The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1875-06-15
THE TORPEDO CHICKEN.
"A Companion to the Sheet-IrOn
Cat and a sweet Boon TO the
owners Of Poultry Yards.
IFrom the Memphis Avalanche, June s)

B From the Memphis Avalanche, June 8)
No city in the country has suffered
more from the classof vagabond chicken
thieves than Memphis, but, thanks to
French ingenuity,a panacea for the grow
ing evil has been discovered, and itsname
isthe Torpedo Chicken" This little
machine is as near chicken as human
skill can make it. 1t is covered with
feathers, with perfect head, legs and
wings Itis. soft to the touch, and the
legs and wings are flexible, and can be
moved and placed in positions similar to
those Of genuine chicken, and when set
upon perch the deception cannot be dis
covered even by an expert. Like other
chickens TOO, II burning match Is placed
near its nose it topples off the perch, and
when it does it falls with the weight and
destructiveness of a bombshell Inside
Of the automaton is placed torpedo,
whic! expiodes il it is taken by the legs
or'is struck with any force. Hearing OF
thisingenious machine, a Front street
merchant recently ordered number of
them with which to experiment. Some
| half-dozenlof them were secretly distrib-
uted Friday to persons who complained
of annoyance from chicken thieves, and
about the time other chickens seek their
roosts they were placed conspicuously in
the hen-houses, and the persons setting
them retired to bed to await results. "a
widow lacy named Mrs. F. Simmons, ,liv;
! ing in Fort Pickering. who has been much
annoyed, and whose watchdog was poi
soned only afew nights since, was so anx
ious to know the result of the experiment
that she sat up to await the coming OF the
! visitors. About o. clock she heard somt
i subdued voices outside the fence, which
surrounds her house, and soon after the
. scrambling noise made i by person
climbing over the fence. 1aSoon there was
a futtering in the hen-house, subGuet
cackle, and then noise like the discharge
of a heavily loaded gun. An. agonizine
shrek Of pain and retreating footstep.
told of the success Of the machine. Til,
lady who before was filed with anger ane
thoughts OF vengeance on the tthieve'
who had SO frequently taken her chicken.
was now filled with alarm u and half re
GREETED having used the torpedo chicken
She did not have the courage to go ou
doors alone, but called to q neighbor who
had been arousedb by the report. He ae
companied her to the hen house, where
great noise was being made by the surviv
ing chickens. Several had been killet
and some MANNED by the explosion. "A
search was made for the torpedo chicken
which was finally found among the wrecl
Of poultry. The body of the maehin
was blown to atoms, but its two legs wer
found intact, tightly grasped by a hug
black hand, which had been literally tori
from thearm. Death never held tighte
to dead nigger than did this negro
dead hand grasp those two chicken legs
| AS before stated, the negro ran away a
fast as il was possible in his Wounds
condition, and if any one finds negr
with hand freshly shot off, let him in
form Chief Athy of the fact IAnothe
negro was brought 70 grief the sam
night, by one of tbeisame instruments, i
the Eastern suburbs. Traces of bloc
were discovered leading fpomthe chicke
roost, and it is believed be will be arres
) led, This is, indeed, a great invention
/ and vastly superior to.a trap-gun.- Il
1 general use will soon rid our city Of tn
| large number of chicken-t thieves who IN
fest it. The inventor, when he die
a should be canonized. w.