The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-10-22
THE BITTER BIT.
A wild Tale In which Revolvers. Rattle.
snakas and Ingratitude Play Parts.

THE BITTER BIT.
A wild Tale In which Revolvers, Rattle
snakes and Ingratituds Play Parts.
About fifteen years ago set up shop
as a lawyer in young town in Nebras-
ka, and the very first case that came to
me was one to delight a lawyers heart.
An aged woman named Mary Sharon
had decided all her property to her son
William, on the understanding that no
was to support her and do-so-and-so
during the rest of her life. After year
or two he became anxious to get rid of
her, being vigorously encouraged by
his wife, and matters were made so hot
for the old lady that she could no longer
stay in the house. Indeed, she was
turned out of it, and but for the charity
of neighbors would have died of hum
ger and exposure. While she had q
copy of tho agreement, drawn in legal
form and good evidence in q suit, none
of the five or six lawyers in town would
take her case for fear of the son. Will
liam had given out that he would kill
any lawyer who meddled with the ease,
and he had the record of being des-
perate, revengeful man. When the
mother came to me she frankly warned
me that must look out for B:ll, bat
when had looked into the case de-
termincd to become her counsel, Bill or
no Bill. My first move was to send for
the son, to see if he desired to carry
ont his agreement, He came into my
office in q staggering. defiant way,
having 3 revolver buckled to him and
three drinks of whisky behind his vest
buttons. He cursed the mother, me,
the law and all else, and wound up with:
snow. then, you 60 ahead. The
minute you make trouble for me III
make a corpse of you"
.And now you look here" / answer
ed, as brought six-shooter to cover
ter end, and whenever you feel like
shooting don't wait for me to begin.
Bill was q bOaster and \ coward. He
turned white as flour and became Is
humble as lamb. He went out of the
office like cur, but knew the feeling
raging in his heart. and realized that
he would bring about my death if he
could do it with safety to himself. l
had the proper papers served and the
suit opened. Bill made his threats and
boasts, but kept clear of me. expected
he would fill up some day and come in
to town for a shooting scrape, but he
had another plan to work on. We had
a sure case, as his friends informed me,
but he was determined to buster it
out.
NV office was over store. and reach
ed by outside stairs. There was front
and back room, and the latter, l beng
q bachelor, was used for my bedroom.
1t was the fashion to leave all doors
open during the day, and when l left
my office on an errand, or to go to
court. it was not locked. When it be-
came known around that had taken
Mrs. Sharon's case and bluffcd her son
Bill l had plenty Of small business to
look after, and was much of the time in
tho justices courts.
One day just before the big suit was
to come to trial went into court on an
ordinary suit and was detained three or
four hours. The Office was left open
as usual. As 1 returned to it three or
four citizens accompanied me, and AS
we reached the foot of the stairs we
heard q terrible yell from the rooms
above. Next moment Bill Sharon came
rushing down the narrow stairs hatless.
eyes staring from their sockets, and
such a look of terror on his facs as l
never saw before or since. He rushed
past us, shrieking and yelling, and it
was only when he was clear Of us that
we made out the horrible truth. Two
great rattlesnakcs were hanging to him
-one by the right wrist and the other
by the right leg. They squirmed and
twisted and aopped rs he ran. and his
screams and EXPLANATIONS brought out
the whole town. He ran about q block
and then lay down in the street and
rolled over and over, and the snakes let
60 of him and were killed as they
crawled away.
Bill had been bitten in three places.
The only antidote suggested was whisky.
and 4 good two quarts were poured
down him without the slightest relief.
1t did not in the least stupefy him nor
quiet his excited condition, and in an
hour he was dcad-his bloated body
and purple face presenting horrible
sight. 1t did not take much headw ork
to discover how it all came about. Bill
wanted revenge on me, and his plan
was to leave the ra,tlesnakes in my bed
room. He had taken them there in q
box after seeing that the coast was
clear, and had dumped them out on tho
floor. The box was there TO prove it.
In his haste to be gone he had been
careless. and as the serpents were loos-
ened they turned on him and fastened
their fangs in his flesh. 1t was rctribu-
ton, but none of US could help but pity
his horrible fate.-Cor. n. Y. Sun.