Connecticut western news., 1876-04-21
" DICK, THE RAT."

The Ways of Rat CatchlnR...Toner n
 How he Makes a Living by lt---HOw h l Works a Hotel.
 l The New York Times has been inter
 viewing professional rat catcher, anG
 the following is the result of it's investi
 gations:
 Taking stout canvas bag from unde,
 the table, he produced an ordinary pail
 of tongs. "This," said Toner, "i
 what I catch them with. You see have the inside of the end of these tongt made like rasp. Now, there's anoth CT improvement of mine. If you have an ordinary pair of tongs, and grab 6 stout rat by the tail, hell wiggle away,
 but if ye catch him with these, he'f
 bound to go in the hole."
 "What else do you use9"
 "Well, only dark lantern and bag. Sometimes sprinkle stuff on the floor to make them come out of their holes. The stuff IS trade secret, and attracts the rats by it's smell. It's the same as flies and molasses."
 "Where do you catch the most rats 7'
 Slaughter houses and granaries. I often make good bag in hotels. One night got $50 rats in the Astor House kitchen 2"
 "How do you charge for your ser vices ?"
 'tWell, me and my assistant gets S5 each every night we work and our board. And when we work in private houses we sometimes charge $15 for every hundred rats we catch"
 "What 6o you do with the rats 9' Sell them, of course. Merchants and brokers has fancy terriers they want to train to kill rats, and if there's a rat ting match comes off we furnish the rats. Good rats is worth $2O a hun dred." suppose you have a considerable number of customers 2"
 Oh, nearly all the big hotels, brew cries, saloons, and slaughter houses in the State. You sec, traps and poison can't drive them out. Rats breed so fast that you can't catch them quick enough, and if you poison them why they die in their holes."
 "Well, how do you catch them '" "I go into the cellar, or wherever the rats are. with John. He holds the bag and take the dark lantern and the tongs. We have rubbers on and step light. The rats run around and I squeak like one. Then they come close to us, and throw open the slide of the lantern. The rats get confused and rush into the light, and I grab them and put them in the bag. When there's no more, go out and leave the place be for a couple of hours, or anotherAday. and then I go at them again. Buy the best way to know is to see me work. Me and John is going to clean out a hotel tonight, and if you come along you can take 8 hand in. I'll leave here at twelve o'clock" The reporter &C., cepted the proposition, and on return ing at midnight. found Toner and his partner in waiting. Cassidy carried the bag and tools, and jumping on car, the party were soon conveyed to their destination, 8 prominent hotel. The night clerk, on being informed by Toner of his business, ordered him to be shown to the servants hall, where the head waiter, couple of cooks, and several grooms were waiting to see the rat catchers. These persons regarded Toner and his companion with the ut most awe and respect. One of the Eng fish grooms gave graphic description of several rafting matches he had seen at Jimmy Shaw's, in Windmill street, near the Haymarket, and Toner gravely as- sented to the statement that Jimmy Shaw's Jacko was the best ratter ever put into pit. Toner next asked for the key of the kitchen. This having been given him, he opened the closets and store-room doors, and sprinkling a few spoonfuls of odorous fluid in the center of the kitchen he retired, locking the door after him and putting the key m his pocket, remarking at the same time to the head cook eff any of the folks up stairs wants vittles cooked now, they've got to go without 'em." Having uttered this declaration of authority, Toner resumed his seat in the servants hall, and spent the following hour in drinking and smoking.
 At length, he remarked 'sI guess we'll go to work, and lit his dark Ian tern. With the lantern in his left hand and the tongs in his right, Dick led the way, Cassidy following next with the bag, and the reporter bringing up the rear. "Step light" said Dick, as he unlocked the kitchen door. The batter of the rats on the floor could be heard plainly. With alittle instrument he had ln his mouth, he initiated the "squeak- squeak to perfection. The next mo- ment he threw back the slide of the Ian. tern and Cassidy held the bag open. The circle of light on the floor seemed fairly swarming with rats. As quick as lightning Dick seized them with the tongs and dropped them into the bag. The rats dashed round in the circle of light, and seemed afraid to stir beyond 1t. They were quickly snatched up until no more remained on the floor. '' That's not so bad, said Cassidy, giv- ing the bag shake: "There's hun dred and twenty, Dick" Toner replied "There's one got away over in that corner, there, heard him." And he walked rapidly to portion of the kitchen where there was huge chop ping bench. Sure enough, there was the rat Dick threw the glare of the Ian tern right on the rat, blinded him, and | hauled him out with the tongs. "I guess that's all, said Dick. "Now you sec how it's done."
 Noticing that Cassidy kept swinging the bag about, the reporter asked what that was done for. "Oh," said Dick, " that's to keep the rats from eatinr ]