The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-14
A SNAKE STORY.
An Incident Related by Belle Starr,
the Notorious Bandit Queen.

AhS iNONOIiOuS Ddnoit QACCns
st. Louis Globe Democrat
This Is not very propitious day for
snake story" said Mr. George F. Cole when
1t came his turn to entertain the cotere oil
chair-warmers who were seasoning their
matutinal cigars in the corridor of the Lin
dell. "but l believe good snake story is
always in season, and not since the original
serpent yarn in the Gan den of Eden has
there been better than the one l once
heard from woman's lips in the town Of
Muskogee in the Creek Nation. 1t was
several years ago and / happened to be
spending a few days there during the
Indian International Fair. Among the
visitors was woman named Belle Starr.
who, for her acts of lawlessness, had gained
the sobriquet of the Bandit Queen. had
heard much of the woman and curiosity
prompted me to seek an introduction.
Afterward I met her upon several occasions,
and II was upon one OF these that she re-
lated this story. l will tell it in her own
language as near as can recall:
You may or may not know that for some
time past various and suudry deputy mar
shals have been more or less DESTROYS to
secure my company for visit to Fort Smith
and have been carrying letters OF invitation
in the shape of United States warrants for
ME, but never gave them that pleasure,
and when L went to Fort Smith, as did
few weeks since and surrendered, 1t was
alone. The incident / am about to relate
happened about year and half ago.
was at neighbours house one day when
two deputies rode up, and dismouDtlng, Or
dered my friend to get them some dinner.
l remained out of sight. and when she came
out told her to 90 back IN and hnd out
what their game was while l prepared the
meal. | then went down to the spring where
the boys had killed a big rattlesnake. l cut
the things head off, skinned it, and carry
Ing it to the house | cut il up and fried 1t.
There was big dish of 1t, and this, with
some bread and coffee, made up the meal.
The men were the freshest sort of tender
feet, and this. it turned out. was their first
ride a. deputies. and l was not long in
learning that they had decided to win fame
and reputation by the capture of my humble
self, and therefore took a grim delight in
cooking hat snake nice and brown. As l
found they did not know me l decided to
have some sport out OF them, and when /
called them in / remained in the room to
wait ON them.
1.-The way they tackled that snake was
caution. They ate every morsel of it, and
then swore because there was no more of
the fish. While they were eating led them
TO talk of myself and told them that |
knew Belle Starr very well. They asked
me for description OF her, and l made her
out a perfect giantess and bl0odthirsly
woman. and told them that she took special
delight in shooting deputy marshals. |
even told them that her regular diet was
rattlesnakes. / poured this sort Of stuff
into them until by the time the last piece of
snake was gone their bravadO had dlsap-
peared. and when they left they rode off the
same way they had come. / never learned
how their dinner agreed with them. had
the snake skin dressed by an old Indian
and made belt of it, which. as you can see,
L am still wearing,