Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-10-11


Sc inches in length, the thickness,
however, of one of this size being
about that of mans wrist. The tail
is short aud stubby and the reptile
stands almost erect upon it before
springing to an attack The head is
large and OF a triangular shane and
the mouth is very large The body is
Of dark copper color and is appar-
entity covered with scales similar To
those of a fish. The head differs
materially in color, being of bright
red hue.
How these yenomOus snakes made
their sudden appearance here is a
matter of conjecture 1t is claimed
by some that they were brought here
in the drift on the Ohio river from
Virginia, while others claim they
were brought here in cars of logs and
lumber from Tennessee.
As yet only one nest of these pois-
onous serpents has been found. their
custom being to travel in pairs. last
week at Fort Thomas, near the scene
OF the Pearl Bryan tragedy a num-
Der Of soldiers who We're takine q
stroll were attracted by the kissing
sound in clump of bushes they were
passing. Approaching tie spot. they
were Mortified to see a cluster of hiss
ing reptiles, all splitting forth a
volume of what appeared to be blue
vapor. They summoned assistance,
and with the aid of several shotguns.
succeeded in killing the entire lot,
amounting to twenty-three.
The first of these species of snakes
discovered at Erlanger was by Mrs
L. C, Yeager, wife of the cashier of
the firm of LeBoutillier & Simpson
company Of this city. AS she was
working about the garden her atten-
ton was attracted by a strange, hiss
ing sound. She procured a hoe, and.
pushing aside some potato vines. be
held one of these notwithstanding
reptiles. Unlike the most of women
she stood and fought the poisonous
snake in it's wild efforts to strike her
and finally succeeded in killing it.
When her husband returned home
at night she told him of her exper-
fence and on investigation he learned
that his wife had encountered one of
the most dangerous snakes known In
modern times. Other people at ErIan-
ger who have encountered and killed
snakes of this same family are
Squire Webb, cashier of the Erlanger
bank; Postmaster Edward Riggs and
Charles Hilker, all of whom live in
the same vicinity, and all had thrill
ing experiences in their encounters
Marshal Jeff Stephens of Florence
while working in his flower garden
last week was attacked by one Of
these snakes, and but for the timely
blow delivered by a friend who was
near by would have been
struck by the vicious reptile.
Frederick Lail, while working in a
tobacco patch near Florence, had the
most thrilling encounter yet heard Of
He was hOeing about the tobacco
stalks whom suddenly, without a mo-
ment's warning, one of these venom
Gus snakes COilcd around his hoe
handle, emitting kissing sounds. He
cried to other hands in the field. one
of whom procured a shotgun. ana
after ciTcling around and around to
prevent the reptile from throwing any
Of it's venomous fluid onto them sue
ceeded in killing it.
The children of Thomas Castleman
of Burlington had a miraculous es-
cape from being poisoned by one of
these snakes one day last week. The
little ones were playing on a teet6r
board in the back yard when their
father, who happened to he passing,
heard the kissing sound Of the reptile
and called to his children to run. He
afterward succeeded in killing the
snake.
IN the vicinity now infested with
this uncommon reptile parents dread
to let their little ones oven enter into
their own yards for fear Of their he-
ing attacked, and a vigorous war Of
determination is likely to be waEed
at once