The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-08-16
CHAMPION SNAKE STORY.
A Whole Nest Of Marauding Rep
tiles Under a Titusyille
Log House.

Joseph Citizens. farmer residing near
Titusville, and who lives in log house,
relates snake story Of greater interest
than any published in recent years.
About two months ago Mrs. Citizens
began to tell her husband of various
articles being stolen from their open
larder in the back yard. Milk
would be dipped out of the pans,
eggs and butter taken away; many
chickens disappeared, and almost every
conceivable kind of victuals took It's de-
parture in q strange way. The things
were generally missed in the morning.
but not always. Thieves were suspected.
Tramps are constantly moving back and
forth through the country. and Mr.. Git
hens laid the suhdry robberies at their
door He kept his rusty old gun in a
handy place, and gave his wife a lesson
or two in handling it. He laid in wait
nights when he could. He finally got a
small black and tan dog to keep watch.
but this animal disappeared and the far
mer gave it up as bad job. The things
enough TO give the couple much worry,
but the thieviag Went on as the weeks
passed.
THE CRISIS
The crisis came ON Friday last. As Mr..
and Mrs. Citizens moved around to get
Their OfeAkLaSt lIdL morning ll6J uOllctQ
the earthen floor about the big stove in
kitchen somewhat cracked. But they
gave il little attention and went on with
the meal Soon after seven o'clock the
farmer left the house and walked 100
yards of to the barn. where he was get
ting in some hay. His attention was
called from the job not long afterward by
Wild shrek from mis- wife. who rushed
out OF the rear door Of the hut ana beck
oped excitedly for her spouse He hur-
ried toward her
While Mrs. Citizens was upstairs In the
garnet she mad heard q rumbiing sound
below, and looking down the rickety
stairway TO the kitchen, saw n strange
sight. The stove WIS gone aud III its
place was a gaping hole three or four feet
across. Without waiting to Investigate
she summoned her husband.
Amazed at the collapse of his kitchen
floor, Citizens got lima bean pole from
the yard, seven or eight feet long, and
showed it down into the gaping chasm TO
test its depth. Standing back from the
edge lest the earth should further crun-
bic, he reached the rod down six feet.
when it seemed suddenly TO be Rripped by
a musculsr hand down below moved and
twisted about, and was finally wrenched
from his grasp.
Inyoluntarily he started back and his
wife screamed. Things were serious
enough to make call upon the neigh
bors desirable. A number of Githins'
friends were told of the crisis aud hur-
ried with him hack to the kitchen.
A STARTLING FIND
The hole meanwhile had become big
ger. A piece Of paper was touched with n
match ana tossed into the aperture AS
it Glazed up in It's descent It revealed
some sort Of life in the big cavern A
lantern was finally gotten and its rays
thrown down the black hole. And then
the men saw sight that made them sick
with fright. The whole bottom OF the
chasm WAS one br.stling bel af snakes
--smooth, shining black Snak IS. This
reptiles were OF every size. a
big head. with open Jaws and dartinu
fprked tanRpe. was raleed mp above the
squirting hsap tAxt naust have belonged