The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-10-21
special to the scranton Tribune.

special to the Scranton Tribune
Susquehanna. Oct. 20.--Tohn Iinkler,
Of Little Equinunk. boarded an Erie
railroad train at Hancock, carrying a
large bag and a phonograph He very
carefully deposited the bag and pho
nograph in seat. and one OF the curl
Gus passengers asked John If the bag
contained eels.
"Wa-al hardly" drawled Zinkler. as
he gave the bag a gentle shake. In
stantly there came from the interior
Of the bag a dull hiss. followed by Il
furious and almost deafening rattline
"Hows tbem for ecls?" cried John,
as the passenger retreated to re-
spectacle distance.
zinkler then explained that the bag
contained twenty-five rattlesnakes and
two blacksnakes. weighing forty-four
pounds. He had been near Hancock
for a. week. snake hunting among the
hills. Zinkler Is the successor OF the
late John Geer, the famous snake
catcher of Long Eddy. who. in his time.
killed and captured thousands OF
snakes. and compounded Il sure anti
dote for snake bites. Zinkler makes a
good living selling snakes. at the rate
Of 81 a foot, to proprietors Of museums
in Chicago. New York and Philadel-
phia and to naturalists all over the
country. He also sells the oils and
skins Of the reptiles. The oil goes to II
Chicago man. who manufactures spe-
cific for rheumatism. The skins are
used in the manufacture of ladies'
purses belts and novelties.
In his trips John is equipped with a
big bag. a bottle of chloroferm. and a
long stick with hook on one end. He
thrusts the stick into hole. pulls out
a snake. pins it to the earth. chloro-
forms it, and throws ii into the bag.
He has been bitten scores OF times. but
his antidote OF turpentine and wild
turnip, made into paste. kills the
poison. Last season Zinkler captured
400 snakes. Asked if he took along the
phonograph to capture the snakes.
John replied: We'll, hardly. play
for the boys at the hotels at night and
the collections help to pay expenses
In Susquehanna County.
The Past Sachems' associa ton OF
Susquehanna county, Improved Order
Of Red Men. held a well attended meet
ing at Great Bend on Saturday even
ing.
Inc tnlftS-nlln annual session OI tne
Susquehanna County Teachers insti
tute will be held al Niontrose, Oct. %
c4. The following will be the instruc-
tors and speakers: Hon. John l.. Stew
art. deputy state superintendent Of
Pennsylvania: Hon. w. w. Stetson.
state superintendent of Maine; Hon.
Frank l.. Jones. state superintendent Of
Indiana: DR.. W. y. Ferris, Big Rapids,
Michigan; George W. Howell. Scran-
tom Prof. H. B. LarraIee, Keuka
Park. y. y: Dr.. Andrew Thomas
Smith, State Normal school at Mans
field.
Halstead expects that the I.acka
wanna company will. return several
train crews from Scranton to that bor-
ouch.
Prospecting for oil and natural gas
will be resumed this week at Steam
Hollow. Great Bend township. For
several days past the workmen have
been fishing in the we "nr lost drill.
In Paragraph.
The funeral Of Thomas, the 11-year-
cid son of Ny. aud Mrs. James F. Sher-
idan, of Erie avenue, took place and
was largely attended, on Sunday after
noon, from st. Johns Catholic church.
nterment was made in Laurel Hill
cemetery. The young men died from
the effects of a gunshot wound, sus-