Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1893-12-02
A FEARFUL FATE.
The Terrible Death Of George Schrader and
His Bride.
Galena Times.


The following special dispatch
from Topeka to St. Louis Republic,
explains itself:
The Times reporter interviewed
Elder Mcpherson, in the hope OF
gaining some information regard
ing the sad affair. but the fearful
death of Schrader and his young
bride had made such an impression
upon that gentleman that he could
not talk upon the subject without
betraying the greatest emotion, and
after several vain attempts to recite
the story in his own way, he shud-
dered and turned away from the re-
porter with tears in his eyes.
The story as it appeared i'll the
Republic is as follows:
George Higgins, Il Topeka travel
ing man. confirmed the story briefly
told in the press dispatches last
week of the shocking death in Cher
okee county of August Schrader
and wife by serpents poison. In
credible as it may seem. these two
unfortunate young people were bit.
ten to death by rattlesnakes and
copperheads at a time when the
thermometer registered at nearly
freezing point, and that, too, on
their wedding night.
Mr.. Higgins was one OF a party OF
hunters, consisting. besides him
self, of ex-Postmaster "A. NJ. McPher-
son, eX-Sheriff James c. Babb, W.. +.
Sapp and w. f. Stice, all of Galena,
Kan. They were in camp on Shoal
Creek. not far from the Indian Ter
ritory line and within gunshot of
the cabin occupied by Schrader and
his bride. and early in the evening
participated in the festivities given
bv the old man Schrader in honor
of the marriage of his son.
The cabin was less than 100 yards
from the domicile of old man Schra-
der and had been newly built on the
latter's farm for the occupancy of
the Young couple. 1t contained but
one room and was built of rough
logs chinked, rough pine lumber
for the floor and a roof of the same
material. 1t was peculiarly con-
structed in that Il perpendicular
stone bluff was made to form one
end of the structure. Against this
bluff a fireplace of the old-fash-
toned kind was built. the chimney
extending up it's side and towering
above the edge of the bluff. In this
fireplace the first fire was built
which warmed the house ready for
the reception OF young Schrader
and his bride after the festivities at
the parental home should be over.
They retired to their home at mid
night and the few guests who had
gathered to celebrate the event dis
persed.
Hardly had the camping party re-
tired to their tent when, about D
o'clock. they were aroused by calls
for help from old man Schrader.
They responded. and guided by the
cries FASTENED to the cabin of the
young couple, where they found
them writhing in the throes of death
and the old man and his wife stand
ing over them crying piteously.
About the floor and on the low bed
were II huge snakes of all species,
principally copperheads and rattle
snakes. some of which had been
killed and others chilled to death
The hunters took in the situation at
a glance and ran back TO their tent
for some whisky, which they tried
to administer to the dying couple
but the remedy was too late and the
victims died before morning.
Upon investigation it appeared
that the fireplace had been built i'll
close proximity to sort of cavern
in the bluff in which the reptiles
had hibernated. The roaring fire
had warmed the serpents into life
and they were driven out into the
cabin by the intense heat. Young
Schrader was able before he died to
explain that he and his bride had
been aroused from their slumber by
the frightened moaning of a house
dog sleeping at their feet, and
which, too, was bitten to death
Following this Schrader heard q
kissing and rafting sound and
leaping out of bed to ascertain the
cause his bare feet alighted upon
the cold and writhing body of ser
pent. Next he felt himself stung
and by the light of the dying EN-
bers in the fireplace he saw a mum
Der of reptiles crawling about the
floor or coiled in the attitude OF
striking. He was stung again and
again, and his cries arousing his
wife, she, too, jumped from her bed
only to meet her husbands fate
Then they ran for the door and cried
for help, and in very short time
old man Schrader appeared. The