The Indianapolis journal., 1903-11-08
HUNDREDS OF MoCCAsINs.
Den of Poisonous Snakes I'm Haunted
Cabin-Three Men stung to Death.
Mahoning (Pa.) special to st. Louis POST
DiSpafch


For many years there has been an old.
tumbledown frame cabin standing i'm an
isolated point on the summit of the Mahon-
Ing mountain, about a mile from Ashfield.
Sometimes hunters visit the locality, but
few people venture near the place, for the
cabin has had the name of being haunted
for many years, the superstitious Pennsyl-
vania Dutch mountaineers declaring that
strange lights and mysterious noises, SIM
liar to the agonized shrieks of a woman.
have been heard emanatng from the build
ing. Old men and women, who have lived
In this region for fifty years. assert that a
shocking murder was committed in the
cabin, the victim being young woman.
This section of the Mahoning mountains,
at this season OF year, Is usually infested
with moccasin snakes OF a venomous ma
ture. Sometimes dens OF these horrible
reptiles are found that contain scores OF
the farmers organize "killing parties and
make vigorous attempts 10 exterminate the
vicious snakes, but all efforts TO drive them
out prove futile, their number seeming TO
be incalculable.
This season the moccasins have been ex-
tremely numerous near the mountains
summit. A few nights since piercing
screams were heard coming from the direc-
tion OF the haunted cabin by some fisher
men who were trout fishing in Mahoning
dam, but no attention was paid 10 IL. be-
cause IL was believed IL was merely rep
etition of the noise known 10 emanate at
certain intervals from the old buildings.
On Saturday afternoon two yenturesome
Il.
Barnes. of East Allentown. were making
a pedestrian trip through the slate mining
country, visited Mahoning summit. eau
tiously approached the dismantled cabin
ing upon the east side OF the mountain.
The sight that met their eyes almost
froze the blood in their veins. Lying upon
the floor were the bodies OF three Hun
garian laborers. black and bloated, while a
mass of about fifty deadly moccasin snakes
were wriggling around the corpses and
xfrp fhe fhe xrfp rH~
young men. frightened almost out OF their
wits, took TO their heels and ran all the
way TO Ashfield and reported the terrible
party Of farmers armed themselves and
proceeded to the cabin. After firing upon
the snakes through the windows. killing
many of them and driving the others out.
an investigation was made, when IL was
found the men were members OF n crew
of workmen who, until few weeks ago.
were employed upon "A new span of the
Lehigh Valley Railroad. IL is supposed the
victims sought safety from n deluging rain
storm by entering the haunted building.
Night coming on. the Hungarians, not
Knowing the locality was infested with the
dreaded moccasins, lay down and went TO
sleep. The snakes crawied from their
holes in the building and attacked the
sleepers. and. before they could escape.
stung them 10 death
Ii Is now proposed to destroy the ancient
building that has such a greusOme history.
and at. the same time demolish n place
that has afforded shelter for the poisonous
moccasins. for the cabin is alive with the
reptiles. hundreds of them appearing TO
come from every crevice on the day the
Hungarians discovered and when the
farmers slaughtered so many.
1t is now believed the cabin has been the
lair of the reptiles for years. but whether
they caused the ghostly noises or whether
they were created by other means. OF
course. IL Is difficult TO conjecture The
demolition OF the haunted cabin will ease
the minds of superstitious timid people
and hunters and fishermen. who find plenty
OF sport upon the historical Mahoning
mountains.