The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-07-13
Dined on
.RaHlesnakes.

A snake dinner was given at Roch-
ester N Y, last week by Rattlesnake
Pete, whose full name is Peter Gruber.
Il included such delicacies as fried rat
tier and steWed water moccasln. The
table was decorated at one end with a
fine stuffed RATHER and at the other
was a magnificent cobra, also mounted.
The center piece was a live rattlesnake,
five feet long, that kept UP a. continual
buzzing inside glass jar. The skins of
rattlers were spread out as doilies on
the table. Gruber had on q coat Of rat
tlesnake skins.
A visit of Prof Henry Davies, of Den
yer, furnished the inspiration for the
snake dinner. When Mr.. Gruber and
United States Deputy Marshal Shon
were in the West a year ago, according
to the New York Sun, the professor got
up a snake meal on small scale. Mr..
Gruber decided to Guido the Western
mans effort, and to furnish food for the
repast many of Mr. Grubers pets went
into the stew pan. Gruber superfntend-
ed the cooking in person.
Not all the eighteen guests ate snake.
Gruber saw to it that the snakes were
not cooked to pieces, so there was no
mistaking the fact that he was furnish,
ing the real article.
Rats! It's nothing but eels," re-
marked one of the diners. as he SAMPLED
piece of water moccasin, and found it
good and palatable.
Better than frogs legs" commented
another
Reminds me of a black bass I got
up at Lonely lake." said a sportsman.
The snake dishes reminded almost
everyone Of some particularly fine
morsel he had mad, SO they must have
been pretty good.
Mr. Gruber furnished ordinary roard-
ing house food for those who didn't
want to eat snake. When cigars had
gone around the Denver professor did
tricks with the big RATHER in the Gems
ter Of the table, He hung the writing
thing about his neck, twisting it in
knots and laying its head playfully in
the palm of his hand. Then he opened
his shirt and the head darted in and
rested there. In a couple of minutes he
carefully drew 1t out. Mr.. Davies ex-
planned his carelessness as to conse-
quences by saying that he had no fear
of being bitten when he was able to
take his time handling a RATHER. All
one had to do was to use care in order
not to stir the snakes .emper. If this
is aroused the snake will strike.
But the RATHER needs five or six incn-
es in which to strike" said the profess
sor ST hold him close to me there
is no danger, for he hasn't room enough
to get in his work.
There was a doubling Thomas present
and the professor asked Mr. Gruber to
show that the snake had deadly quail
ties. Thereupon the Rochester man
gerIlly showed a penknife between the
snakes jaws, and two fangs darted out
Slight pressure forced several drops of
a light greenish substance upon the tip
of the knife blade.
There's enough venom to Kill a
houseful of men," remarked Mr. Gruber.
Mr.. Davies told of some experiences
he had had out in the Rockies hunting
rattIers He said he had been successful
in his search because he never irri-
tated or disturbed his game more than
was necessary. He told of one trip
when he captured nearly sixty, without
being in danger of a bite. He ran across
them all in a bunch. They were sun
ming themselves and were lying cross
wise and languidly slapping one another
with their tails. He gathered them in
one at time just as a man would put
potatoes into a bushel basket, being
careful not to pinch or squeeze any OF
them In the operation.
Rattlesnake Pete also entertained tle
guests with stories of his experiences in
the Pennsylvania oil fields. The medici-
nal value of rattlesnake oil was touched