The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-08-11
JAY ooUNTY's BIG SNAKE.
A Reptilian Monster That Has Made
Hoosier District Famous.
From the Pittsburg Dispatch.

A Reptilian Monster That Has Made
Hoosier District Famous.
From the Pittsburg Dispatch.
Portland, Ind, Aug. 1.-The torrid
weather of the last few days and the
publication of the annual batch of snake
yarns have revived the memory of Jay
county's great serpent and refreshed the
many wild, weird snake tales told con
corning it.
Probably fifteen years have elapsed
since it was first seen in Richmond town
ship. 1t was on a summers afternoon
and gang of men were busily engaged
with the old fashioned cradles in har-
vesting the golden grain. Near by the
field where they were at work ran little
brook, lined on both sides with stubby
willows, long, tangled grass and rank
weeds.
During the afternoon a boy who was in
the party wandered down toward this
spot, and was surprised almost into
speechlessness by seeing a snake whose
dimensions were to him simply mammoth,
dragging its sinuous length along with
the rapidity of a race horse. He quickly
gave the alarm A hunting party was or
gained in short order, and, armed with
rifles, shotguns, revolvers, hoes, spades
and everything available for weapons, a
determined crowd started on the hunt,
but were unsuccessful.
THEY TREED THE MONSTER
The news spread and the next day 200
men joined in the search, many of them
on horseback, with dogs of every fashion
following. With undauuted persistence
they beat to and fro through the bushes
and at several times it was thought that
his snakeship had been sighted, but the
report proved false. All that could be
found was a wide track in the brooks
muddy bank and a furrow through the
fields of waving grain. The disappointed
hunters left for home and for wears the
snake wis supposed to be a myth Later
however, it bobbed up again and nearly
trlgh tened man out of his wits
Al the time the Lake Erie and Western
Railroad Company had crew of men at
work filling in deep cut at Curtis Hill,
eight miles west of this CITY. The dav
was torrid one Old Sol looked down
from the heavens like disk of burning
copper and all nature quiVered laZily be-
meath the shimmering heat. Only short
distance from where the men we're at
work bunch of cattle were quietly feed
ing under the shade of some scraWny
oaks. Suddenly there was commotion
among them, and with heads in the air,
eyes dllated and nostrilS diStended with
fear, they gave bellows of fright and
started away at far more speedy gait
than ever was shown by stampeded
herd on the prairies. Realizing that
one of the men, who had been noticing the
Cattle's queer actions, ran up on the bank
to ascertain if possible the cause, and was
almost paralyzed at the sight which met
his eyes.
FULLY FORTY FEET LONG.
Twined around one of the oaks was a
huge serpent, whose coils enVeloped the
trunk of the tree in fold, which to a
man or beast would have proved a fear
tul death. Its sides were dotted, it's
vicious little eyes seemed to fairly emit
flames Of FIRE, so bright were their scin-
tlllatlons, and from the wide-open mouth,
with its rows of Jagged teeth, darted
long, red tongue which appeared TO thirst
for blood.
The spectator was for the time being
motlonless with fright his feet rooted to
the ground and his whole body powerless
TO move. 1t was as if he were in some
horrible nightmare, but when the i'm
mense snake slowly unwouud its tortuous
length and cast longing glances toward
hin, the power of locomotion returned
ana with a gasp OF fright. he ran as
though pursued by legion Of demons
Summoning help he returned TO the spot
but the snake had vanished. and all
search failed to reveal it. To his com
rades he described it as fully forty feet
long, with body of prodigious size. For
Gays atterward hogs and other domestic
animals were missing IN the neighbor-
mood, and mothers frightened their chill
Qren into a restless sleep by tales of the
horrible monster which would come and
deVour them in case they did not behave
themselves.
Gypsy CAMP TERRoRIzED
The next place the snake put in it's APP
pearance was out in jackson township,
and one dark summer night it fairly ter
roflZed Gypsy camp. The leader OF the
a
event, and made graphic his description
Win gesticulations calculated to more
impress his hearers with the dangers to
winch they were subjected. He said that
on the night in question his family and
number of Others on their way from
iowa 10 the gypsy queens home in Ohio,
ehcamped near little creek. They had
pitched their tents, partaken of the even
ing meal, and were fast asleep, when the
uelghlng of the horses and the barking Of
Ihe dogs awakened them. Men, women
ana children alike. were on their feet in
du instant but through the darkness
nothing could be seen.
Inc dogs still kept up their turmoil
uedr the camp. but all at once there was
tnusn. The frightened ours. with tails
oetWeen their legs, skunk to their mast
er feet in a very agony of fright. An
Instant later there was a rushing sound,
W.. us horses tugged at and broke their
eeyners, and then sped away, with The
give
CHHD's AWFUL PERIL.
Huddled together the campers waited,
S 9ay IL was not for long. Through the
elu circle of the light cast by the smould-
,.lhg campfire an immense serpent glided
'"utlV with his broad head full ten feet
o ,u Ihe air, mouth wide open. and wicked
YES swapping death and destruction.
dr95lFalght it made for one Of the chill
leu and it was almost in the cavernous
Tvs when the little ones mother, her
baS overcome by natural love, seized
aul from the camp fire and plunged II
,tldrely into the serpent's mouth. The
'4Iprlsed snake whirled quickly, dashiug