Rural legends (an external dpt of Urban legends Ltd) : Death's boots.

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In Audubon's "Notes on rattlesnake" published in Edinburgh in 1827 -- thanks to Google Books --, I find a "true" story that I heard here two or three times. The serial killer is not the same : the rattlesnake is a very dangerous American snake ; the European one, the red viper (Vipera aspis), is not so venomous, and is rarely able to kill an adult man. Audubon speaks of a farmer in Pennsylvania bitten through a boot by a rattlesnake. He hadn't seen nor heard the snake, felt sick at home, and died in a few hours. One year later his elder son took his father's boots to go to church ; returned at home he felt scratched on the leg whilst drawing the boots, and died the day after. His effects were sold two years later and a second brother bought the boots. He tried them, felt a scratch when drawing them, suffered and died. As I said, I heard here quite the same story with an other snake involved, a red viper (They are not red, but brown orange. There is many rural legends about these reptiles), killing also three persons of the same family through a shoe, and I think that these "true" stories are probably rural legends. There is another one in Audubon's Notes when he speaks of rattlesnakes climbing to trees to stole birds' eggs : it seems that a rattlesnake can't ascend a tree. What do you think about those serial killers' snakes ? Is it possible ? Do you know other stories like these ?