The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-07-15
Jaws there spraI

rapidity large snakel The monstrous
creature quickly flung itself into coils
on the floor, and ere the terrified spec.
tators could even utter cry of warning
to the doomed man it sprang clear onto
his back and buried its fangs in his
neck. From such descriptions as can
get, the reptile must have been procured
from the Isthmus of Panama; it could
not have been a native, as venomous
reptiles are not indigenous to Jamaica.
A frightful scene now followed, as
the wounded man realized that his
doom was sealed beyond peradventure.
From the account given me by an litter
ate but graphic narrator, who processes
to have heard it direct from the lips of
one of the spectators, it would seem
that for few minutes Nugent went on
as one might imagine Faust would
have done il suddenly confronted with
certain death in the midst of his career.
The snake, after inflicting the deadly
wound, had disappeared, and Nugent
declared that it was the devil incarnate,
who had deceived him and thus come in
material form to compass his death be-
fore the term of his natural lifel
Amidst a flood of most revolving in
vectives against the diety and all the
hosts of hell, which came in as ac-
cessories to set off or as it were
punctuate the dreadful narrative, he in
wild dread related the story of his life.
Spell-bound his auditors are said 20
have listened to that wild recital
He said that at twenty years of age
his father, who was a man of some
means had desired him to choose some
trade, and that he had chosen to be
initiated into the mysteries of Obeah-
ism, that offering the surest means of
money making. His father, himself an
amateur dabbler in the black art, had
readily consented, and in due course
the son became an adept. To the the
cries and practices of voodooism he
added the smattering of scientific teach
ing that he had acquired at the school
to which his fathers means had secured
him an entree. And thus had he be-
come power in the secret circles of
voodooism. But his temperament was
in antagonism to the life, even whilst
he loved its mysteries and delighted in
the powers it conferred on him. Thus
had he early conceived the idea of
withdrawing his personality from his
profession, 50 to speak. thus surround
ing his professional life with mysteri.
Gus non-personality.
This succeeded admirably, for with
the money he drew from his dupes he
could indulge his carnal appetites. and
al the same time use his position in the
world to discover things useful to him
in his business. And thus had he for
years lived a double life. committing
the most frighttul crimes. He had often
urged, by all the spells taught him, the
devil to open communication with him
but to no avail. Tonight, however, the
devil was there-that snake. which he
had secured to work his evil designs on
another for hire. was the devil himself,
He could then see him with a great hook
waiting to seize his soul.
At this point the few spectators who
had dared to remain took to their heels,
and the miserable wretch was left to die
alone with his conScience-face to face
with his misdeeds. What these amounted
to, came out later at the coroner's in,
quest. When the terrible story was
newsed abroad. there were not wanting
those who could direct the police to the
retreat of Rock Salt" in the Businesses
of the Port Royal mountains. and there
the fullest evidence of the terrific
crimes of Rock Salt was found. in the
shape of a systematic record kept in the
handwriting Of John Nugent.
T. p. PORTER