The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1903-08-15
HALF-A-SNAKE BITE.
A MANS EXPERIENCE WITH
A SNAKE THAT FOUGHT
IN SECTIONS.


Horses Leg-Cut 1t in Two
With a Hatchet-Bitten
In the Fore6nger-Arm
Badly Swollen.
Williamsport, Pa, Aug. 5.-Wil-
liam Sehley, of Decatur township,
has resolved to never again cut a
rattlesnake into more than two pie
ces. An experience which he had
a day or two ago has convinced him
that he may make two snakes out
of one with impunity, but when he
gets greedy and tries to make three,
there is apt to be trouble. Incl
dentally Mr.. Schley has learned
that as snake-bite medicine COM
mon chicken can give cards and
spades to whisky-a remedy which
heretofore has been regarded as an
indispensable adjunct to life in this
mountainous region.
It msy be of interest to many to
know just how it feels to be bitten
by halfa snake, and soMr. Schley's
account of his experience Is given
as he told it. While he talked he
held a swollen and discolored right
arm in a sling and sat dangling his
legs from the platform outside the
crossroads store, near his home. A
halls dozen Of his friends stood a
bout and listened with awe at the
recital, which had to be repeated as
often as another man appeared on
the scene.
''It happened up mere in Sharer's
Gap, said Mr.. Schley. ST started
for mess of huckleberries. Alter
driving up through Bald Eagle val
ley to the gap, I -hitched my horse
and took my basket from the bug
gy. It was just few feet from
there that the berries were thick. 1
was crossing the road to the patch
when I saw a big rattler right in
front of me. In nv time / have
killed some big ones, but none that
could hold feather to that fellow.
''For a moment I stood admiring
him and wondering how ! could
catch him. He seemed peaceable
enough. coiled there in the road,
and | thought he might stay there
till I could get crotcbed stick in
the woods and catch him. 1 had a
hatchet in the buggy and went to
get it, thinking to cut a crotched
stick with it.
"Well, sir, that snake must have
been watching me, for the moment
turned my back it made a lunge
for the horses leg. I brought the
hatchet down on the rattler, and
when l lifted it there were two
snakes where there had been but
one before. I had cut the fellow in
two, and yet I hadn't taken the
fight out of him. No, sir. He
kept right on-that is, the
front part of him did-and in
another moment he was ready to
strike the horse. So again my
Ratchet went down, but he swerved
aside and let me have those fangs
right in the forefnger of my right
hand here.
SWELL, / tried to shake him off,
but he wouldn't shake worth a
cent. In my excitement I forgot
that I had horse and buggy so
near at hand. but I did remember
hat Christ Sharer lived about five
miles from where I was, and
started over the hill toward his
aouse. I put my foot down on the
md of the snake and pulled my
band free from his fangs. l ran
'aster than before until [ reached |
sharer's home.
My finger had swollen to twice
ts natural size and my hand was
BADLY swollen. Ny arm was blue
Up to the elbow. Sharer at once
,ound my arm to stop the circula-
ion and then poured whiskey into
ne.
"Sharer killed chicken ! and
plit it open. Then he split my
niger where the fangs had entered
md placed the chicken on the
wound. The chicken meat turned |
green and yellow, and gradually |
he swelling in my arm went down
Ind the pain stopped. Mr.. Sharer
hen made poultice Of soap and |
he white of an egg, and put it on
he wound.
"This relieved the pain and soon
he liquor that I had poured into
ne sent me to sleep. remained |
It Mr.. Sharer's house all day and
hen went home. Although the |
Iwelling had gone my arm felt sore
ind I expect it will be some time be-
ore I can use Ratchet again"