The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-08-20
Tree-ciimbing snakes.
raE PATHOLOGICAL SENSATION OF LAWRENCE
COUNTY.
From the pittsburgh Leader

COUNTY.
From the Pittsburgh Leader.J
"I nefer saw nottings like dem pefore,"
remarked Mr.. George Souer, with very du-
bious shake OF his head, as he, on Wednes-
dsy, with a comprehensive sweep OF bis
arm, directed The attention OF O number OF
North Beaver township farmers to the sur
roundings In q section Of woods near his
residence.
Mr.. Souer was certainly justified in 50
enchanting, for more singular sight was
never witnessed in Lawrence county. All
the underbrush in the vicinity OF his ges-
ture had been trampled down, and lying
on nearly every foot OF ground for thirty
wards around were cut, hacked, bruised,
and dsmehbered snakes, making specta.
Gle that could not but inspire mingled hor-
ror and disgust.
Mir. Souer resides in North Beaver town
ship, this tLawrence) county, about one
mile from The small village OF Petersburg,
Ohio, In section OF country tbickly inter-
spersed with dense woods. He is German
farmer. On Monday, July 10Th, he was en-
gagged with his son, a lad aged about four
teen years, in cutting down and stripping
some timber in thick forest near his dwell
ing. The boy, like most youths Of his age,
than on bis occupation, and his rowing eyes
took in everything in the vicinity as he
worked at the task ia hand. CHANGING into
the lofty top OF large tree near by, his
keen eyes detected strengthening coil
of something on branch about twenty-five
feet from the ground. Pointing In the di-
reciion OF the limb, he cried out excitedly !:
"Fa,ber, look at that snake!"
nj, in, Inn ind
Gated, hut saw nothing, bis snakeship hsy-
ing withdrawn from view. The old Dutch
man chided the impetuous lad for raising q
false alarm, and stated that snakes in that
part of The country did not climb trees.
The matter was dropped at the time, but
on the afternoon OF the next day the incl
dent was recalled very forciby to their
minds. While engaged at work at the same
place borri6ed exclamation from the boy
caused oouer pere to raise bis bead, aud he
was nearly paralyzed with fright to see
gliding spirally down the tree the long,
whip.like body OF huge snake. 1t needed
but a glance 10 see that it was a serpent
whose species he had never seen before. lis
body was OF bluesh mouse-cOlor, inter
spersed with green spots mixed with white.
AS il writhed around the tree in It's descent
its short, fattcned head would occasionally
come to view, from which protruded long
bloodred fangs.
The frightened spectators OF the advent
of this unweIcome visitor recovered from
their scare somewhat when the reptile
reached the ground, and selling clubs, after
desperate tight, in which the snake repeat
edly tried to coil itself around their bodies,
managed to dispatch 1t. 1t was found to
measure six feet four inches in length, and
was some three inches in thickness near the
centre of the body. AS above said, i. bore
no resemblance TO any snake ever seen in
this vicinity. After dealing with 1t in such
summary way Souer and his son directed
their vision to the top OF the tree, ana were
greeted with the sight OF two more snakes
OF the same species lying on limb about
TWENTY-FIVE feet above their heads.
These showed no inclination 10 come
down at the time, but later in the
afternoon, while near The tree, the
farmer and bis son discovered at It's foot one
OF the bue.coated, green-spotted "sar-
piuis" lying torpid IN the sun. Once more
battle took place, and, after vigorous
dose of hickory-iimb applied externally. the
snake was reduced horS de combat. This
one measured five feet four inches in length.
lar snakes in the tree, Souer organized a
party consisting OF himself, his son, Calvin
Swsber, Albert Seidner, and Jake Weld
meyer. aud started Wednesday morning
to investigate. An axe in the hand
OF one of the athletic farmers was
applied to the tree, which was several
feet in circumference at the butt, and
soon brought 1t TO the ground. The tree
was found to be hollow, but no snakes were
discovered at first. They then cut into the
limb where the reptiles had been seen the
day before, when three large snakes darted
forth. Two were killed and the third was
reduced to q ccmatose state. Each Of the
ones which were slain was over five feet
ADD one-half in length. The one which
was rendered insensible proved by an after
measurement to be the "great mogul" of
the lot. His snaky length covered eight
feet four inches. A loop Of grapevine was
placed over bis head and he was thus cap
tured. and afterward was taken to the home
OF one OF bis captors, where he was placed
In cage.
The men being still sure that there were
more OF the snakes Ia the vicinity made an
examination OF the stump OF a tree, and
were rewarded by the discovery that II was
the opening Of subterranean cave be-
meath A vigorous Flooding with a long
pole in the aperture elected loud Kissing,
which betokened that the den was fairly
swarming with the loathsome reptiles. A
fire was built over the stump, huge quanti-
ties OF dry underbrush were placed there
on, and the men made ready for vigorous
battle. They did not have to wait long, for
soon The opening was alive With the snakes,
which pushed their way through the burn
inc orices of the tree.but. AS they glided
oul In what seemed to be an endless stream
they were attacked by the men In waiting
for them.
When they were headed off they threw
themselves into posture OF defence by
coiling up, and then, with convuIsiye
movement OF their tall, sprang into the air
aud tried to coll around the necks OF their
assailants. They succeeded several times,
bot their victims always shouted vigorously
for help, and assistance coming directly,
| they were torn from their position before
they could get their constructive powers Ia
| full operation, and dispatched. They did not
appear TO be Of veDomous species, rs no
attempts were made by them TO use
| their fangs. The slaughter lasted nearly
an hour and half, and when the last snake
had expired the men were nearly exhausted.
Their slain were lying on all sides. The
bushes and grass were covered with the
hacked and mangled bodies. A count de.
vcloped that the dead numbered seventy.
1.-Two. Their aggregate length was some four
HUNDRED and seventy feet. The smallest
snake was four feet SIX inches In length,
aud tho largest ltbe one above spoken Of as
being captured) eight feet four inches.
The cage c0utainlng thls snake was taken