The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-10-02
KILLED By A SERPENT.
Terrible Encounter WiM a Deadly Blo,s-
! s'.g Viper in a DARK Room.


sng Piper in q Dark Room.
Altoona (Pa.) Tribune.
A terrible calamity befel Doctor Paul
hamus and his lovely and accomplished
daughter Eleanor, Tuesday evening, in VII
iamsburg, Pa. It seems that couple of
weeks ago two tramps captured pair of
enormous reptiles. which the Doctor pro-
nounced to be of that deadly species known
as 'blowing viper The doctor, having a
desire to contribute something that would
commend itself from this district. purchased
the reptiles, intending to forward them to
the Geological Gardens in Philadelphia.
Biding their transportation the snakes were
placed IN large glass jar, the top being
| carefully secured by covering of wire
gauze. The jar was then placed on an
elevated bracket in a remote corner of the
doctors Office. Last evening the doctor and
his daughter were returning from visit to
the country, and the doctor having occasion
to make up prescription they both entered
his office, the doctor lighting a lamp. And
now comes the terrible denonement A large
owl swept in through the transom above the
door, and few with the speed of an arrow
against the lamp, knocking it over and scat
iering the oil and broken glass in every d.
rection. The bird seemed frantic, flying
and dashing in every direction, while gem
eral crash of bottle 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 a wild CRY to
| his arms; In the darkness he gathered his
darling in his arms, and in a moment
realized the situation. The owl had dis
| lodged the jar from the bracket, and the
vipers were at large. Speedily he CROPPED 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 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
| simultaneous shrek almost froze the blood
and paralyZed e; ch nerve-yet not ALL 1t
was Thomas LUIS hand that seized the
glittering reptile by the neck and choked its
/ fearful fangs apart. It had bitten the lady
midway between the ankle and the knee.
/ She was now carried Immediately to her
/ home, where every known antidote for poison
was administered by her frantic father, but
| all to no avail. She died at half-past six
O'Clock this morning. After taking the poor
/ unfortunate young lady home one of the
men, Knowing there had been two snakes
! returned to the office and soon despatched
! the other. An examination showed its two
| large fangs missing. This led to the con-
i lecture that possibly the doctor had been
bitten. A hasty return and close examine
/ ton resulted in finding the fangs in the thick
/ feathers of the doctors boots, who, being so
alarmed for for his daughter, had not the
slightest knowledge of being struck. The
corpse of the young lady has swollen TO
enormous dimensions, while her complexion
is in harmony with the spots and general
coloring of the snake. The larger of the
snakes measured four and half feet, the
smaller four feet. They are pronounced by
our old people the largest of the species. Il
was the shorter one of the two that bit the
/ young lady.