Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-09-06
THE GILA MONSTER.
Tragic Experiences with the
Strange Animal In Arizona.
IT. Bite Always Fatal-How Young Man
Who Went Into an Abandoned
Mine to Escape the Law
Met His Death.

uut Wutu IIlIb IL lnlIuutu Ul uOlC
knows better than he how to resent in
vasion, and in a manner that usually
leaves no tongue to repeat the story.
The very appearance Of this strange
creature inspires a horror which the
most venomous serpent Is incapable Of
arousing, and to stand and gaze into
the lidless, unblinking eyes, even when
iron bars interpose, is to experience an
uncomfortable sensation along the re-
gion of ones backbone, and set one
wondering il II was not lust such
creature that originated with the an
clients the belief in an animal whose
very gaze was death. The Mexicans
and Indians of Arizona will tell YOU
that the monster kills by its breath
everything approaching near enough
to inhale The sicl,eninr efiiuyium, this
belief arising from the horror with
which they regard 1t. and from the fact
that it is usually found only at the bot
tom of some old mine shaft or noun
tain cavern, where the heavy, mephitic
air serves to overcome the luckless be-
ing who ventures in, and who falls the
reader victim to the monsters bite.
1t is popular fallacy that this crea-
ture is of the lizard family. an over
grown chameleon, but its small, snake
like head, its Shiny body of u hideous
brownish gray, with smooth white
belly, suggests rather the serpent, but
the tail is short and stumpy.
My first introduction to the ella mon
ster was a tragic one. was spending
some months in Phoenix, A. T., and
had in my employ young Mexican
named Leander, who served me as
body servant, groom and cook in the
modest menage had set up, prefer
ring to dictate my own table fare to
eating the peppery messes which are
the sole diet Of the Mexican popula-
ton, and which are gradually adopted
by Americans dwelling any length OF
time in this climate. To such an ex-
IRENE Is this love Of red-hot pepper
carried by the foreign element that 1t
is said with truth that even the car
rion eaters OF the region Will not touch
dead Mexican.
This boy Leander was a timid, affec-
tomato lad, whose only vice seemed to
be that of gambling. AT this he spent
all his spare time and his entire wages,
often playing all night, though per-
forming his duties next day as usual.
| reasoned with him in vain, and he
would promise me again and again
that he would cease the uneasy life
his propensities caused him to lead,
but he had always an evil angel at his
side in the shape of big pock-marlked
half-breed named francesca. This
man, taking advantage of the boys
weakness, was always at hand to
tempt him to the small gambling hell
frequented by men of his class, and
though | forbade him hanging about
my premises, he would waylay Lean
der and work on his love Of sport un-
til the boy would fall again.
From inquiries / made, | learned
that francesca made practice of
regularly cheating him out of his
wages, but Leander could not be
brought to see this, but played on,
hoping to regain some OF his losses.
But one night he saw an unmistak-
able false play on the part of his en-
envy, and with the quick fury OF his
race, had leaped across the table and
had driven his knife into the breast
Of Francesca The big half-breed
dropped like a log, and thinking him
dead, the boy broke out of the shanty
and ran for the mountains. Next
morning was told Of the occurrence,
and while | deprecated what he had
done, l could not but think the boy
had some excuse for his anger, and
after ascertaining from the surgeon
Franciscos wound would not prove
serious, | resolved to protect Leander
from the law. This was easily done
in those early days, and fearing lest
the boy would perish in the mountains
OF hunger and exposure, l engaged
a small party to go with me in search
OF him.
After some trouble we learned from
herdsman that Leander prevailed on
him to promise that he would bring
him food every day to the mouth Of
shaft which had been the entrance Of
an old silver mine. Here Leander pro-
posed 70 hide himself until the conse-
quences Of his deed had blown over.
The herdsman had kept his promise,
and the day after meeting the boy on
his way to this place Of concealment