The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1858-06-01

Southern Aid Society; and when the cole
! ton was being taken, he Judge H. %
. him that if hs would 60 south Of Mason q
Dixons line and make such prayer g
had made in that pulpit, or would find q
: missionary who would BE- bold enough in 4
cause OF the Saviour to 60 there and prea,
, - ne had done, he would give, with all b
heart, oil he could afford, but a. TO give OF
dollar to tho man who would 60 there
preach the gospel and yet never open b
} lips on the subject Of Slavery-he new
.. would do it He would Just ~ soon thin
/ OF sending out . missionary to Utah
| preach the gospel with Instructions not
say word about adultery or polygamy.
The Great Maryland Black Cat Case.
From the Washington Union.
'If you meet black cat, shave him to th
tail"
II This tremendous case is now pending, b,
fore judicial tribunal Of the State Of Mar,
land, and presents many remarkable fea
ures Of the ingenuity and speculative capac
ty Of the defendant in the case For tn
benefit of the legal profession and gentlemen
generally who may wish to enter new feel
/ of speculation. will give short history Q
the case as heard it
Some few years ago q gentleman Of Mary
land conceived the idea that an immense fol
tune could be realized BY the rearing o
black cats for the sake Of their skins. TIL,
principal obstacle to the plan was the impos
sibility of keeping the animals together AMI
preventing them from wandering off as thei
activity assisted by the penetrating qualitie.
of their claws, would enable them to defy
| any enclosure; and at last, after much think
ing, the idea suggested itself to his mind thai
water was the only barrier that cats would
not pass. Being in possession of an island
that appeared to be just suited for the exper.
iment, he found all obstacles to the success
OF his plan removed, and set about organizing
the affair
He employed an agent and put out cir
cular, in which he stated that he would give
so much q head for every black cat that could
be got. This advertisement was circulated
through all the counties bordering upon the
Chesapeake bay, and the negroes got hold of
it. In very short time all the black cats
through those counties were stolen by the
negroes and sold to the Agent, who had de-
pots established at different convenient
points Old ladies missed their fayorite cats
and mourned them as dead-but the negroes
melted by the price offered, spared nome
In this way one hundred and fifty black cats
were collected and transported to the island;
and the agent took up his abode there, like
another Robson Crusoe, as superinte ndent
and guardian ofthe cats. Those animals ap-
peared to enjoy themselves vastly when first
put on the island, and spent the time in
either playing with each other, or hunting
birds or ground mice but at last their game
failed them, and, having no other supply of
food, they became hungry and desperate. and |
roamed about the island in large bands vel. |
ing for food They at last became danger
Jus, and the agent wrote to his EMPLOYER n |
statement OF these facts accompanied by a |
'equest to know how he was to feed them
he wrote back to the agent to set u couple |
II negroes to work to catch and open oys-
ers for the cats, which order was carried |
'ut The cats, having the alternative of
oysters or starvation before them, very nat
urally choose the former but not being &C.
'ustomed to such unnatural food, species
u cholera broke out amongst them. and one |
lalf died.
This calamity drove the survivors mad,
md they either committed suicide, or in
it OF desperation swan to the main land
1t any rate they disappeared and we're ney-
r heard gilmore
The agent then wrote again to his EN-.
,loyer, to acquaint him with the result of
his new treatment, which news was accom-
anled by modest request for the payment |
4 his wages-tor this experiment occupied
space of upwards of a wear. The latter
vas SO indignant at both the conduct of the
gent and the cats, that he fatty refused,
nd the consequence of his refusal was
ut brought by the agent to recover his
RACES. This suit has been defended for
ONE two years, and during its progress /
ave become acquainted with the facts.
As far as the theory of the speculation
1ent, it was q magnificent idea. The skin
the black cat is worth in Boston fifty
ents. The cats, am told, cost the agent
lst that sum. 1t was supposed that they
.ould increase exactly ten fold per annum.
hey say-frst year, number of cats, $50
econd year, 1900; third year, $4,000; from
hich there could be obtained 5000 toms
n sale, bringing $4,000, and leaving 10000
ock eats remaining, which at the above
tito OF increase, would give the fourth year
le enormous sum of 100000 cats upon the
land, after which all the surplus over and
Dove the last number, were to be caught in
ox traps and the skins sold to Boston fur
ers. This stock of 100000 cats were to
'oduce 100000 per annum, and the reye-
ne consequently to be derived from the is !
nd, would be in the neighborhood of $780,
~ per annum. {
The principle drawback to the enterprise t
as the utter inability of the cats to orca-
re or band together for the purpose of as I
sting each other, and thus facilitating their !
lntlng operation; SO, after deep reflection a
'on the subject, it was determined to i'm r
rt couple of wild cats from South Amer
4, whose admixture with his cats would
It only add strength to the body and value
the fur, but whose executive qualities
ght be brought to bear in organizing the +
lginal settlers into large hunting packs
thus enable them to successfully pursue a.
, squirrels and ground mice, with which II
} island abounded-and, in fact, to teach II
'se unfortunate animals, who, torn from Vi
comfortable fireside, were. of course, ie-
rant OF the necessities of savage life, the i'd
steries of the chase. He readily found h,
end to procure him the new cats. am m
aid this friend regarded the whole matter Of
a joke, but at any rate he was faithful to tn
promise, and as soon after his arrival in 10
} Janiero as possible he set some natives su
nting, who caught two young tiger cats of ~
raordinary ferocity, which he placed in ~ ~
ase and shipped to Baltimore u,
When he had almost forgotten the matters
was surprised by the receipt of letter m,
rising him Of the arrival of these wild bu
SITS, and was requested ito come forward, sic
the charges, and take them away" He di,
ried into town and found these Young of
RS, about the size of medium setter dog, pc
bill of charges of several hundred per be
t, more than he anticipated. He paid it. ne
ordered two Of his negroes to convey
beasts in a cart to his country home, for es
wished to exhibit them before he sent PR
n down to take command Of the island y, ~,
N the road out Of this place the cats s;o
ed and spit at the negroes in such c,s
dish manner that, to get rid of them, ais
: turned the cage over on the bar side vim
reby one of the cats smothered ty
he survivor being deprived of his mate. ant
Ime more ferocious than ever, and it be. siol
e question whether it would be safe
he cats upon the island to turn it loose be
ng them. The owner was very much zon
Rcd until his negro man suggested that =,
should try the experiment by putting OF
ne cat into the cage. ~