Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-07-20
FATALLY BITTEN BY A SNAKE.
A Snake-Charmer Falls Victim to
Her Dangerous Business

just Recovering From a Savage Bite In
fiicted Three Weeks Ago, Her Strength
Was Not Sufficient TO Cope With
Huge Rattier--Dying From the Wound.
New YORK, July 17.-"Dot" Son
well, the attractive charmer of snakes
in Huber's Museum, East Fourteenth
street, has probably tempted death for
the last time A black rattlesnake fas-
tened his fangs in her flesh yesterday,
and she now lies dying on cot in st.
Vincent's Hospital, her face swollen and
distorted beyond recognition. Only
three weeks ago, as she twirled snake
above her head, she felt in her arm the
sharp sting of the serpent. But George
M. Jansen, an "ex-snake charmer,"
quickly and tightly bound up the arm
below the place of The wound, thus stop
ping the circulation of the blood. Then
he administered quantity OF whisky
as an antidote, and when "Dot" reached,
the New York Hospital, Letter in the
day, danger of death had passed. But
the wound was an ugly one and kept
her indoors until yesterday afternoon.
Mr.. Jansen, the superintendent OF the
museum, was surprised when the woman
turned up yesterday afternoon. He said
that her face was pale and drawn; her
lips trembled as she spoke.
"Do you think you're strong enough
to go on, my dear ?" asked the manager.
"Oh, yes; can get through it, some
how" answered the girl. 81 must earn
bread for the babies at home"
Five minutes later dot" Sonwell,
resplendent in her stage dress, calmly
stepped ON the platform. A big wooden
box made in three COMPARTMENTS asby
her side Bending down, she lifted two
or three of the common brown snakes
and stood erect, holding them above her
| head, twisting them around in her
hand. The result of the trial seemed to
satisfy her that her strength would carry
her through Replacing the brown
snakes in the first compartments of the
box, she stood still for a minute, look
ing steadfastly down upon the black,
Shiny monster curled up in compart-
ment No. 3. 1t was a specimen Of the
diamond-backed rattlesnake, common
enough in Florida, and one Of three
that had been sent to her about week
ago. The snake slowly reared his head
4 and looked at the woman. Then she
caught the reptile by the throat and
dragged it out of the box. Her
strong, supple fingers clutched the
writing body, and for moment
she stood, her head thrown back,
her figure erect and with every muscle
distended, her arms held high above her
head, her two hands grasping the wrig-
Cling, twisting creature, vainly striving
to get free.
Suddenly the erect figure swayed
shrank and bent forward, limp and mo
tionless, as the serpent, with one sharp
convulsive jerk, twisted out of her GRASP
and fastened its fangs in her neck. her
it dropped to the floor. Jansen's arm;
were stretched to the woman as she fell
forward. The freaks" cried out, fol
they knew what had happened. Actor
and audience ran forward; and two met
tried to suck thepoison from the wound
But they were too late. Even as they
, carried her out of the building the neci
, and face had begun to swell and blackel
and before she had reached her homt
! delirium held her. Her husband, JohI
! Sonwell, brought DR.. G. M. Baker. TIT
! teeth had touched her flesh at a poin
I behind the right ear, and the doctor saw
that the case was desperate In an am
| bulanee she was taken, fighting am
. screaming TO st. Vincent's Hospital
The poison had done its work quickly
: Her neck and face were one mass o
+, discoloration, and she presently lapse
into the insensibility which will en-
only in her death.