The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-11-26
GREAT LAKE SERPENT
M0nstrouS Hoax Attracting PeO-
pie to Silver Lake in 1855.
An Ancient Story Revived by a Recent
Death, That Leads to an Explana-
tiOn of the Old Trick.
Detroit Free Press,

about three miles long and three-quarters
of a mile wide, which, some forty years aSo,
was the scene of perhaps the largest and
most deliberate hoax Of antebellum days.
The sea serpent is now a joke so old that
it has almost ceased to be interesting. but
the sea serpent which appeared in Silver
lake in 1855 was a monster so horri-
BILE, a sensation so thrilling, that
all Wyoming county, and well
nigh all western New York, focked to
the lake shore, and thousands of people
actually camped out for days in the vicinity.
The quiet waters of the lake, its gently
sloping shores, mostly cultivated TO the
waters edge, and the occasional summer
cottage, do not seem to offer inspiration for
producing the biggest fake of the time, and
the man WHO planned it and carried it out
unsupported amid all the pressure OF the
excitement he produced, was surely a gen.
ius who was not born to blush unseen.
His name was Walker, and, like the ia
nous Riley in the song. he kept a hotel.
Walkers death not long ago at Peary, N.
Y, near the scene of his exploits. makes
it timely and appropriate to retell the
story of the great Silver lake sea serpent.
Many Of the older inhabitants of the region
wildly recall the excitement and wonder
WHICH the serpent OccdSlCneu, DuL the DoSl
account is to be found in the columns Of
the Wyoming Times. of which. as far as
the writer has been able to learn, but one
file now exists. With the issue of the
Times for July IS. 1855, the peaceful village
life of Peary, N. V, was rudely Interrupted.
A scare head, double leads and all the
devices known to rustic Journalism of near
ly forty years ago, contributed TO make that
issue OF the Times memorable. 1t seems
that the previous Friday evening a party of
six young men rowed out on the lake for
a nocturnal fishing excursion, equipped with
a large supply of bait, but as the Times
Soleinnly declares not a drop of liquor was
on board the boat. The fishing party rowed
steadily up the lake until near the middle
and off the northeast shore they anchored
ana threw over their lines. About 8 o'clock
the man sitting in the stern whispered TO
the others TO look at the enormous log float
ing on the surface of the lake about a dozen
yardS away. IL appeared to be eighty or
one hundred feet long. The fishing party
discussed the phenomenon with much inter-
est, but as the seeming log did not move for
iiteen or twenty minutes and the fish were
biting well, they became less watchful. and
were surprised half an hour afterwards to
md that the lOg-like object had gone. Ten
minutes later, however, it had reapDeared
ano tne man In the stern called out in hor-
rified tones, Boys, that thing is moving"
III MONSTER APPEARS.
The creatures head was now within three
rods, parting the waves on each side like
the bow of a boat. The fishing party were
terrified beyond description. One of them
attempted to cut the anchor rope, but lost
MS kni1e overheard, and pulled up the
anchor as best he could. The others fell
over each other to reach the oars, and in
u moment were rowing like mad for the
western shore, but the monster, which had
dlVed and reappeared several times as they
sIartea' suddenly appeared within four
his borri lie snd re oil ine 6oat, and raised
above the surface of the lake before the
eyes of the terrified fishermen, and then
diving again it dashed the water with its
tail until the rowboat was NEARLY can.
sized. Bleaching the boat at the nearest
point, regardless Of destination, the fisher
men trarnped home and told their strange
I'VE will say for the benefit of the in
Times, that these men are persons of in.
tegrity. They would be believed i'm this
community in any ordinary matter of man
The next evening four young men living
near the western shore went swimming in
of the previous night, and they laughed
az the whole story, but had scarcely come
out of the water when their amusement
log-like form of the monster some dis
tance away on the surface. After moving
me local. excitement now began to rise.
stories of Indian legends, strange tales
handed down from the first settlers. and
especially of one spot i'm the lake where
no sounding lire had ever touched bottono
were told. Regarding this spot. the theory
was advanced and found many believers.
that there was a subterranean connection
with Lake Ontario. and thus a monster of
the great lakes had appeared in quiet little
silver lake. This story travelled through
the surrounding villages, and from Cestile.
IKE. Nunda, Portage, Geneseo and Mt
Morris teams and even pedestrians began
10 appear, who made for the shore of the
lake and In many cases actually camped
out, determined to catch a glimpse of the
monster. In the meantime. at perry tbe
nearest village to the lake. a vigilance So
ciety was formed, and by the 9th of July
the members were ready for business.
That evening", however, the rain fell in
torrents and no effort was made TO proso-
cute the search. The next night, however
three Iboatloads of watchers were kept on
the lake, and again the next night, but no
monster appeared.
The next afternoon two farmers at work
near the shore saw the log-like form ont
in the lake. and in a few minutes it disane
peared. Later they declared to an OMEN
mouthed audience: "Mebbe that weren't
the serpent, but If it was. we saw IL +"
That night the vigilance society again saw
nothing.
The next morning, however, Saturday.
July Is: the serpent appeared before the
eyes OF a whole family-father, mother.
daughter and two boyS-who were out fsh,
ing, and they made for the shore in a ter
The vigilance society Immediately Sc
cured affidavits and n minute account of
III AcAN@N@ Fdo DAOAIDltN plDllSlGl. Inc
body was unprecedented, and the head.
which was held a yard above water. was
as large as a calfS head. All of which was
subscribed and sworn to before me this
Sist day of July, 1855. Cyrus Merrill, JUS
tice of the peace"
WANTED TO HARPOON IT.
The excitement about the lake was rapid
ly increasing. The next week found n
swarm of boats out at all hours, the most
persistent investigator being one Daniel
Smith, a veteran whaler, who had just re-
turned from a four years whaling voyage.
Smith heard the serpent story, went out
on the lake and actually saw the serpent.
He hurried ashore, constructed a harpoon
OF immense size. a lance and all the Wea-
l pons for capturing a whale, and RETURNING
10 the lake sat hour after hour every day
in his boat awaiting the monster, but in
vain. wednesday, Aug. l, while no boats
were out, the monster was seen by six peo-
pie summing Itself on the surface and foun-
dering about. This seemed TO establish
doubt. The excitement grew and the
throng at the lake kept increasing. Walk
er'S Hotel was crowded. Between the 1st
and 10Th the excitement was at fever heat
Smith, the harpooner, was reinforced by
| enterpriSing fishermen, who constructed
fishhooks as large as ice tongs, baitcC
them with live chickens and ducks and
used clOtheSlineS for Irvine. Scoffers whC
went down to the lake to laugh at tho
whole thing, seeing Smith. the harpooner
with his paraphernalia, the men with the
chicken bait, the hotilla of the vigilance
society, and the immense throng OF stran,
gers, began TO believe in the serpent them
selves, and everybody conceded that Their,
was something in the lake"
On FRIDAY, the Attn. the monster was seer
nv Two men and on the Eth I'D W. ri Trn