The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-11-08
AN Indiana Terror dead
He Mas a Rattlesnake and a Verita-
BILE Giant.
OVER TWENTY-TWO FEET LONG
Although an Immense Specimen, Was No
torious for His Cowardicc. and This
Fact Probably Preserved His Life
for Many Long Years.

A dispatch from Synderson, Ind, to
the Commercial Advertiser, gives the
following account of the death of
serpent of much note:
1t is announced by John Noland, one
of the best known farmers in the
county, that the famous snake, the
Madison county terror that is known
over eastern Indiana, Is dead, or at
least there is evidence to substantiate
such an assertion. 1t will be remem-
bered that several weeks ago Lafay-
cite township farmer who was cutting
his hay, ran into his snakeship with
his mower, and the result was that six
feet of tail parted company with the
terror. Several farmers were sum-
moned and the rest of the field cut, but
despite all precautions, his snakeship
made good his escape.
The part of the tail cut off was
tion. 1t was almost six feet long, and
at the place where the mower blade had
got in its work it was almost six inches
in diameter. Putrefaction made it
necessary to bury the remnant, but
there are many who will make affidavit
to having seen 1t. The snake disap-
peared and has not been found. Thurs
day afternoon John Noland and his
hands We're clearing out a thicket in
the Dismal swamp and getting some of
the land ready for drainage and cult
walton. They suddenly came upon
what seems to be the skeleton of a
snake. The flesh was all dried and in
many places worn away by the ele-
ments. .,..-.'., .''..'..'..
The thicket was cleared and it was
found that the skeleton measured a
few inches over fifteen feet. The tail
was missing entirely. it being severed
at place where the bones would indi-
cate his snakeship had been about five
inches through. This, together with the
fact that the thicket is less than a mile
from the place where the Madison
county terror collided with the mower,
to his sorrow, leads to the belief that
this is the last remains of tho noted rep
tile, which had a name all over the gas
belt. Mr.. holland has the bones to bear
out his assertions, and many have gone
out to see them. They are of size
that would indicate that the reptile was
a monster, and, If not the famous
snake, was one that had never been
seen, as it was much larger, evidently,
than the ordinary Indiana creeper.
THE Madison county terror has
been known as a reality for at least
eight years, and probably longer. 1t
made its home in the Dismal swamp, a
stretch of land lying between this city
| and Pendleton, which is just now, for
the first time, being drained and made
ready for cultivation. He was a mon
ster, many who have seen him in this
and the immediate adjoining counties
estimating his length at thirty feet, his
width at one foot. The skeleton would
indicate that he was about twenty-five
feet long and about eight inches in
diameter at the largest point. Those
who have seen his tracks in crossing a
newly plowed field state that 1t looked
like sack of grain had been dragged
along He was notorious for his cow.
ardice, and this probably served him
well in preserving his life. He had won.
derful speed, and always made his es.
cape when cornered, in preference tc
| fighting. He lived upon small beasts
and other daintles he could get hold OF
without running any risk.
David Croan, who was probably the
best posted on the vicissitudes of thi:
reptile, used to state that he happened
in Indiana by accident. 1t was hi
opinion that he made his escape from
circus. He was not native of thi
state, it is certain as he was ten o.
twelve times the size of the common
Indiana reptile. The famous Forepaugl
circus had a wreck in this country a few
years before the terror made his ap
pearance,. and it is thought that he es
capped then. He had no mate and al
ways seemed lonely. The bones, whicl
have been found, will be boiled an,
cleaned, then wired together and pre-
sented to the Madison County Histori
cal society to be placed in the museum
The tail is also to be unearthed an
cleaned in a similar manner, so that
will be complete