The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-30
GOOD POINTS OF
" CHA MONSTERS
Long Tom Wilson Defends His Pets
and Makes Trouble in
Desert Town.

FURNACE, Cal, Dec. 25.-Because Long
Tom Wilson of Indio, San Bernardino
county, persists in the belief that the ella
was fitted by nature to be q house.
hold pet, the people of this quiet desert
town and most OF this end OF the county
have been leading a life OF some variety
during the last two days. o that Long
Toms yellow monsters are dead the story
Of the recent trouble caused by their pres
ence in town can be told without offence TO
anybody.
Most people in the Mojave desert don't
take kindly to the ella Monster. His looks
are said to be against him, and furthermore
when he bites anybody that person Is
tolerably sure TO die.
Only one man in these parts has ever
been bitten by q ella monster and lived;
that was a Chinaman who happened through
Furnace last June. He sat on one down
by the water tank. But he died Of sun
stroke before the effect of the poison could
work through his overalls.
Long Tom Wilson is a prospector who
works claims up in the Panamint Noun
tains on the grub stake plan. He is not
considered a very sociable person in the
desert. although he has been known to
talk some under the influence OF Charley
Quanitz's prune juice down at the Arctic
saloon.
Being much by himself OF on the desert
ranges, Long Ton Wilson seems to have
drawn away from the pleasures Of human
society and to nave cultivated the COM
partnership Of creeping things and furred
creatures. This popularity has, Of course.
been pardoned by Furnaces citizens as
being only within any mans W rights.
II was only when Long Tom added two
three foot monsters to his menagerie and
insisted on getting board and lodging for
them at Mrs. Sally Smiths that Furnace
people began to speak up.
The last time Wilson came to town he
had with him bis jenny mule Roger, a pet
coyote, a red squirrel. which he carried
in his shirt pocket, two woodtioks and two
ella monsters. He kept the reptiles in a
cracker box. with the cover on, IN conse-
quently Mrs. Sally Smith was not aware
of the deadly character Of that part Of her
boarder's baggage for some days.
Long Tom used to amble down Main street
with his coyote following at his heels, his
squirrel in his shirt and the two pet wood
ticks in a pill box in his waistcost pocket,
D0FANCH 1ohAAk " WV PAhSb Va rpAAO eoA
at Peters's general store and telling Mrs.
Sally Smith that he liked his eggs fried on
both sides, Wilson did not say much OF
anything TO the ~populaoe of Furnace.
The third day after Long Tom hit Fur
mace, Mrs. Sally Smiths indian girl, Bernice,
went up TO Long Toms room TO spray the
furniture with buhac. Bernice happened
to bump the shelf over the bed with her
head and the cracker box fell down. The
cover came OF and the two ella monsters
rolled out.
Bernice screamed, having been educated
in the Perris Indian school, and Mrs. Sally
Smith went up to see what was the matter.
She also screamed and promptly ran out
into the street.
When Long Tom came back up to Mrs.
Sally Smiths bunk house he found an ex-
cited crowd of citizens standing in front
OF the bar door.
Look here, Mr.. Wilson," said Jim Haw.
tree, who runs the livery stable and drives
the stage to Poison Wells. What kind OF
chained lightning are you keeping in this
MY business said Long Tom, and went
VIZ to his room.
Jim Hawtree and the other citizens who
heard Wilson's brief remark were some.
what riled up, but they didn't commit any
violence. They all went down to Charley
QUANTITIES place, where the respectable ele-
ment of Furnace gathers every afternoon,
and there they put il before the boys.
Somehow or other the report began 70
grow as il circulated through town. Some
said Long Tom had a nest of ~rattlers in his
bed. Others were certain that he was
pounding hobs in his brogans with a stick
of dynamite. All agreed that he was a
dangerous character
Along about Z O'Clock in the evening a
delegation yer up from the Arctic to fetch
Wilson down and get an explanation. Will
son must have seen the boys coming, for
just a. they arrived in front of Mrs. Sallie
smiths place Mrs. Sallie and Bernice came
out on the run and Mrs. Smiths husbands
grandfather. Tecumseh Smith, wheeled
himself after in his invalid's chair.
Hes gone and turned the monsters
loose in the front hall upstairsl" screamed
Mrs. Sallie, and they are playing around
right near the cad of the stairs"
The delegation from the Arctic paused.
It was getting dark and the hallway was
narrow.
Then they tried 10 argue with Long Tom
by hollering up to his window from the
street. All Long Tom did in answer was 10
~expectorate through the window about once
every five minutes.
MIS-. Nallle SmlJn ana beTnlCe and
Tecumseh Smith slept with n~eighbors
that night.
Next morning the boys went 10 Justice
OF the Peace Buck Mccall and got out
a warrant for Wilson's arrest. The charge
was carrying concealed weapons. Deputy
Sheriff Bob Hunt wen up tc serve the
warrant.
Bob didn't find any ella monsters in the
hallway, but he found Long Tom Wilson
frying some sowbelly on a coal oil stove
in his room. He brought Wilson and his
two ella monsters in their cracker box
down to Justice Buck McCalrs court, which
Ia in the back room Of the Arctic when a
court case becomes necessary.
Long Tom carried his red squirrel in
bis shirt and his two pet woodticks in the
pill box. and he never said a word.
Most Of the citizens Of Furnace followed
Deputy Sheriff Bob Hunt and his prisoner
down Main street to the Arctic. Charley
Ouanitz had moved the roulette table
and the faro layout out into the back yard
and so most of the boys were accommo-
dated with standing room.
Bob Hunt placed the cracker box cage
OF the Gila monsters on Justice McCalrs
table and put Long Tom in a chair near the
big cuspidor.
Long Tom Wilson," said the Justice.
you are charged with carrying concealed
weapons in the shape Of two live ella mon
sters which are known and recognized 10
be about as deadly as a - Colt and which
II - naEn N ~ 49,. A.. -