Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1885-07-16
STORIES ABOUT SNAKES.
Chased by Snakes.

| CnaSeu Dy SnakeS.
The Western Democrat says that one
day lust week, while "Dock" Hopkins
was engaged it cutting briars near
| Waahburn's Run, two or three miles
above town, he discovered three black
snakes living close together, their snake
ships discovering him at the same time.
The Doctor fled the snakes pursuing him
so iapidly that he was forced to turn
and fight. He succeeded in laying them
out with his scvthe, and upon examina-
ton they were found to be of the spec
ics known as the "black racer" 1t is
said they can Overtake the swiftest run
ner. The three were placed at full
length, touching each other, and meas
ured forty-twO feet.
A 5NATI: STORY FROM GEORGIA.
lHawknhville (Ga) Dispatchl
The first snake story of the season
comes 10 us from Henderson, Houston
County. ! was race between fleet
footed dog and u blacksnake. The dog
chased the suake three-quarters of a
mile down a lane. "It is long lane
that never turns" and the snake ap-
pcarcd in good spirits. Just at the end
of the lane the snake made sudden
turn, .ind found ite hole just under the
bottom rail. The snake went down the
hole head first, when the dog seized it
by the tail. The suake was prepared
for The emergency, and gave up its out
side covering or skin, which peeled off
as easily as the skin. of a roasted potato.
1t is supposed that the snake suffered
no Inconvenience from the loss of it's
s',tside covering, as the shedding sea-
son had arrived.
A Cow-"TAKE THIRTEEN FEET LONG.
The Cabin Run correspondent of the
Mountain Echo relates: "From Ash
Cabin Run we see an account of very
large snake killed there recently. The
reporter asked for \ larger one. John
William Taylor gives us an account.of q
cow-snake that he killed in his fathers
barn before he was married that was
much larger. John S, Rodgers will
vouch for Mr.. Taylor to the veracity of
this story. He says he saw snake of
the same description in the brush by
an old fence near the barn that was so
large thai he would not attack it. The
snake was partly under some straw, and
Mr.. Taylor killed it with fork before
he discovered its full size. After he had
killed it he measured it with long
pitchfork, and found the snake to be
about three feet longer. These forks
are usually twelve feet long, which
would make the snake fifteen feet. He
says ii would be safe to do so, and is
willing to make oath it was thirteen
feet, and thick accordingly"
WITH A LAME IN IT'S MOUTH.
A snake such as was never seen before
in the region of Starrucca, Penn, was
killed Il few days ago by Jay Webb and
Constable William VIII marth, of
Thompson, Susquehanna County, near
that place. The snake is nine feet long
and seven inches in diameter, with a
peculiar fiat head. Around the neck is
a circle of short Stiff hair. The color of
the serpent is brown, with red bands
about the body ut intervals of a few
inches. The snake was discovered on
James Fosters farm by Mrs. Webb,
Mrs. Vale and Mrs. Thompson who
were gathering greens. 1t was lying at
the foot of small hedge and had a
mewly-bOrn lamb about half swallowed.
The frightened woman ran to Webb's
house and told him what they had seen.
Webb and Wilmarth went to the spot,
aud finding the snake helpless from
gOrging, killed it with Il fence stake.
They dragged it home and it now hangs
on Webb's barn-doOr, all object of much
wonder and curiosity to the entire
neighborhood.
A sNEKE WITH A BULLDOGS HEAD.
TTuclcr County wv. Va.) Ploneer.l
II. w. Eastman arrived Sunday from
Davis, in the upper part Of this county,
and reported the capture of wonder
full animal near that place few days
ago. We are not giving this to the pub
lie for the sake of a sensation, but be-
cruise we believe it TO be fact. The
animal was caught in steel rap, and
was dead when found. 1t had the head
of q bulldog and the body of q snake,
except that it was very thick for its
length, and its body was covered with
deep-red fur. Its entire length was
about five feet and the circumference OF
its body some twenty inches. Its teeth
were partly like a dogs, partly like a
snakes. Mr.. Eastman had with him
the lower tusk. 1t was about two and
q half inches long, protruding from the
animals mouth, and was curled like q
sleeps horn. The tusks of the upper
Jaw went backward like q snakes teeth
and were about one inch long. The
animal had no legs. Itwas supposed to
be water animal like an otter. There
is nothing to indicate that it ever had
legs. Mr.. Parsons, Chief Civil Engin.
Ger of the West Virginia, Central and
Pittsburg Railroad, has gone to Paris to
examine the dead beast, and no doubt
will do something toward unravelins
the mystery of what it is.
CoPPEE-COLoRED TEhRORs.
lGrafton Staudardl
One night last week William Cooper
who lives on Lost Run, in this county
was aroused from his sleep by the cry
ing of one of his children, and got W
| to strike q LIGHT and see what was thu