The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-08-11
HE EATS RATTLEsNAKEs.
And Says They Taste Better Than
Chicken, Quail or Squirrel.


From the Louisville CourierJourual
The following story is being told of the
very curious taste of a citizen of Lewis
county:
John Henry Howard of Kentucky eats
rattlesuakes. He says there is no finer
delicacy than juicy raJtler, if we'll
cooked Mr.. Howard, who lives on Spy
Run creek, near Vanceburg, in this state,
will, therefore. never go hungry as long
as he retains his cunning in capturing the
reptiles and his recipe for doing them to a
delicious brown.
Mr.. Howard has been eating rattle
snakes for about ten years. Possibly this
accounts for his fine, robust appearance
and general good health and in a meas
ure for the fact that he weighs 220
pounds. To newspaper correspondent,
who asked him to tell how he acquired
this strange liking for rGttlesnakes, he
said:
zone of my uncles told mo hehad heard
Of people eating rattlesnakes, so, out of
curiosity l thought I'd try one. The
woods in the section where | live has al
ways been full of snakes. The next day
after / had been told snakes were good, |
started out on a hunt for RATHER.
wasn't long in findin' one l hammered
his head Off and took him home, skinned
him and soon had him in the fryin' pan
MY mother and sisters wouldn't stay
in the house while | was a-coOkln' of the
thing, but | couldn't help that After the
sarpent was done | took him out put him
on plate, pcppered him over, sloshed a
little vinegar on him an went TO work
My stomach kinder bumped uD in protest
at the first bite, but on the second it
QUOTED down and received the snake with
evident satisfaction.
THE next day had another serpent
under my belt, and the day after that,
and so on until formed a perfect passion
for snake fries. Thar amt no food on
earth that's any better than a fine. fat,
well-fried rattlesuake. Young rabbits is
good, squirrels is JOothsomo, quails is
awful nice, young chickens is not to be
sneezed at-but none of 'em has any
chance with me if | can git a big, fat
rattlesnake The rattler's flesh looks
a good deal like chicken, and when its
fryin' the Odors of it is exactly like young
chicken fryin l tell you you won't
never know first-class eatin' until you
Earn, like me, the glories Of rattlesnake
feast"
Chow do you catch them"
"With forked stick. You see, in cap
turin snakes for tho table you must be
very careful TO keep EN- from bitin them
selves. So | take a forkcd stick about
five feet long, an when | find my prey,
with a short quick move ! fasten the fork
across his neck, an inch from the head |
then hold him firmly with my left hand
and with my right l stoop down and cut
his head square off.
where do | lind most of 'em? oh, in
bark piles My part Of the country is a
great tanbark country. In a month or so
after the tanbark. IS peeled and corded
you'll lind rattler or two in every pile.
DO | do without snakes in the winter
Oh. not much | don't. During the sum
mer season lay by stores for the win
ter ! catch scores an scores Of the sar-
penis, skin 'em an dry em and prepare
'em for winter just the same as others
would store away their winters
bacon Catch me goin' hungry in the
winter for want Of a snake Not much
I'm no Rrasshopper to dance through the
summer and starve when the winter time
comes"
Ibid you every try eating any other
snake"
"Yas; tried a copperhead- bite.
That done me from then till now. IL made
me sick. Whew / don't like ter think
about that 'arl"