The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1891-04-10
cAARMlNc RArrl EsNAkEs.
A Florida Expert Gives an Illustration or
Two of His SkIii--uatherlng Speoi-
mens FOR the warld'a Fair.

AhNhH IVY AAAN e"ftt'fp y - 49,
In the ynrd in the rear Of house in
Jacksonville. Fla. colored man could
be seen yesterday, surrounded by ven
omous snakes. The rattlesnakc. coaci-
whip, gopher and many other of the
most poisonous species were we'll rep
resented.
The writer correspondent of the
Globe Democrat. was amazed. He well
knew that he had not tackled" any
cheap quality of snake-producing
elixir. and, like Josh Billings, came to
the conclusion that that back yard be-
longed to the snakes.
The scribe watched the colored man
place the serpenls in huge box, and
then ventured In. lie ut once diseov-
cred that he was IN the presenne OF
Silas Foman, the celebrated snake
charnaer who Is well known in Chi
cago and other cities by managers of
museums and snake dealers. He Is n
copper colored man, about five feet
eight inches in height. dresses neatly.
wearing cuffs, belt and collar made
from the skin of the rattlesnaie. In
reply TO questions he told the follow
ing story;
Il am native of Hayti. aud have
been in this country seventeen years.
A few years ago / determined To en-
gage exclusively in the snake business.
In my childhood my parents would
crafty me by permitting me to have
rattlesnake rs companion, and as
l grew older | became fonder of those
reptiles, and always delighted in maxi
ing them a study. i would sometimes
get bit by them, but my father had a
remedy that would soon heal the
wound. In 1888. while in Lee county.
near the Everglades, | captured a
snake, which was shipped to New
York. was paid $40 for it. aud have
been following the business ever since.
On all rattlesnakes four feet long and
over | realize from $25 To $50 each.
The smaller snakes | generally use
myself for the manufacture of my
snake oil, which will cure any rheum-
atism or neuralgia in existence.
learned this from the Seminole Ind
ians When first went among them
was crippled with rheumatism. aud
ly restored in a few days by the appli-
cation of rattlesnake oil.
Before Pablo Beach was thoroughly
settled | caught hundreds of snakes in
that vicinity. bnt the largest and hest
quality of rattlesnakes 10 be found IN
this country are Mt Fort George Island
at the mouth of the St. Johns river.
The snakes at this place are very gen.
tie and can be easily tanned. Last
month | succeeded in capturing forty
four snakes there aud was only bit
eight times | have secured from the
Seminole Indians iluil that | use
when bitten. and with it the bite of d
rattlesnake. or in fact. any other
snake. is no more serious than the bite
of n mosquito
The writer was anxious to know how
he captured the GIakes. when the
| r.harmer replied: Iii you will come
| with me over the river. near the old
base bali park. think we will catcl
one. You see | have 'Jip.' dog thai
| have trained. that aids me in captur,
| ing the snakes. To tell the truth, he
/ finds them for me"
| The snake charmer the scribe aud
| the dog ut once started for the spo
| mentioned TO capture snake. 1t wa:
| fully an hour before the dog obtained
| a clew, and began barking; finally he
| dropped and pointed his tail straigh
/ into the air.
! The suake charmer ran to the spot
| aud. by the use of n mirror attached Ii
! n stick six feet long he gradually drew
| the snake until within arms reach
| when he reached out and secured tht
! reptile. not, however. without the fang
penetrating his right hand. He appiiet
| his antidote. aud smilingiy requeste,
! the reporter to take Il bite. too
which was emphalically refused.
! Returning home, the suake-charmel
! took out piece uf red silk, shook it il
front of the reptile. who, with it
/ deadl, flugs. peHetrated it. Sila'
then iei->ed the silk Violently away
aud the fangs were renewed.