St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-07-05
The Very Thrilling Exper:-
ence OF a Mexican Ldm-
herman.
He Was Held a Prisoner by a
Log Rolling on One Of
His Legs.
He Was Attacked by a Rattle
snake and Then by a
Wildcat.

Most people who have made prac-
tIce of reading Indian stories have at
some time come across mention Of GER
tain method of torture in great favor
with the redskins. This was to tie the
prisoner securely to stake, and then
tie rattlesnake so that 1t would be just
out of-the reach Of the victims face. In
time the victim became too weak to
hold his face out of the way, and the
serpent made dart that resulte in the
mans death, says the San Francisco
Call.
There are numerous instances of
hunters finding the skeletons of both
man and snake as mute instance of what
must have been most agoniZing or
deal for the man. There are very few
cases known where men have escaped
from the terrible position. But a Mex
lean named Juan Otero had an expert
ence few weeks ago that amounted to
the same thing, although the Indians
had nothing to do with it, and still lives
to tell the tale.
Juan lives in the Rincon mountains in
Arizona, and is a lumberman by trade.
lie OWNS his own oxen and cuts logs
anu IdulS luClu " lllC itlllis l1C Ids
been engaged in the lumber business
for years, and knows as much about
handling big logs as any man in the
territory. But all his knowledge was
not enough to prevent accidents at all
times. His turn came at last, and il
came very near being the last of him.
lie was working on the hillside. and
the logs he was getting out were large
and heavy. The last tree he had cut
did not fall as he had intended it to, and
the way all lumbermen try to make
trees fall-that is, with one end point
ing uphill and the other down, SO as to
prevent rolling. But this tree struck
another before 1t reached the ground,
and was turned at nearly right. angles
snd rolled down the hillside for some
distance before it struck a stump that
atOpped its further progress.
Juan mad often had the same thing
happen before, and did not look upon it
as any great trouble. He accordingly
braced the tree by putting stone I'M
derneath and commenced to chop it up.
When he had cut off a log ne hitched
his oxen to it and hauled it away.
He had hauled away several, and at
last came to one that was resting
against a small stump. The stump
looked strong enough and Juan took no
precaution to prevent the logs rolling,
but worked around, feeling that he was
secure. He had the log all chopped
clear from the tree ana was III king
preparations to faSten his chains to it
for hauling. The oxen were standing
near by.
While driving in a hook the log was
suddenly Jared, and the stump, which
proved to be rotten. gave way, and the
portion on which Juan was standing
began to roll. lie was surprised and
lost his balance, and before he could
regain it had fallen off on the down-hill
side.
1t looked to him as if the log must
roll over him ana crush him to death,
but he tried inStInctively to crawl out
of the way. 1t was no use. anu he only
succeeded in turning his head toward
the end of the log before 1t struck his
leg. At the same instant the log struck
a large stone that was on top of fat
one that gave way beneath the pressure
and formed a block that stopped the
log. Had it not been for this Juan
would have assumed the proportions of
a pancake, and the log would have con-
tinued its course down the mountain
until it met some obstruction, leaving
his crushed remains for the coyotes.
He realized in a moment that the
great danger was passed, and turned
his attention to his imprisoned leg. 1t
did not hurt very much, and as good an
examination as he could make con-
vinced him that it was not broken,
but, instead, had got between two
stones that had taken off the pressure
of the log. He know now that he would
be all right, for other workmen would
come to look for him if he did not show
up at the camp in time for supper; but
Il D., to nut ls.aI
hours in such a situation. Still, nothing
else was to be done, and he made up
his mind To get into as comfortable
position as possible aud wait for relief.
All this went through his mind in
few seconds, and no other thoughts OF
danger entered his head, but before he
had time to turn around the OminouS
hiss of rattlesnake near by made his
blood feel like ice in his veins, and
sort of torpor came over him.
lie closed his eyes to wait for the rep
tile to strike, and the Kissing tongue
and swapping jaws were close to his ear
He cauld feel its hot, fetid breath, and
instincLively drew back, but fully eX-
pecting every moment to feel terrible
fangS inserted into his face. His neck
was strained until it became painful,
and still he had not been bitten. He
knew ne was helpless, but sense of
curiosity impeiled him to open his eyes
to see why such strange thing had hap
pened. At the same distant it struck
him as peculiar that he had not heard
the reptile rattle the alarm he knew SO
well. He looked into pair of treach-
erous eyes and saw pair OF glistenlng
fangs within few inches of his face.
The eyes were flashing and the jaws
swapping and the long tongue seemed
| like a thread of flame as 1t darted toward
his face. 1t was sight to strain the
strongest nerves, and Juan again closed
his eyes to wait for the end. But as it
did not come he opened them in mo-
ment. and by this time his brain had
commenced to work again and he knew
there must be something that prevented
the snake from biting him.
1t was hard to look past the awful
ewes, but he managed to do it, and saw
| that the snake was partly under the fiat
rock that had been broken when the
| log struck it. 1t was struggling as hard
as it could, and it was evident that the
rock had crushed down on the other
| end of it, and that the snake was a
| prisoner as we'll as himself.
When JuaIf saw this he felt thrill of
hope, and knew that if he could only
keep out of the reptiles way until his
friends came all might yet be well. The
snake seemed to think the man had
| something to do with Its predicament,
| for it never stopped for an instant i'll its
attempt to reach his face.
| Juan had twisted around until