The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-02-02
THEY TRAINSNAKES
HOW DON ALIEN AND HIS WIFE HAN
Ole THE REPTILES.
4 Reporters Easit to the Houseboat Home
Of the Mexfcss Snake QueeE-Stories and
Sights That vyere Enough to Make Ones
Flesh "Crawl."


the flag of Spain. Nothing about the yes
sci would indicate that it was in any wise
different from any other boat of its kind
| floating on the surface of the yellow Mis-
: sissippi. Appearances are sometimes de-
ceiying, and Ed they are in this case.
Aboard of the little green housebUat dwells
Senior Don Allen and his wife, the latter
best known As Laura Lee, the Mexican
! snake queen. For many years past the
! couple have been engaged In the danger
Gus vocation o. capturing snakes and either
| converting them into oil or making pets
! of the reptiles and then disposing of them
to shows and museums.
| Upon invitation of Mr.. Allen a reporter
| crossed the high levee, and walking gin
| gerly over the a;.ngplank entered the float.
! ing residence OF the serpent charmers, and
! seated upon the top of high stool listen
ed to an interesting and graphic descrip-
ton OF snakes in general and upon the
! means and methods pursued by Senior
| Allen and his wife in making captives
and pets of these reptiles. Mr.. Allen and
his wife sell the snakes TO universities and
to manufacturers for their skins. This is
their business, and they make living BY
ii.
Mr.. Allen prefaced his remarks by say
ing that of ali the snakes to be found in
the United States but three of the families
of the reptiles could properly be classed
as deadly" "Yet,'' said the catcher,
''these families comprise about 80 species,
distributed as follows: Rattlesnake, z;
cottonmouths, S: copperheads, Il, the two
latter being nnccasins and jewellers in
swamps and low places. Of course there
are many snakes which possess the power
of injecting irritating poisons into the
blood of the persons they bite, but the
wound, while painful, is not fatal. Now,
l have been bitten eight times by snakes
belonging to the classes or families men
toned. Yet, while these reptiles are ex-
tremely dangerous to life, am here yet.
don't profess TO consider the matter Of
being bitten by a RATHER or a cottonmouth
an event to be treated lightly, for I have
seen too many persons die from this cause.
Some months ago up the river had
been handling a batch of snakes, and
when finished placed them in their box.
One of the large rattlerS raised his head.
and as thrust him down, why, as quick
as flash, he drew back his head, and be-
fore / could withdraw my hand he had
pierced the back with both fangs, the teeth
going in up to tie gums.
lHdb was d Udu Dfte, SttIu tIle uOlly
"and suffered greatly for several hours.
My wife was present at the time, and when
the thing occurred she grasped my hand,
and placing the wounded part in her
mouth sucked a portion of the venom
therefrom.
Were you ever bitten." queried the re-
porter, turning TO Mrs. Allen, who, by
the way, is an extremely intelligent and
comely woman.
''Only once" answered Ghe lady. 81
have been accustomed for many years to
handle snakes, and 1 have never had the
slightest fear. Yet 1 am always careful
not to anger the reptiles or treat them
any way but gently.
Not SO very long ago a number of
gentlemen cGme to the boat and requested
me to show them my pets. l was glad to
do so and exhibited them for q short time,
dwelling upon their virtues and praising
their intelligence Ialways train one snake
least to kiss me when tell it to, and
the snake on this occasion was a cotton
mouth. ! told it to kiss me, which it did,
but it suddenly darted its head against my
face, not in love, tell you, for its fangs
struck my nose, piercing the cartilags
clear into the nostrils, causing it to bleed
inside
81 called to my husband that was Bit
ten, and he fastened to apply the RENE
dies. In ten minutes, however, my eye. |
were closed and face badly swollen. Doc
tors were sent for, but my husband did
all the doctorine, and, although / was
very sick, pulled through"
The popularity of the poisons," chimed J
in the don, Us that the venom of a rattle
snake acts on the blood, that of the cop
perhead on the nervous system, and the
poison of the cottonmouth paralyzes the /
nerve centers and the heart.
My plan of capture is extremely SIM !
pie. All snakes, just before they spring !
away upon the approach Of man, hesitate (
for a moment and lie perfectly still. This ,
is my opportunity, and grasp it, and nine /
times out of ten his snakeship as well. !
Practice makes perfect, and 1 have been t
at it a long time. A rattlesnake when 1
pursued coils and is ready to defend hill (
self flip stone or small piece of stick /
at him. He uncoils and starts off, but be- /
fore he can again coil have him back of /
the neck.
''No, use no stick. Nothing but my /
hands.
You may laugh, too, when l tell you
that our snake lore teaches us not TO hunt I
when the wind is in the northwest. II /
we do we find no snakes. Again, the signs !
of the zodiac govern. When the fishes are |
in the ascendant, we find snakes, and lots
Of them. The principal seasons of the
year for us are spring and fall. The snakes
are then fat and produce lots of oil.
And now that we have spoken SO
much about snakes I'll show you some"
said Mrs. Allen.
SuitiDg the action to the word, she open
ed box lying near, and thrusting her
hand into the aperture brought out sew
eral kingsnakes.
These are perfectly harmless, - said the
lady, and being almost ready to shed
their skins are nearly blind
After letting the reptiles squirm about
and thrust their black tongues against
her face and neck she unwound their folds
from about her and placed them in their