Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-08-06
ANOTHER SNAKE STORY.
yeAn Celeb Gives his Experience Of Hsss-
ing In the Fall.

Port Jeryis On. " special says:
snake stories are now In order. aud one
need not 20 outside OF the plain truth to
find enough TO furnish material for lively
talts.v remarked an old nouutainccr a day
or two ago. on reading In one OF the local
pspers that Willie Hundertsfrend, aged
Twelve. had killed large rattiesnake at
Glen Spey, In sullivan county, after 3 Sc
we're battle with The serpent. "Thats
itct.v remarked John Gotleio, OF German
town. q suburb OF Port Jervis. 81 could
tell some stories myself that you folks
wouldn't believe, suppose. but they're
true, all the same"
Gotleib is young man, but he " known
az an expert rattlesnake-hunttr. having
been schooled in the business by his father
and uncle. Jerry Greening. lie was urged
10 relate bis ex perisncc with the " rattlers."
eve always goes for 'em in September
and push thingsfor all they's worth till the
last Il October" said he. /" After the FIRST
frost comes then IT'S lively times for us.
When the ash-leaves begin 70 fall and the
frost comes the snakes seek their deDs.
The, soon become stiff, and there Is no
danger in handling them Then. although we
always kill 'em just ss soon as we find
'em. I have Killed "a high as 800 In one
season. Rattlers and blacks 30 together
and coil up. There Is hardly ever lees
than 200 Of these in one den, aud once L
remember dad and | found 300 snakes IN
one den. That were at Standing Rock, in
Shohoia township. We catch some big ones
sometimes, tell you. Three year ago
caught one near Lordyille that was FIVE feet
nine inches long. DO they ever jump at
usy Yes. bus not when they's cold. Why.
about four year ago one Jumped full SIX
teen feet a, me, and ist missed hittin' me,
too. 'Twere only four foot long, too.
Mercy, what Jump for such ereesuf
40, there's no snake dens near this plsee
the nearest Is about eighteen mile OH over
in Pike. Still, they'll huddls together In
small coils In any shelving ROCKS, ana
when goes ont after 'em always looks
for 'em under shelving rocks-not The
rocks that runs down aud leaves hole Tor
the water to get in; oh, mol The snakes
knows better'n that. They get in dry
place where the rocks shelve upward.
"Whst do do with 'em when git'em
why. l kills ZEN and skins 'em aud Tries
out The grease and sells IL. Oh, its won
Gerful good, tbs grease is, for sickness and
rheumatic and esraehe and sieh iike-least
wisc so the doctors and most folks think,
and so | encourages 'om 10 think so, cause
II make. demand for snake oil. | gets vi
en- ounce for the oil. The hides sells, too,
and they brings from g to IS einerally,
although last September / sold forly.iwo
hides TO q New York man, and, would you
believe IL, sir, he only paid me - for the
whole eaboodlei He'll never git any moro
from ne. that's certain. They uses the
skin. for stuilin' 'eni, and then for sickness.
too. Beats all. The MASTER 4 thing is the
better some people like it for sickness,
don't theyi But don't care, 50 longs IL
pays me.
"Pleniy Of 'emy YETI Well, yes; I'spose
so. But they're none TOO plenty Tor NY
business. They're gettin' scaeer all tue
time: and seein that it's nasty pizen var
mint, it's right 1t should be sca'ce. Still.
I like to hunt 'en, and ilst as soon as the
ash-leaves begin to fall you'll see me ousen
the mountains after 'em.'