Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-06-25

AN ANIMAL EDUCATOR R-Scott Bissett was
born in Perth, Scotland in 1881. He was an
humble shoemaker, and perhaps no person in
modern times ever achieved so much success in
animal training. He removed from Scotland
to London, where he married woman who
brought him some property. Then turning to
Il broker, accumulated until the year 759,
when his attention was turned to the training
and teaching OF animals, birds and fishes. Bis
sctt bought horse and dog, and succeeded be-
vond his expectations in teaching them to exc
cute various feats. He next purchased two
monkeys, which he taught to dance and tulu-
bic on a rope, and one would hold candle in
one paw aud turn the barrel organ with the
other, while his companion danced. lie next
taught three cats, to do many wonderful things;
TO sit before music books and squall notes
pitched to different keys. : He advertised a
Cats Opera" in the Haymarket theatre, and
successfully carried out his programme, the
cats accurately fulfilling all the parts. He
pockctcd some thousands by these pertorman-
ces. He next taught levcrct and several spe-
ces of birds to spell the name of any person in
the company, and to distinguish the hour Of
the day or night. Six turkey cocks were next
rendered amenable to country dance, and af-
ter six months teaching he trained turtle to
fetch and carry like dog and having chalked
the floor and backened his claws, he made it
trace out the name of any given person in the
company He was equally successful in teach
ing gold6nches After some reverses we find
Bissett in Dublin, about, ITS, showing
his different animals and again making
some money, he purchased a public house
in Belfast, determining to give up animal train.
ing Growing restless his old taste returns,
and he commences to train and teach animals
once more. He begins with dog and cat
and perfecting these in their lessons he selects
the most obstinate Of the brute creation, an
Irish pig, to experiment. upon. The teaching
OF this unruly animal almost weared out Bis
sett's patience, and he was about giving up the
task in despair when he bethought himself of a
new way of tanning the young pg After SIX
teen months of unwearied perseverance ne at
last was rewarded by instilling little reason
into the pigs unreasoning Uranium, thus prov
ing that pigs cannot. only vs'see, the wind by
common belief, but that they can be made use
tul in raising the wind During the teach
ing of his pig Bissett used to keep young pigs
under his shoemaker's seat while he worked.
In 1888 Bissett brought his learned pig" into
Dublin, procured the leave of the Lord Mayor
for his exhibition and carried the city by storm
1t was trained to be as docile and as obedient
as spaniel, and was taught to spell names,
cast up accounts, tell exactly the hours, minutes
and seconds, to kneel and make his obeisance
to the company, and do various other teats
Some petty officer, half armed with authority,
broke into Bissett's room, assaulted the poor;
unoffending exhibitor, broke and destroyed
everything, and drew his sword to kill the Wor-
drous animal. Poor Bissett pleaded hard fr
the Chief Magistrate leave, but he was threat
ened that if be offended any more with his dar-
Ing performances he would be dragged to pris-
on. Only it was little too late in the era it is
probable poor Bissett would have suffered at
the stake for witchcraft. After the break up
of Bissett hopes his anguish of mind produced
an illness from which he never ettectually re-
covered, and he died soon after OF a broken
heart.