The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1894-08-24
THE GILA MONSTER.
Tragic Experiences with the
Strange Animal in Arizona.
Its Bite Always Eatal-IIow Young Man
Who Went Into AN Abandoned
Mine to Escape the Law
Met His Death.

Mine tn Escape the Law
Met His Death.
More deadly than the rattlesnalle.
more dreaded than the mountain lion.
the ella monster has at least this merit
he never seeks man out, and is quite
content to keep within his own lair.
but when this is intrudcd on none
knows better than he how to resent in
vas-on, and in manner that usually
leaves no tongue Il repeat the story.
The very appearance of this strange
creature inspires a horror which the
most venomouS serpent i inca pal BILE of
drOusing. and to stand and rae into
the lidlc~s unblinllin@ eyes. even when
iron bars int,rpOse. is to experience an
uncomfortable sensation along the Tu-
gion of ones backbone, and set one
wondering if it was not just such
creature that originated with the an
clients the belief in an animal whose
very gaze was death. The Mexicans
and Indians of Arizona will tell YOU
that the monster kills by its breath
everything approaching near enough
to inhale the sickening effiuvium. this
belief arising from the horror with
which they regard ii, and from the fact
tom of some old mine shaft or noun
tain cavern, where the heavy. mcDhitic
air serves To overcome the luckless be
ing who ventures in, and who falls the
readicr victim To the monsters bite.
1t is popular falIacy that this crea-
ture is of the lizard family, an over
grown chameleon, but its small, snake
like head, its Shiny body of a hideous
lrANyrniGh with GrnAAfl, n
belly, suggests rather the serpent, but
the tail is short and stumpy.
My first introduction to the ella mon
ster was tragic one. | was spending
some months in Phoenix. ~ T. and
had in my employ young Mexican
named Leander, who served me as
body servant. groom and cook in the
modest menage | had set up, prefer
ring To dictate my own table fare to
eating the peppery messes which are
the sole diet of the Mexican popula-
tion, and which are gradually adopted
by Americans dwelling any length of
time in this climate. To such an eX-
treme is this love of rcd-hot pepper
carried by the foreign element that it
is said with truth that even the car
riOn eaters of the region Will not touch
a dead Mexican.
This boy Leander was timid, affec-
tionate lad. whose only vice seemed to
be that of gambling. At this he spent
all his spare time and his entire wages,
often playing all night, though per
forming his duties next day as usual.
l reasoned with him in vain, and he
would promise me again and again
that he would cease the uneasy life
his propensitieS caused him to lead,
but ne had always an evil angel at his
side in the shape of big pock-marked
half-breed named Francesca. This
man. taking advantage of the boys
weakness. was always at hand to
tempt him to the small gambling hell
frequented by men of his class, and
though | forbade him hanging about
my premises, he would way!ay Lean
der and work on his love of sport un-
til the boy would fall again.
From inquiries l made, | learned
that Francesca made a practice of
regularly cheating him out of his
wages. but Leander could not be
brought to see this, but played on,
| hoping To regain some of his losses.
| But one night he saw an unmistak-
J able false play on the part of his en-
| emy. and with the quick fury of his
race. had Ieaped across the table and
| had driven his knife into the breast
| of Francesca. The big half-brecd
| dropped like a log, and thinking him
! dead, the boy broke out of the shanty
! and ran for the mountains. Next
! morning | was told of the occurrence,
and while | deprecated what he had
! done | could not but think the boy
| had some excuse for his anger. and
after ascertaining from the surgeon
| Francisco's wound would not prove
serious 1 resolved to protect Leander
> from the law. This was easily done
I in those early days, and fearing lest
| the boy would perish in the mountains
| of hunger and exposure, i engaged
a small party To go with me in search
| of him.
After some trouble we learned from
| a herdsman that Leander prevailed on
| him To promise that he would bring
him food every day to the mouth of a
| shaft which had been the entrance of
an old silver mine Here Lcander pro
! posed 20 hide himself until the conse'
| quences of his deed had blown over
| The herdsman had kept his promise
and the day after meeting the boy on
| ms way To TINS place OF cohcediHlSh'
had carried some provisions to the
| shaft and had called to the fugitive
| Lut he had heard nothing in reply
and so had gone away, thinking thai
after all Leander had abandoned his
| plan. proceeded at once To the spoi
! pointed out by the Mexican, and with
one of my men entered the shaft which
had been sunk at n sharp angle mt
the mountain. Our torches burne'
badly in the foul air of the place, AM
not seeing it | stumbled presently
over an object that lay across the path
leaned forward to see what II was
and had just recognized with thrill
of horror that it was the body of
man most sickeningly swollen AM