The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1900-04-12
VANQUISHED A SPOOK.
BILL SCROGGlNS DID IT AND THEN
DISAPPEARED.

The Singular History of o Peculiar
Character Who Located Wells For
Missouri Farmers and Juggled
with Trained Snakes.
Rev. Bill Scroggins was a character
in a border county of Missouri in 1874.
How he acquired the ecclesiastical pre-
fix and what he did under the title
were stories which used to be told in
the farmhouses of what Is now known
as Cass county. .-.
They said he had been a snake
charmer when he was young man,
that he Travelled about the country as a
sort Of magician and that he showed
farmers with his divining rod where to
dig wells. .s=-
The people Of what was then from
tier country assembled once year in
camp meetings. On one Of these reli-
gious occasions Bill followed the crowd
with his bag of reptiles. The minister,
an old man whose face was like that of
patriarch. told the story in sermon
of Moses lifting up the brazen serpent
in the camp of Israel under the com
mand of Jehovah. The Missouri farm
er who used to entertain travellers with
the recital said that the congregation
was not paNicularly moved by the ap,.
peal. but after its delivery Bill Scrog
gins got up and announced that he had
a bag of real. era wiling. kissing reptiles
which he would exhibit after dinner
just outside the camp ground. and he
claimed that be would show the people
some snake tricks which would beat
the Mosaic story they had just heard
In spite Of the protest of the minister
the people turned out to the live snake
show. and Bill gave them an exhibition
which was great success. 1t is said.
or it used to be said. that there wasn't
a snake trick which Bill Scroggins'
serpents didn't do. When the exhibi-
ton was over. Bill told the people that
he was a sort Of missionary himself in
connection with his business of locat-
ing wells and that he would call on
each member In the evening and advise
with them as to their spiritual and
worldly wants.
When he called. his first question
reply was In the negative. and wells
were scarce. Bill Informed the member
that be must have one located. and
ther be opened his bag of snakes and
as they began crawling Bill lifted up
his voice and called the people to re-
pentance He told them the snakes
would do no harm If they (the people)
would give him the job of locating
wells.
1t was a tax on human belief. but
the Missourian who told the story
vouched for the truth Of his assertion
that the people gave Bill more orders
than DO could fill in one season and
that be broke up the camp meeting.
He was the first hereto in the west.
although the word was unknown in
that country then. He became famous
and was In demand. Wherever he trav
eled he had his bag of trained snakes.
and be waved fat and became indie
pendent
Whenever there was any doubt about
the success Of any movement the word
was passed that Rev. Bill Scroggins
should be summoned.
People In that section believed In
ghosts. as many more enlightened peo-
pie believe In them in this day. There
was one ghost which had done a lively
business along the highway between
the county seat and a river known, to
this day as Bear creek 1t was the
custom of this ghost to chase belated
horsemen over the highway until the
ford at Bear creek was reached. There
the chase stopped. The ghost never
crossed the stream.
When the fame Of Rev. Bill Scrog-
gins had spread abroad. it was sug-
gested that he travel over the Bear
creek road and try his hand on the
spirit Bill accepted the call. He
| made number of journeys before the
ghost materialized. and there were
people who began doubling the exist
ence Of the ghost. while others cited
Rev. Bill as one who could overcome
anything. and by that token he had
| made the ghost take to the woods. The
| com munity was equally divided.
However. the ghost showed up one
night in the midst of storm and chal
lenged Rev. Bill to ride for his life
The snake ecclesiastic refused. and
there was a contest In which Bills
horse was killed. and be was left afoot
The ghost got the bag Of snakes and
| ESCAPED to the ford. where Bill over
took him on the following day. and the
contest was renewed. The ghost IN
dertook to turn the snakes on Rill but
they refused to act. Bill got possession
Of them and turned them on the spirit
| They drove the spirit into Bear creek
and across 1t, and the spirit fed. anG
that was the end Of the ghost In tina,
' country.
Bill returned in triumph to the coun
ty seat and told the story. 1t was re
ceived with some doubt. but as years
slipped by and nobody was chased
people began to believe Bill and apol
ogies came in rather late But Bill wal
vindicated. Then he mysteriously dis
appeared.
Some years later a den OF snakes wal
ty. Mo-. the adjoining county on TIT
south to Cass. and 10 this den was dis
covered the skeleton Of man IN TIT
opinion Of many the skeleton was nom
other than that of Rev Bill Scroggins
So we'll was his memory revered tina
! the bones were collected from thu
snake den. and when the first court
house was built In Cass county. 1t i
said they were placed in a box 1nde
the cornerstone and were found Their
years after when the old COURTEOUS
was demolished Brooklyn Eagle.
| Afraid to Bid.
At an auction sale of miscellaneous
goods at country store the auctionee
put up a buggy robe Of fairly goot
quality. An old farmer inspected i