The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-08-08
THAT OLD JAY SNAKE.
"Reminiscences OF the Big Serpent
That Made Folks shake.


That Made Folks shake.
PORTLAND. 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 tales told concerning
it.
Probably fifteen years have elapsed
since it was first seen In Richland town
ship. 1t was ON d summers afternoon
and a 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 a
little brook, lined on both sides with
stubby willows. long-tangled grass and
rank weeds During the afternoon
boy, who was in the party, wandered
down toward this spot and was sur
prised almost into speechlessness by see
ing a snake, whose dimensions were 10 him
simply mammoth, dragging its sinuous
length along with the rapidity OF a race
horse. lie quickly gave the alarm. a
hunting party was organized in short
order and armed with rifles, shotguns
revolvers. hoes spades. and everything
available for weapons, a determined
crowd started on the hunt. but We're
unsuccessful
The news spread and the next day POO
men Joined in the search, many of them
on horseback, with dogs OF every kind
following With undaunted 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 furr0W through the
feds OF waving grain. The disappointed
hunters LETT for home and for years the
snake was supposed 10 BE- a myth. Later.
however, IL bob5ed up again and nearly
frightened a man out of his wits.
At the time the Lake Erie & Western
railroad company had crew Of men at
work filing in a deep cut at Curtis hill.
eight miles west Of this city. The day
was a tOrrid one. Old Sol booked down
from the heavens Ike a disk Of burning
copper. and all nature quivered laZily be-
meath the shimmering heat. Only a
short distance from where the men were
at work bunch OF cattle We're quietly
feeding under the shade OF some scrawny
oaks. Suddenly there was commotion
among them, and with heads in the air,
eyes dlated, and nOstrils distended with
fear, they gave bellows of fright and
started away at f8- more speedy gait
than ever was shown by a stampeded
herd on the prairies. Realizing that
something serious must have occurred,
one of the men, who had been noticing
the eattle's queer actions. ran up on the
bank to ascertain If possible the cause,
ana was almost paralyZed AZ the sight
which met his eyes
Twinsd about one Of the oaks was
huge serpent whose coils enveloped the
trunk OF the tree in a fold which 10
man or beast would have proved a fear
ful death. It's sides We're dotted, its vi
eious little eyes seemed 10 fairly emit
flames OF fire. 50 bright were their scin-
tillations, and from the wide-open mouth
with its rows Of jagged teeth darted a
long red tongue which appeared TO thirst
for blood
The spectator was for the time being
motionless with fright. his feet rooted
10 the ground and his whole body pow
erless TO move II was as if he were
IN some horrible nightmare but when
the immense snake slowly unwound its
tortuous length and cast longing glances
toward him the power Of locomOtion re-
turned. and with "A gasp Of fright he ran
as though pursued by a legion of de-
mons. SummOning help he returned TO the
spot. but the snake had vanished. and
all search failed TO reveal IL. To his
comrades he described it as fully forty
feet long. with a body Of prodigious size.
For days afterward hogs and other small
domestic animals We're missing in the
neighborhood. and mothers frightened
their children into q restless sleep by
tales Of the horrible monster which
would come and devour them in case
they did not behave themselves
The next place the snake put in its
appearance was out in Jackson town
ship. and one dark summers night II
fairly terrorized a gypsy camp. The
leader OF the gypsies told a graphic tale
regarding the event and made graphic
his description with gesticulations cal
culated to more impress his hearers with
the dangers TO which they We're sub
jected. He said that on the night in
question his family and a number of
others on their way from Iowa to the
gypsy queens home in Ohio encamped
near a little creek. They had pitched
their tents, partaken of the evening
meal, and were fast asleep when the
neighing of the horses and the barking
of the dogs awakened them. Men, wom-
en- and children alike were on their feet
in an instant, but through the darkness
nothing could be seen.
The dogs still kept up their turmoil
near the camp, but all at once there was
hush. The frightened ours, with tails
between their legs, skunk to their mas
ters' feet in a very agony of fright. An
instant later there was a rushing sound.
the horses tugged at and broke their
tethers then sped away, with the
screams of terror that only horse can
give. Huddled together the campers
waited. but 1t was not for long. Through