Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1894-01-03
REhge1EpNS
NIX tSzI ssG-e(-C
Sxsrssz,Es==SS-s
SLEPT IN A DEN OF SNAKES.
Fearful Fate That Overlook n Newly Mar
ried Couple In Kansas.

Feafiut rate Vhnt overlook Newly Mar
ried Couple In Knnsns.
George Higgins. Topeka travelling
man, confirms the story briefly told in
the press dispatches of the shocking
death in Cherokee county, Kan, of Au-
gust Schrader and wife from serpents'
poison. Incredible as it may seem, these
two unfortunate young people were hit
ten to death by rattlesnakes and copper
heads at time when the thermometer
registered at nearly freezing point, and
that, too, on their wedding night
Mr.. Higgins was one of hunting
party. They were in camp on Shoal
creek, not far distant from the Indian
Territory line and within gunshot of the
cabin occupied by Schrader and his
bride. EARLY in the evening they part il
pated in the wedding festivities given by
the old man Schrader in honor of the
marriage of his son.
The cabin was less than 100 yards
from the Schrader domicile and had
been newly built on the latter's farm for
the occupancy of the young couple. 1t
consisted of one room, and was built of
rough logs chinked, rough pine lumber
for the floor and roof of the same ma
terial. 1t was peculiarly constructed, in
that perpendicular stone bluff was
made to form one end of the structure.
Against the bluff fireplace of the old
fashioned kind was built, the chimney
extending up its side and towering above
the edge of the bluff. In this fireplace
the first fire was built, which warmed
thehouse ready for the reception of young
Schrader and his bride after the festivi-
ties at the parental home should be over.
They retired to their home at midnight,
and the few guests who had gathered to
celebrate the event dispersed.
About o'clock the camping party was
aroused by calls for help from old man
Schrader. The hunters responded, and
guided by his cries FASTENED to the cab
in of the young couple, where they found
them writhing in the throes of death
and the old man and his wife standing
over them and crying piteously. About
the floor and on the low bed were II huge
snakes, principally copperheads and rat
tlesnakes, some of which had been killed
and others chilled to death. The hunt
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 morn
ing.
Upon investigation it appeared that
the fireplace had been built in close prox-
unity to sort of cavern in the bluff, in
which the reptiles had hibernated for the
winter. 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 frightful moaning of a house dog,
which was sleeping at their feet and
which, too, was bitten to death. Follow
ing this Schrader heard kissing and
rafting sound, and leaping out of bed to
ascertain the cause his bare feet lighted
upon the cold and writhing body of q
serpent.
Next he felt himself stung, and by the
light Of the dying embers in the fire,
place he saw a number of reptiles crawl
ing about the floor or coiled in the atti-
tude 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 Schra-
der appeared. The open door, however,
rendered human aid unnecessary, as the
cold draft quickly chilled the room, and
the reptiles became torpid and were easi-
ly dispatched. Omaha Bee.