The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-26
HERR Won MOSER'S SNAKES.
FOR THEIR SAKE He rs AN EXILE
FROM hrs GERMAN HOME.
Snakes Arc Epicures and the Cieaniiost OF
Creatures, ne says-Nusic Has 80 Charms
for Them-Ono That Pensts ON Chicken ana
Ice Grenm-Hhnir Very MANY Ailments.

NTthNuENNs no Fnyb-Nseat' ~ w ShaEtab
for Them-Ono That Fensts ON Chicken ana
Ice ~Cresm-rheir Very Many Aiiments.
LIBERTY. n. v. Sept, 2O.-G. Won Moser is
n man of mark hereabouts. partly because he
is known es n snake charmer, but chiefly be-
cause IL Is believed that he is an exile from his
homo In c,ruonr m account NJ bis 1--we for
ho"no l" ucTh"hS oh ao'ouhV '. H' NV ~"
snakes. lie Is perhaps 30 years OF age ana over
six feet tall. with an angular figure, blue eyes
.nd = ,,onI ,,,sa aa..dInr % tho s,rrv
ana a blond mustachc. According 10 inc STORY
they tell here, he is a son OF Gustav Won Moser'
the German play wright and author. His fond
hoes shahcs u LIE power V o i'p'"0' wv
vcloped in his Childhood, when he used TO wan.
- - Iii NJ - AT, ,.i,h ,noLo,
.o"o "omo VII us pocho's hi'eu W." '"a""''
vain; II, could not master the fascination snakes
Ind for hiu, Eith, roara ono hi. fo,hor onva
n"u y MN, EiBnt years ago ne ,e'nel S",o
MIN tho choice of his home or his snakes. lie
chose the snakes and came here. where three
yeors ,,,.r ho I'D HE homo n i,ar,y
years ia'er ne maze MS nome IN Liberty.
He lives in Il pretty cottage on Main street
in the heart of the village, and while his wife
a., o,,,o, -. .-,..,a, III, A. 49,. ..arl.
Is abroad on an extended visit to her people,
he Keeps bachelors hall with. his queer boon
companions. He says that next to his wife
mere Is no one dcarer 10 MIN thah MS reptiles'
He has a strange charm over them, for as he
caresses them H. IA evident TINT the affection In
mutual IT., h,. ,o.ii,.I .amauaI ~ = -.
mutual hc mas uecIheu several ohers 70 OK
Herr Won Mo.er is n magazine Of information
unon IN. suh;rct ~ srnkes Th.v INV. hoen
a life study with him and arc ever his favor.
ito tonic.
1T would seem easy to care for snakes" no
said the other day, .'for they arc happy and
content with one imcal a week. and there are
one good meal a month, while they arc known
to exist sometimes for hall u year without
eating. Snakcs arc great cpicurcs and have a
very delicate palRtp. They would rather fast
any time than consume FOOD unpala,abla to
| great care otherwise, for. strange AS it may
seem. these reptiles that have been cursed to
creep on their bellies ali their life are the V ry
he ncntcr. and it 10 this popularity that calls
for the tenderest care and constant attention.
ana are subject to many diseases. chiefly due
to lack OF cleanliness, heat, or light. They re.
or flowers. Their most common ailments are a
skin disease and sore eyes. The former is a
STri ii them a10p tSs scales Mss'f b sesh'F out In and ' dro IS" oTs
Their worst enemy is n canceroma throat. II
is very painful and frequently fatal,
ouentlv grow TO be- over a hund red Years old.
Here they are very successful in combating ali
diseases 10 which their sensitive bodies are
subject. for they have tho Instinct To- know
what herbs and Wildwood viii effect a euro. and
While Herr Won M"scr was srsnking md
fondling .. fycfoot king snake, the soft strains
Of a Violin waited in from an ad Joining room
snake have no ears and NOT withdrawing
the assertion OF museum fakirs. you will notice
that the seductive notes of my friends violin
have no charms for nv net. Have thcy. %pcttiri'
undressing the king in afirctionato tones.
Their nerves. however, are very acute. and
they can discern noises ihrough vibration from
remarkable distances. The association OF
to the East Indian fnkir.. who use the cobra for
exhibition purposes. Cobras are very readily
instinct the fakirs turn to the best account.
One fakir comes out and plays "A futc. while an.
other opens the basket, and behold. the cobra
dances. but in this ease it is the piper who keeps
time To- the cobra 5 evoIntions, and not vice versa,
for when the piper has finished the basket is
closed, while the cobra keeps dancing on"
The conversation led TO Herr Won Moser's
own collection Of snakes, Of which there were
gracefully around his shoulders and neck. one
In MS hands, one creeping along the couch upon
S %1I e. he %ts s1,; an .iIj sa% SS Xxi sn in the : s"rsfi ne
in A rather thrcateuins attitude on the table,
Herr Won Moscr pointci to the last and said:
..Ibput lie alarmed. Tint /. IN, CONNER snake.
The cannibal variety. he is really very gentle
nnn is .SDiIotes rorTs. II" i about To- { Years
Old and measures six feet. When | bought him
scum in New York the poor fellow was almost
cIsE,ner lnd .ns,hrr but lsTsg. and sIr""ss5
terror q his he. 50 he haG To b" Kept separate
mrsirctrd. Nov he has fatt,ncd up tincly and
has BECOME Quite an cuicurr. and looks forward
with considerable anticipation to our Wcines.
day and sunday dinner, OF chicken and ice
cream. which are among his fnyurltc dishes.
Nou So, hi- skin il black, hui in IN, sun i: is ir.
idrsrcnt, with beautiful opalesCcnt colors,
Picking up another shake. he sad: This
fellow here is an OUh ,boius net Ius, better
known as the king snake. on ali the cannihal
snake, he il the most feared among his Crra.
tIrc.. lie is not "A b, sociabie. Birds and
mice are his delicacics, and he consumes all
the garter and water snakes that cross lis
path and MANY others of his own size live feetL.
lie can easily best a snake three times his size,
ana is also an adept in attacking a ~rf,tier'
Of course, he il aware Of the %rnttlcr's ability
to ucicnd himself, and 80 he attacks him he.
hind the Jaws and constructs him. King
snakes are found pretty much all over. hui
they are particularly common in the vicinity OF
Norfolk, Sn, where This one comes from. | have
another king snake here, Ophibalus guttGtus,
the spotted variety. He comes from the ont.
skirts OF 81. Louis, and is n beauty. His black
skin looks ms II it was sprinkled with gold
dust. lie has the same cannihal instinct, but
feeds chiefly On small birds and loads. Speak.
ing OF ~rnttlcrS, | have caught fou. myself.
They are bad customers, and dangerous Eel.
lows TO monkey with. The best way to tackle