Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1889-04-19
KILLED FIFTY. SIX sNAK1s
A Eemarkahls battle With 8attfeI Q
In Rennsykyania,

"A Remarkable Battle With ksattfeI 9
In Penrsylvanis.
This locality is the headquarters OF
more rattiesnakes than can be found in
any other spot in northwestern Penn
sylvanis, says q Corydon dispatch in the
Globe Democrat. The experience of
Henry Martin and his sen caps the eli
max. Martin and his family wiring O
scant subsistence from 8 rocky farm on
the BANKS of the Allegheny river. Last
Friday, while old man Martin and hir
son Charles where removing a huge pile
of stones, the collection of q number o!
years, picking in the field, they np-
earthed what seemed to be q ball oil
black rope, knotted and curiously inter
laced. The macs was as large as q busbel
basket and covered with q light povdtry
substance. more resembling bran than
anything else. The sun was shining
with much wsrmth for en- April
day. aud, as the ball felt
it's genial Influence, ii began to
culver. Old Martin yelled .~'snakesl"
and jumped away. Charley, who was OF
a more inquiripg turn of mind, procured
a long pole and stirred up the rapidly
yielding mass. The touch and warmth
revived the dormant reptiles, and the
surface Of the ball was seen studded with
rattles that swayed to and fro with a
sound resembling the blowing Of wind
through the dead leaves on q tree. The
tails protrnded more and more as the
snakes unlocked their intricate ccils.
They appeared to be packed with the
heads in the center. One of the men
tossed q small stone into the writing
mass to, "stir 'em up" He succeeded
most effeotualiy: the ball of Snakes fell
apart, disclosing some fifty or sixty rat
~tiesnakes of all sizes, those within
covered with wnitish slime that had
exuded from their bodies. Thoroughly
aroused. the reptiles dashed
their tails in fury and Rlided over each
other with surprising agility,
their wicket little eyes shining with
rage, taeir mouths wide open and forkei
tongues protruding as they Missed de-
family at their Prosecutors. One huge
old reptile. nearly Blk feet in length,
glided from the center of the group, and
turning its Hat, ugly head toward the
intrud ers, opened wide It's mouth and
swayed to end fro, kissing angrily. An.
other stone was thrown, this time of
some weight, crushing and manning
many of the reptiles in its fall. Tbs
scene was then simply friehtful as de-
scribed by the men. Ia their agony the
wounded snakes wrlthed and Kissed
with redoubled fury. twisting over and
over in blood and slime, while the I'M
injured ones, escaping from the pile
glsded towards the Martins with heads
ucraised and rafting ominonsly. The
dir was filled with the peculiar musky
odor exhaled by the rattlesnake when
alarmed OF angered, SO much affecting
the two men that they felt a deathIy
sickaess. It is said the venom OF the
r~attlesnake is especially deadly ae this
season. The situation lonked decidedly
unpleasant and the two men armed
themselves with stout clubs and began
killing snakes. The largest eporte d
seventeen %rattles. which old man Mar
tin cut eff and took home with him to
convince diebelievera. Fifty six snaE es
were laid low, Never IN the opidieu
records of Corydon had there been such
a capture.