Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-09-06


A FAMOUS RAT CATcHER.-It is said of
the late Kit Burns that as professional rat
catcher be was the first in America. 1t is
further alleged by those who profess unequiv.
ocal knowledge of the matter, that the de.
ceased Kit had amassed much money IN the
pursuit of his unique vocation. He once
made $500 out of one single job in the rat
catching line. One of the first restaurants
on Broadway had been so badly infested by
rats that the quantity of provisions consumed
or destroyed night and day was incredibly
large. The finest mousers were procured,
but they made no inroad upon the army of
rodents. In fact, cat after cat became de.
moralized, while the rats grew bolder, and
frequently put them to flight Alone in the
restaurant one night, Kit surveyed the situa-
ton, and declared it to be desperate one.
The following night he set bis huge cage close
to an advantageous aperture. A small dim
lamp on shelf above him was the only light
in the place. He lay above the great cage
with the string of the main trap in his hand.
His object was to catch the "King" rat, and
then the work was easy. They all follow the
king. Rat after rat came to the cage, nibbled
the bait, and ran back to the hole. There
seemed to have been perfect understanding
about the matter before his majesty ventured
forth. When he did, Kit knew him-for the
king rat is an enormous, shaggy specimen,
with great brstles growing out of his body
and down snapped the trap. Now the rest
were guideless, and wholly at the mercy Of
the rat catcher. Kit then fastened the king
so as to secure his presence in the cage, and
when the trap was again raised scores upon
scores of rats filled the cage. 1t could hold
no more but when the subjects found them
selves captured they fell upon the king and
nearly tore him to pieces. After that Kit
easily secured the rest of the varmints, and
was paid $500. Such is specimen story of
Kits rat catching. Where did Kit obtain
enough rats for his famous rat pit, where, at
one time, thirty games day were played,
and ten rats killed at each match ?-Ne,o
York paper.
The OLD New YORK Posi- OFF1cE.-A
story that reads like medieval romance
comes from New York. In re6tting the old
postoffce buildings the carpenters have dis.
covered that the upper floors are double, and
are arranged 80 that detectives can watch the
operations of those in the different rooms, who
suppose themselves to be alone. The whole
building was furnished with secret passages,
sliding panels, hidden trap-doors and myste-
rous chambers, of whore existence the post
Office officials had no knowledge-with the
exception of the postmaster and his assistant.
When the workmen had removed the flooring,
it was seen that the concealed space was from
four to four and one.half feet deep, affording
ample room for men to move about Passages
led entirely around the building. At very
short intervals we're found small circular holes
in which were inverted lenses. Through these
view of the room below was obtained.
Back of and above these lenses we're rehectors
which brought before the eye of the observer
the utmost recesses Of the post-offce. If de-
tective saw any stealing or any improper &C.
ton committed either by clerk or by per.
son employed in the office, the speaking-tube
by his side conveyed warning at once to the
attic room, and the guilty person was met at
the door, or tapped on the shoulder in the in
terror of the office by another detective. The
apertures through which the detective over.
looked the rooms are in most cases so small
as hardly to be visible from the apartments
below. Some of them, however, look boldly
down from the easement, but as the planks in
which they are seen we're obtained from very
old timber the holes would readily be taken
for knot-holes. The maxim of the postmaster
was, "The detectives and assistants watch the
employees and people, the postmaster keeps an
eye on the detectives and assistants, and the
Lord will watch the postmaster"
p| Two country attorneys overtaking a
WAGNER on the road, thinking to break a joke
with him, asked him why his fore horse was
so fat, and the rest 80 lean. The WAGNER,
knowing them to be limbs of the law, replied,
that the fore horse was lawyer, and the rest
were his clients.
bG5- The sympathy of one weaker than our
selves, the sympathy even of a little child,
will aid the most resolute.