Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1900-10-11
PLAGUE OF DEADLY vlPERs.
Northern Kentucky Towns Overrun
With Kissing Reptiles.

With Kissing Reptiles.
A great fear has seized upon the
residents of Boone and Campbell
counties, in the northern part of Ken
lucky, because of the sudden appear
ance of venomous snakes known as
the kissing viper or enormously called
the spreading adder. These danger
this locality for many years until
now, but formerly they were very
numerous, and old settlers tell thrill
ing tales concerning their viciousness.
Unlike the majority of venomous SER
penis, they do not wait to be dis
turbed, but attack persons without
provocation and their bite is said to
mean death.
In appearance these Kissing vipers
are different from any of the snake
family common to Kentucky. The
name is given owing to the peculiar
sound, resembling the kissing of a
gose, made by the reptile when dis
turbed. The sound is very shrill and
penetrating and can be heard plainly
at a distance OF 200 feet. Just before
back of the head and from this char
acteristic has been called the spread
ing adder. The swelling back of the
head attains the size of hens egg,
and is said by country people to be
filed with deadly poison, portion of
which is emitted when the snakes
fangs are extended, and if any of this
venom comes in contact with a per-
sons bare skin, whether the fangs
strike or not. death is almost certain
to ensue. 1t is probable that this is
an exaggeratioa.
The viper does not resemble either
the RATHER or copperhead in any par
ticular. 1t gives no warning of its
presence until ready to strike, and it
is much shorter when full grown, the
longest specimens being only about
SO inches in length, the thickness,
however, of one of this size being
about that of mans wrist. The tail
is short and stubby and the reptile
oiIAOoI (A0Nl APOii IL DtlOlC
springing to an attack. The head is
large and of triangular shape and
the mouth is very large. The body is
of a dark copper color and Is appar-
emily covered with scales similar to
those of a fish. The head differs
materially in color, being of a bright
red hue.
How these venomous snakes made
their sudden appearance here is
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 mum
Der of soldiers who were taking q
stroll were attracted by the kissing
sound in a clump Of bushes they were
passing. Approaching the 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 sun .aoned 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 &c Simpson
company OF this city. AS she was
working about the garden her atten-
ton was attracted by strange, hiss
ing sound. She procured hoe, and.
pushing aside some potato vines, be-
held one Of these frightful-looking
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 Erlan-
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.