
soon dispatched the other. An exami-
nation showed its two large fangs miss
ing. This led to the conjecture that
possibly the doctor had been bitten. A
hasty return and close examination re-
suited in finding the fangs in the thick
feathers of the doctors boots, who, be-
ing SO alarmed for his daughter, had
not the slightest knowledge of being
struck.
The corpse of the young lady has
swollen to enormous dimensions, while
her general complexion is In harmony
with the spots and general colorIng OF
the snake The largest of the snakes
measured four and half feet, the
smallest four feet. They are pro-
nounced by our old people the largest
of the species. 1t was the shortest one
of the two tha, bit the young lady.
Our community is wild with excite
ment, and great sympathy is manifested
for the doctor and his family, who have
been here but short time.
S
Speer makes a speech that is not hard to
listen to, but such contradictions as he gets
of is quite enough TO start a smile on the
face of a sick man. For example, he has
been denouncing the members Of tic Leg
islature Tor extravaganza, and among other
things that he has been severe with them, is
on their receiving SO large a quantity of
writing paper, &c, but Speer entirely for
got that his candidate for Governor received
his share of the stationery as well as the
others, so that he is indirectly pounding Mr.. !
Dill. If it was wrong in other members to
receive certain proportion of paper, how
will Mr.. Din escape the wrong'