Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1894-09-29
DEADLY CHA MONSTER.
TRAGIC EXPERIENCE WITH THE
STRANGE ANIMAL.
us rite Always FataI = How Young
Man Who Went Into an Abandoned
Mine 10 Escape the Law Met Ills Death
- The Lovers Awful Fate.

More deadly IMAM the rattlesnake
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 intruded
on none knows better than he how
10 resent invasion, and in a manner
that usually leaves no tongue TO re-
peat the story, The very appearance
or this strange creature inspires a
horror which the most yenomous
serpent Is incapable OF arousing. and
10 stand and gaze into the lidless,
nnblinking eyes. even when iron bars
inteFpose. is to experience an mn-
comfortable sensation along the re-
gion OF ones backbone, aud sets
one wondering II it was not just such
q creature that originated with the
aneients the belief in an animal
whose very gaze was death
II is d popular iallacy that this
creature is OF the lizard family. an
oyergrOwn chameleon, bu, its small,
snake-lilte head, its Shiny body Of
hideous brownish gray. with
smooth white belly, suggests rather
the serpent but the tail Is short and
stlmpy.
Ny first introduction TO the gila
monster was tragic one. writes a
Philadelphia Times correspondent
/ Was spending some months in
Ia Hnix. Ariz. and had in my EN-.
ploy young Mexican named
i.eander, who served me as body
servant groom aud cook ia the
modest mcnage had sci up, prefer
ring 10 dictate my own table fare to
the peppery messes which are the
sole diet Of tie Mexican population.
and which are gradually adopted hy
Americans dwelling al any length of
tlna ID this climate.
This boy l.eandcr was a timld. al.
( fectlOnate lad. whose ONLY vice
seemed 70 be that % gambling Al
this he spent all his spare time aud
/ his entire wages. often playing all
night. though performing his duties
/ the next day rs usual | reasoned
wish him Ia vain. aud ho would
I promise me again aud again that
I he would cease the uneasy life his
I prnpensltics caused him 20 lead. but
ho had always an evil angel at his
/ side III the shape OF big pock.
I marked half.brced named Francesca.
Y this man. taking advantage % the
\ boys weakness. was always at hand
20 tempt him 10 the small gambling
/ hell frcqucnied b. mcn Of his class.
and though forbade him hang ing
I about ms premises. he would way.
lay Lcander and work upon his love
OF sport until the boy would fall
again.
From inquiries made learned
that Francesca made a practice oil
regularly cheating him out OF ms
wages. but Leandcr could not BE-
brought 10 see this, but played on.
hoping 10 regain some Of his losses
Hut ono day be saw az unmistakabls
false play on the part OF his enemy,
and with the quick fury OF his race
had lcaped across the table and had
driven his knife into the breast o.
francesca The big hali.breet
dropped like a log. and thinking
him dead. the boy broke out OF ID,
EhRnty and ran for the mountains
Next morning | was told OF the oc
curronco. and while I deprecated
what no had done. could not bui
think the boy had some excuse foi
his anger. and after asccrtaiuins
from the surgeon Franccsco's wounr
would not prove serious. resolved
20 protect l.candcr from tho law
This was easily done In those early
DAYS. aud fearing lest the boy woulC
perish 10 tho mountains o! hunger
and exposure. engaged small
party 20 60 with mo IN search OF him
After some trouble VIC learned
from a herdsman that l.candcr pre-
vailed on him to promise that h,
would bring him food every day :,
tho mouth Of shaft which haS
been the entrance Of an old silvc
mine. Here Lcandor proposed &
hide himself until the consequence
OF his decd had blown over Tn,
hcrdsmau had kept mis- promise, Hn'
the day after meeting ,hc boy on hi
way TO this place OF concoalmen
had carried some provisions TO III,
shaft and had called to the fugitive
But he had heard nothing in reply
aud so had gone away, thinking tha
after all l.cauder had abandoned hi
plan. proceeded at once 10 tn
spot pointed out by the Mexican
and with ono Of my men entered tn
shaft which had boen sunk az a sharj
angle into the mountain. Our torchc
burned badly In the foul air
tho place. and not seeing II,
stumbled presently over an obiec
that lay across tho path, leane
forward to see what 1t was, and ha
Just recognized with Il thrill OF hot
rur that it was the body Of ma
most sickcningly swollen and dis
colored, when the man with me sud
denly jerled me 10 one side and dis
charged his pistol at dark, glldin
shape that was making at me
..Back. back, sonorm he cried. drag
cling 40 me 'lt ~ the black death,
Impel!ed by him, though not undel
standing the danger, ] backed out
tha nince. and wug then told that