Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1913-01-22
LIZARD VERSUS SNAKE
BATTLE BETWEEN GlLA MON.
STER AND BIG RATHER.
Former Gains Victory by Quick,
Clever Work-Deadly Revenge
of the House Cat.

The "rattlesnake season" this year
in the southwest was unusually de-
structive of life and was marked by
some startling and dramatic incidents.
1t is estimated that some so deaths
from snake bites have occurred this
season in the plains country and in
the mountain regions of New Mexico,
Arizona and Texas, New York
Worlds Dalhart, Tex, correspondent
writes.
E. B. Van Veen of the Pinal noun
tain district tells Of fight between
a rattlesnake and gila monster. Bob
Henry, on returning from his camp
by the Pinal mountain road, was at
tracted by the sound Of a rattlesnake.
Turning. he saw rattler about seven
feet long and three feet away gila
monster sitting on an ant hill. The
snake stood up from the ground high
er than a mans knee In the shape OF
an elongated S. The remainder Of his
body was upon the ground behind him
in a straight line. In addition to rat
Ting, kissing sound issued from his
mouth. The gila was standing up as
high from the ground as his short
legs would permit. His tensed at
titude indicated that trouble was
ahead. Suddenly the snake sprang
at the big lizard, but 1t evaded the
stroke. by flattening itself on the
ground. The snake drew himself up
again and struck again and missed.
The third time the snake drew back
and struck, but the lizard was two
inches to the right. The snake start
ed to draw hack for another attempt
when the gila monster made light
ning-like plunge and the next instant
the back of the rattlesnake's neck was
in the bulldog jaws Of the eighteen
inch lizard, which was shaking it like
q rat. Several times the lizard was
thrown violently into the air and as
often it was dragged on the dusty
road, with it's feet vainly attempting
to find hold But the jaws held
tight, and in two or three minutes the
snake lay dead on the ground.
From Flagstaff, Ariz., comes the
story of John Gustafson. who. bitten
in the palm Of the right hand by
rattlesnake at Russell's mining camp
in the Copper Basin district, has fully
recovered. Not only that, but inocu-
lation with the deadly venom has
cured insomnia, from which Gustafson
had been a sufferer for five years.
Mr.. and Mrs. ]. T. Nelson Of Jerome
Junction, AIiz., vouch for a story told
of a fight between house cat and
rattlesnake. The cat, the mother of
SIX Kittens; was perambulating among
the little mounds of prairie dog
town when she was attacked by rat
tier and bitten on the cheek. She re-
tired to her nest under the house and
for several days her head was swol-
len to several times its normal size.
AS soon as she recovered, she set out
in the direction Of the prairie dog town
and an hour later returned to the
house with big dead rattlesnake in
her mouth and showing evidence OF
hard fight.
Near Bisbee. Ariz., Alfred Kinney,
seventeen years old, encountered a
rattler by the roadside and battled
with it. After the snake, apparently
stunned by the repeated strokes from
the boys riding whip, retreated to Its
lair and the boy was preparing to
mount his horse, it sneaked out OF
the hole and bit the boy and he died
a few hours later.
The eighteen-months-old son of Mr..
and Mrs. Max Otto of Skidmore, Tex,
was bitten by large rattler and died
within a few hours.
Samuel Dunlap OF Comanche, Tex,
while on a visit to his farm in Miles
county, discovered two large rattle
snakes in a pile Of brush and under
took to capture them alive. He pro-
cured large fishing cord and placed
them in nail keg and took them to
Comanche and placed them on exhibl'
ton. Each had seven rattles and q
button.