The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-02-23
pAULBOYT0N'SBIGFAKE.
TIE HUGE SEA SERPENT so MUCH
TALKED ABOUT.

s,ructed on the Bowery and Stuffed
with straw.
sam Freeman in Net0 York Advertiser.
CHICAGO, Feb. 1S.-During the autumn Of
1898 the news was flashed over the country
from New York that a sea serpent had been
lilled in the Caribbean sea in an expedition
ssnt TO that part of the world by Capt Paul
Boyton to gather marine curiosities. A let
TAR had been received by Boyton, purport-
ing TO come from Prof. Muster, who had
charge of the expedition, in which the de-
tails of the killing OF the serpent we're
oiveu. and from it the reports were cent
ant The New York newspapers contained
attended accounts of the capture. The
soantists connected with toe New York
Museum Of Natural History became in
terested, and raised purse OF $4,000 with
which to purchase the catch.
The story in brief was that the crew of
the steamer Huntress, then cruising of the
Isle Of Pines, were preparing to test the
merits Of spring torpedo gun on school
of porpoises that were playing astern. As
they were about TO relieve the spring the
porpoises became frightened and darted
sWay in all directions under the waves
Then the head of frightful monster rose
some five or six feet out of the water, NOV
ing in the direction of the little vessel.
Those manning the gun were terror-stricken
for moment, but, regaining their courage,
the gun was sprung and the torpedo hit the
water within few feet Of the monster, ex-
poding with terrific force and stunning it.
While, according to the story, it was lash
ing about boat was lowered and harpoons
stuck into the creature, one in the neck aud
another Just back of the flippers, killing it.
Lines we're fastened to il, and it was lowed
to the Isle Of Pines, where, after consider
able difficulty, it was landed on the beach.
1t was described as having a head some
thing like that of a rattlesnake buE Of
enormous proportions. Its bacz was rough
with cuirass of hard knobs, each of which
was armed with a sharp horn. Six feet
back of the head were huge fiippers with
three arms on each, also supplied with sharp
horns and capable Of being opened and
closed like a fan. The body was feet In
circumference at the thickest part and 60
feet long.
Prof. Munster was very modest in express
ing his ideas as to the genus Of the monster,
requesting Capt. Boyton 90 allow the scien-
fists Of the country to examine and classify
it, as he would proceed at once to enbalm it
and ship it north. hi
The naturallsts of New York and the
newspaper men were satisfied that at last
q sea serpent had been killed, and some very
able articles we're written regarding the ex-
istence of those creatures. and they awaited
with Impatience the day when it should be
landed In the metropolis.
The reports annually sent from some part
Of the coast that a sea serpent has been
sighted are received with moro or less
credulity, and descriptions Of the monster
vary according to the quality and quantity
Of the beverage imbibed by those who claim
70 see IL. Such reports have, however,
caused many to believe that such horrible
serpents are wandering about in the seas,
and MINISTER'S oapture olinched their belief
and made the doubling ones wonder il such
things could exist.
The saying that Americans like to be
humbugged is wholly untrue, as will be
seen By the inside history of Boyton's
famous sea serpent, which was one Of the
cleverest humbugs since the days of the
Cardiff giant.
Boyton had long entertained the idea
that a sea serpent would be the greatest
curiosity ever exhibited, but In all bis voy-
ages he had never CHANGED across one, and
he doubted their existence. However, he
concluded to show one ANYWAY. In the
autumn mentioned he met the writer in
New York and his scheme was discussed.
1t was not long before plan was formed
and successfully carried out
The first thing was 20 find some one with
enough ingenuity to manufacture a mon
ster according to their ideas OF what fine,
able-bodied sea serpent ought to be. In the
course of their search for such man they
ran across Arnold Schneckeluerger, who is
credited with first putting together a
monkeys body and fish's tail so cleverly
shat Barnum exhibited it as genuine mer-
maid from the mysterious caverns of the
sea. Many people TO this day believe they
know all about mermaids, yet their eduoa :
ton in that line extended no further than a
look at that flake"
Schneckelberger was engaged at the time
Boyton met him in manufacturing genuine
curlositles for Bernstein's museum, in the
Bowery, and his mind grasDed the serpent
idea with a very few words of explanation.
1t was agreed that he should build one that
would look genuine, according to speciGca-
tons, sixty feet long, for 800. He began
work at once, and those who saw the hide
ous-looking monster mounted on a museum
platform will be astonished to learn of what
ordinary materials it was composed.
a 2-inch rope, sixty feet long, was pro-
cured. around which long straw was tightly
bound, swelling in thickness from the tail
to the middle of the body and tapering
again to the heal. This was smoothly COW
cred with ordinary coffee sacking and sat-
urated with q combination of chemicals
which gave 1t the appearance of dried OF
preserved skin. The back was colored
brOwnish tinge, shading to an almost i'm
perceptible green and yellowish white uu-
derneath. With chemically prepared cot
ton and pieces of ohamois skin knobs were
raised on the back. growing quite large in
the center of the body and smaller nearing
the head and tail.
All of the larger knobs were armed with
wicked looking horns made of ROSTERS
spurs of assorted sizes, to conform TO
acknowledgement fine idea Of symmetry.
The head was made in the shape of rattle
snakes, of huge dimensions, and the wicked
looking mouth was furnished with rows of
sharp-poiuted teeth, also made OF large
ROSTERS spurs. It was from the examina-
uon OF these teeth that several scientists
gravely decided that the serpent was car
nlvorous. The tongue was made of flannel
chemically treated, to give 1t gristly APP
pearance, and two feelers, like horns, ex-
Vending from above the nostrils were iron
rods carefully wrapped with the same ma
teral.
Six feet back of the head were the flip
pers, like huge wings, with three horn
tipped arms on each. These fiippers pro-
tected the chest where the heart. liver and
lungs were supposed to be located, and so
lngeniously was the chest constructed that
some OF the wise men pronounced the
reptile to have been without doubt warm
oIooded animal-a mammal. lt was cut
lnto four pieces for case In shipping, the
parts joining together so nicely under the
knObg and fiova aF no aLin n