The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1875-11-25
Professional Rat-Catching.
New York Times. ]

we happened 10 meet III THIS city the
other day Dick Toner, the famou New
York professional rat-catcher, form erly
proprietor of a rat-pit on Water street,
known as "The Bandbox." Mr..
Toner is accompanied by John Cassidy,
his assistant. Both are young men. The
former has been in the business twelve
years, and the latter seven years. They
are men Of good physique, quick, sharp
and up in their business.
Dick Toner was formerly butcher
boy, and twelve years ago saw the noted
Jack Jennings, an English ratter, while
at work, discovered the modus operandi,
and has since followed the strange call
ing for livelihood. Both himself and
his assistant are courteous and gentle
manly, and readily impaired all the in
formation we sought. They are to fill
engagements in Troy shortly.
They are at present at the Delavan
House, Albany, and proceed to Work
something in this manner:
With nOiseless shoes upon their feet,
at about IL o'clock at night, they enter
the kitchen or bakery, Toner with long
pair of pincers and dark lantern in his
hands, and Cassidy with wire cage.
Advancing to the center of the room,
noiselessly the door is shut and both
stand still for a moment, while the rats
scamper about. Dick chirrups in imita-
ton of rat. and the rodents gather
about him. Suddenly he jerks the slide
from in front of the lanterns bullseye,
and its glare falls in circle about the
room. The rats which may be within
the refulgent circumference stand aston
ished at the blaze, then with rush run
about within the light, apparently fear
ing to cross into the darkness, acting az
if Il were solid wall against which hey
dare not venture. Dick then skillfhlly
begins the work. Grasping his pincers
he makes dip, grabs rat by the back,
the head, the tai, the leg-anywhere-
lifts it and drops 1t quickly In the cage,
conveniently held open by Cassidy.
One after another the rats are seized
until all are disposed of. a.n
Quickly retiring, the two men. then
close the door and pass into some other
apartment, repeating their work, and
making a second round if they have
time. This is the method in hotels
slaughter-houses and other places where
rats are plenty. In private houses it il
the custem for Dick to sprinkle abou
the kitchen floor liquid to attract tn,
rats. Then late at night he enters ant
begins the onslaught.T -'~-X rr,-,y q
The largest catch ever made in ON
night was three hundred and fifty
which he captured eight years ago, il
the Astor House, New York. This
the largest outside. of the countless mum
bers picked up in Oslaughter-houses
When Dick entered the business h
caught the animals with his hand, an,
was quite often bitten. once SO severel,
that he feared he would lose his arm
Afte rwards the pincers suggested them
selves, aud he has since used them with
out danger. He says that rats living i
granaries are not poisonous, but thos
that feed ON refuseI inAict painful an,
serious wounds. 80 k-, 'ssitrY
Dick charges five dollars each pc
night for himself and assistant, with thei
board, at hotels, or fifteen dollars pc
hundred rats in private residences an
other places. The rodents, when Bergh
agents can be avoided, sell for twent
dollars per hundred for rat baits--tha
is for use in pits, where dogs are matche
to kill a certain number within certai
time. I'll ~
There are but. seven professional raj
catchers i'm the country--one in Chicago
two in Philadelphia, one in San Frar
cisco, one in Baltimore, one in Detroi
and Dick himself in New York. Th
business is safe and profitable, and Die
humorously remarked that, but ft
Bergh's interference with the sale of th
rodents, he would rather be a ra
catcher than the proprietor of th
Delavan or a national park. He trave
from place to place, shows his recon
mendations, and readily obtains emplo.
ment on these alone, without other al
yertsing, except what stray report.
in search of something may pick up.
something as we have rdone-and
| which Dick and his assistant are entirel
vvelcntnpl rs 0lth +ll AiNf iif -
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