Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1892-09-15
A Horrible Night
EXPERIENCED BY A KENTUCKY Man
AND HIS WIFE, SURROUNDED BY
DEADLY RATTLERS.

EXPERIENCED By a KENTUCKY Man
AND HIS WIFE, SURROUNDED BY
DEADLY RATTLERs.
~
sClSe1sSArI,-. September PA
special ffQm greenup, KY, tells a
sensationalsto stox which surpasses any
thing Of rs a yet gsported.. :. 1t
says: Timothy Gates, d Gates Sta
ton, was in town to-day to relate his
narrowing experience of last night
and to obtain the services of ply
sician to attend his wife, who lies in
a deathly stupor, brought on through
fright or caused by breathing the
snkening fumes arising from the
mass of deadly rattlers that surround
ed them during the night. Gates
cabin is occupied only by himself and
wife, and is elevated some two feet
off the ground. His three valuable
watch dogs aroused him from his
slumbers about II o'clock last night.
lie and his wife intently listened and
thought they discerned the sound of
many rattlers above the baying of
!
the dogs. Soon the dogs ran under
the house, and the Kissing and rafting
that was now heard fully convinced
them that rattlesnakes in great num-
bers were beneath their cabin. Soon
the barking of the dogs ceased, and
they were satisfied that their defen-
ders were laid low in death. Great
were their fears; and Mrs. Gates soon
became unconscious. They were
afraid to move out of bed, as there
were large holes in the tlooc that the
snakes coule crawl through, and in
their imagination the snakes were in
the room ali around.
Mr.. Gates, we'll known to our citi-
zens as stalwart man of raven locks
was scarcely recognizable today,
owing>to his whitened hair having
turned gray pv fright in a single
night. DR.. Howard, who went to
see his wife, repol,s her ii a critical
condition, and having the appearance
of having aged ten years during the
night. Mr.. Gates relates that upon
the light penetrating his cabin so ne
could see, cautiously peered around,
aud, seeing no signs of snakes in the
room, he got up, dressed and looked
out in the yard when his eyes beheld
sight which was enough to strike
terror to the stoutest heart. There
in the yard were hundreds OF snakes
lying lazily about, apparently uncon-
cerned. In the course of an hour a
neighbor approached on horseback,
and nearing the cabin, his horse stop
ped as if paralyzed, and would not res
55..3! cd to to whip or spur The man heard
Gates calling him. and al thc- s~s.s
time first noticed the danger that be-
set his path. Seeing the number Of
the monsters and knowing 1t would
be useless TO attempt tc cope with
them singlebanded and nuanned, he
turned about and gathered the neigh
bors in posse, armed with clubs and
shotguns, to go to the rescae and en-
gagged in war of determination that
lasted for one hour before Gates was
released from his cabin. Eleven
dogs suffered death during the fight,
and numerous others Will die from
the effect of the bites of the snakes.
After the battle was over an inventory
was taken and it was fo"nd that
IL snakes were killed, some of them
monsters, measuring over six feet in
length and having forty three rattles
and button. Several persons were
made faint from the peculiar oder
arising from the bodies OF the pois-
onous reptiles. Hundreds of the
snakes escaped to their den in a cleft
of rocks in an old quarry near by.
Huckleberry pickers had reported
that the hills in that vicinity, which
are covered with bushes bearing this
succulent berry, were overrun with
rattlesnakes to such an extent that
it was dangerous to engage in gathe"-
ing the berries.
1t was thought by their patrons IN
town that the report was but a
scheme to keep up the price of ber-
ries, but all are now satisfied that the
snakes were indeed there, as numbers
of good men testify to having assist
ed in the battle with them at Gates
cabin, and DR.. Howard has the skin
of two of them that he obtained to
be used as scarfs.
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The Proof of Weaver.
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