Omaha daily bee., 1885-08-11
H DIT DRAGON,
He Banquets or Young Sheep at
Fletcher, ILL.,, and Flies About the
Country to the Great Alarm
of the Rustics.

A correspondent writing from Blue
Mound, Ill.,, to Bloomington paper tells
this remarkable story: James Vincent,
ST., a farmer of Fletcher. was startled
the other day by the unusual bleetings of
his lambs, and on going to the spot he
saw q huge reptile raise hiS head many
feet above the ground. He at once hur.
rled to Fletcher and got the assistance of
friends, among whom were john N.
Cingap, w. Ii. Lier, A, II, Conger and
j. S. Scott, all welL-known citiz ans of the
place. They accompanied Mr.. Vincent
to his farm, and mounting d fence, saw
the sheep on the opposite side of the
fence running In a circuit. They re-
mained until the sheep c8ms around to
their side, when they found that they
were no. In the presence of the ons mon
s'rosity only, but three smaller oner,
each of which, the men claim, measured
from eighteen to twenty feet. The three
little snakes then got hold of one of the
lambs and started for the monster snake.
While they were struggling with the lit
tie fellow John G. Clingan threw a fence
rail at them. They theI reliuqulGhed
their hold and made an attack on the
men, but were beaten back and again
started for the lambs. Selling one. the
httta blester was hurried through the air
to the big snake, and no mora was seen
of it after 1t reached the jaws of the de-
vCu.er. AT this point the men fred sew
eral shots at the old fellow. 1t acted
strangely and advanced no further, be-.
Ing struck, no doubt by some Of the bull
let's. 1t lay still for several minutes aud
the small snakes ran into It's mouth. 1t
uufolded its wings and started, but ii was
some time before 1t could get out of the
field for it was surrounded by a big
hedge fence. 1t finally rose high enough
and started away eastward, passing over
| William Laneter's house. His sister
Lsty, who was In the yard, was 30 terri.
bly, frightened that it 10 feared che will
never recover. 1t then passed MIR. rs
bie's horse; bis daughter Mionie saw it,
and abe has since been varied by an
overtuling power to stay In. Thence it
passed over Cooksville. Ii was high when
it reached that place. DR.. Shattler and
Col. John Wells ga " 1t, but they thought
1t was fowls flying In q row. Benign
Brigham says his attention was
uEbNu ny q btfhpSo HoiSo LIZ tho siEs anu
on looking up 1t was too high to tell what
1t was. He gave it very little attention,
thinking that 1t was something blown up
by a storm and that the noiEe was made
by something on the ground. When he
saw 1t 1t was three miles northeast of the
farm where it was frat reen. AT least
twenty persons saw it and 1t cannot be
doubted. Great excitement prevails over
IFS strange visit. William Smith and the
Rev. @. d. Belleville we're ON the ground
a few minutes afterwsrd and cav several
of the lamb, still bleeding, The Rev.
Mr.. Belleville is one Of the most reliable
men In this county. He Is a minister of
the Methodist Episcopal church at
Fletcher, and he says there is nc doubt
that the men are telling the truth. He
can't help bat believe them az the men
were almost frightened to death. John
N. Clingan fell PROSTATE and was carried
to Mr.. Vincent's house, where medical
aid Was summoned, and 1t WAS some time
before ne cam to. The snake came here
about 3 p. IN. and stald fully an hour and
a half.