The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1877-07-04
DICK, THE RAT.

Ks 7a& DICK, THE RAT.
st. Louis Republican, s'sj .=e
Richard Toner, the rat-catcher, known
in New York as ''The Rat" is among the
arrivals at the LindelI Having extermi-
mated the rats from the leading hotels
and many private dwellings in New York.
he comes here recommended by Mr.. Le-
land, of the Metropolitan Hotel, to the
Eproprietors of the Lindell as the man to-
purge their establishment from the YER
min. Mr.. Toner is an fasta in his, ait of
rat killing, and probably stands at the
head Of his profession. He graduated
under the tuition Of an English rat-exter
milator, and has followed the business
forstwelvc years in New York, supple
m,enting the catching part in the. way of
pro1t 10y keeping rat-pit But his
emoluments in the last respect have been
cut off by tho humanitarian policy Of an
enemy to such sports, Mr.. Bergh, the
friend of the rat, as we'll as ali other
animals. "a
Toner has mission however, to per-
form as well as Mr.. Bergh. He is posted
IN the natural history and curious in
stincts of the rodent. He asserts that the
rat tribe commence breeding at three
months old, and the female breeds once
month, producing invariably thirteen at
a time, and what is curious only one of
the litter is female. This scarcity of
the female seems to be an excellent pro-
vision OF nature, otherwise the world
would be overrun with the progeny.
Mr.. Toner, accompanied by his assist
ant, John Smith, made his first essay last
night at the Lindell. He brought down
from his room ferret, which, when the
regular trail of the rat is found, is put in
to hunt them out. The ferret is a fero
cious little animal with long slender
body, sharp OF scent, and his instinct has
been used to hunt out rabbits as well as
rats.
AS it was essential to ascertain by in
spection the principal runway of the rats,
their exits and their entrances. the ferret
was not employed at first, but few rats
were picked up with pincers and bagged.
About 10 o'clock, Mr.. Griswold and
considerable party proceeded to the base
ment TO skirmish.
Equipped with dark-lantern and a
pair Of peculiarly constructed pincers.
Dick is ready for the hunt. His feet are
incased in soft slippers that he may move
nolselessly, as are also the feet of the at
tendant who carries bag into which the
rats are thrown. Reaching the room
where he expects t. find rats he listens
silently, and his sense of hearing, from
constant practice, has become very acute.
He can hear the slightest football of the
rat, and, as the vermin pass him, with his
lett hand he throws a ray of lii ht upon
the animal and with his RIGHT deftlv
closes on the hind legs or tail of the TO-
dent, which is then thrown into the bag.
The attendant meanwhile keeps up con-
stant movement of the bag to keep the
rats from knawing their way out. When
the captures have driven the rats into cor
|ners and hiding places, Dick begins to
make*an effort for them. He pokes into
corners, between barrels and behind
boxes, throwing ray from his lantern
into these dark places, where the timid
things are often found hidden away.
Often, too, the light will attract them,
and as they run upon the lighted spot the
remorseless pincers gather them in. It is
not an unusual occurrence for Dick to
Quietly and deity Mr.. Toner and his
attendant continued the search, dropping
INTO II the subterrenean- apartments of the
hotel. alleys, halls, and alcoves. In. one
of the passages a.sly old rat was observed
behind barrel. Mr.. Toner Immediate
Fly turned the bull's-eye flash of his dark
lantern on the rat, who, dazed by the sud
den glare, lost his presence of mind, anG
before he had time 10 realize the situa-
ton, he was clinched by the nippers, and.
utteting sQueal was put into the bag.
Several others were caught in this way,
but Mr.. Toner thought that he might
not fuse the ferret until after midnight,
when all was still, if at all, the first nj ght.
Before Mr.. Bergh interposed an OBJ ec-
tionSin New York, Dick could do his
work more thoroughly. He then, as he
will DO here, employed ferret, whose
lips were "ringed" to prevent it from bit
ing Or killing the rat. The ferret was
put Unto a rat hole at the top of the
building and for the space of an hour
would be hid to view. The rats stand in
mortal fear Of their agile little enemy and
fly percipitately before it. Whenever a
rat can go the ferret Can follow. and he
drives it from haunt to haunt, from cove
to cover, until finally the rats take to open
spaces, where they fall an easy prey to
Dick and his pinccr. But through the
agency of the Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Animals he is compelled to
forego this process in New York State.
In most of the other States. however, he
still employs the ferret. 1t is by far the
most ettectual means of driving the rats
out of the house. The introduction of the
ferret into a bulldog three or four nights
in succession, will compel the rats to COM