Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1858-05-19
rhe Great American Black Cat Case.

nbity and speculative capacity Of the defendan
in the case. For the benefit of the legasprofes
sion and gentlemen generally who may wish i
enter new field of speculation, | will give
short history of the case as beard 1t.
Some few wears ago gentleman of Maryland
j conceived the idea that an immense .ortun
h could be realized by the rearing uf black cats TO
\ the sake Of their skins. The principal obstacl
to the plan was the ilnpossibility Of keeping th
ANIMALS together and preventing them from wan
ldering Of as their activity assisted by the pen
etrating quality of their claws would enabl
them TO defy any incosure; and ut last, afte
much thinking, the idea suggested itself to hi
mind that wator was tile only barrier that cat
would not pass. Being in possession Of an islant
that appeared To be Just suited for the expert
ment. he found all obstacles to the success OF hi
plan = removed, and set about organizing thu
affair. -. 80 =,
He employed an agent aud ppt ont circular
in which he stated that he would give SO muct
head for every black cat that could be GOT
This advertisement was circulated through al
the counties bordering upon the Chesapeake
bay. and the negroes got hold of it, In very
short time all the black cats through those coun
ties were stolen by the negroes and sold to the
Agent, who had depots established at different
convenient points. Old ladies missed their favor
lite cats and mourned them as dead-but the ne
groes, melted by the price offered, spared none
| In this way one hundred and fifty black cat.
were collected and transported to the island
and the agent took up his abode like another
Robinson Crusoe, as superintendent and guardian
of the cats Those animals appeared to enjoy
themselves vastly when first put on the island
and spent their time in either playing with each
other, or hunting birds or ground mice; but al
last their game failed them, and, having no 9TH
er supply of food, they became hungry and des-
perate. and roamed about the island in large
bands, yelling for food. They at last became
dangerous, and the agent wrote to his employer
a statement of these facts accompanied by d
request to know how he was t0 feed them. De
wrote back to the agent to set couple OF ne
eroes to work to catch and open oysters for the
cats. which order was carried out. The cats
having the alternative of oysters or starvation
before them, very naturally chose the former
but, not being accustomed to such unnatural
food. species of cholera broke out amongst
them, and one halt died.
This calamity drove the survivors mad, and
tbey either committed suicide, or in bit OF des-
peralion swan to the main land At any rate,
they disappeared and were never heard oi
1
| more.
The agent then wrote again to his employer
to acouaint him with the result OF TINS new
treatment, which news was accompanied by q
modest request for the payment OF his wages
for this cat experiment occupied space OF up
wards Of year. The latter was So indignant
at both the conduct of the agent and the cats
that he he fatty refused, and the consequence
of his refusal was suit brought by the agent
to recover his wages This suit has been de
tended tor some two years, and during its pro-
gress have become acquainted with the facts.
AS far as the theory of the speculation went,
it was a magnificent idea. The skin of the black
cat is worth in Boston fifty cents. The cats,
am told, cost the agent just that sum. 1t was
supposed that they would increase exactly ten
| fold per annum. Then say-frst year, number
of cats, 100; second year, 1900; third year,
| 15, 900; from which there conld be obtained
5000 toms for sale, bringing S2,5OO, and leaving
10000 stock cats remaining, which, at the above
ratio of increase would give tile fourth year the
enormus sum OF 100000 cats upon the island,
after which all the surplus, over and above the
last number, were to be caught in box traps and
the skins sold to the Boston furriers This stock
of 100, 900 cats were toEproduce 100000 per
annuu, and the revenue consequently to DO de-
rived from the island would be IN tie nelgL0or'
hood of 100000 per annum.
The principle drawback to the enterprise was
the utter inability of the cats to organize OF
band together for the purpose OF assisting each
other, and thus facilitating their hunting opera
tioE 80, after deep reflection upon the subject,
it was determined to import acouple oi wild cats
from South America, whose admixture with
his cats would not only add strength to the body
| and value to the fur, but whose executive qual'
tiles might be brought to bear in organizing the
original settlers into large hunting packs-and
thus enable them to successfully pursue The
squirrels and ground mice with which the island
aboun ded-and, in fact, to teach these uniortu
natea nimals, who, torn from the comfortable
6resde, were, of course, ignorant OF the necess
ties of savage life, the mysteries OF the chase
He readily found friend willing to procure hllr
the new GETS I'm afraid this friend regarded
the whole matter as joke, but at any rate he
was faithful to his promise, and as soon aftei
his arrival in Rio Janeiro as possible ne sci
some natives huEtirg, who caught two Young
tiger cats of extraordinary teroclty, which hs
placed in case and SHIPPED to Baltimore.
When he had almost forgotten the matter ht
was surprised by the receipt of letter apprIsine
him of the arrival of these wild beasts, and wa'
requested ITO come forward, pay charges, aut
take them away" He hurried into town ant
found these young tigers about tue size of me
dunn setter dog, and bill Of charges OF severa
hundred per cent. more than he anticipated
He paid it, and ordered two negroes to conve.
the beasts in a cart out 10 his country hoine, 10
he wished to exhibit them before he sent theu
down to take command of the island OF cats.
On the road out to his place The cats glaret
and spit at the negroes In such hendlsh man
ner that, to get rid of them, they turned the Gag
over on the bar side, whereby one OF the cat
was slnOthered.
The survivor, being deprived of his mate, be
came more ferocious than ever, and it became
question whether it would be safe for the cat
upon the island to turn it loose among them
The owner was very much worried until hi
negro man suggested that they should try th
experiment by putting tame cat into the cage
The idea was the very thing. A cat was pro
cured and introduced into the cage. In abou
TWO minutes il was torn into shreds aud utterl
!, deyoured. OF course it would have been mad
ness to turn the beast loose on the islands
the idea was abandoned, and it has been KEEP
ever since as a small menagerie attached to III
oentleman's house, with the exception of peri
!, vdical visit to the Agricultural Fair in Balti
, more. when it was placed among the poultry
and causes the hearts OF the chickens to di
} within them This is short history of th
f black cat.scheme aud the suit arising from it,
, Whether there is legal ability in the State suff
cient to settle the latter is more than am abl
to say. ,
Annapolis, Nd, May 8, 1857.
A gentleman of Leedsville, Duchess Co., n
Y. has a flock of tame pigeons. h sends tw
little children to the district school, who are nc
compsnied on the way by one of the pigeons
The little pigeon watches the group Of childre
= ~ -. L. .lair danartIlr for snhnnl and fie