Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-11-14
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HISTORIC HOAXES,

The foolhunter has, from time immemorial,
been one of the most successful of sportsmen.
No matter what game he fires at. he never
fails to bring it down. Chance has thrown in
the way of the New York Dispatch the record
of some of his most amusing, yet least known,
triumphs and we place them before our read
ers without further COMMENT: ,s~
THE GREAT CAT HOAX.
In August, 1916, just before Napoleon I.
started on his exile to St. Helena, q quantity
of handbils we're distributed through the
city of Chester, England, at the direction of
very respectable-looking, Quaker-like sort
of a parsonage, informing the public that a
great number of genteel families had en-
barked at Plymouth, to proceed to St. Helena
with the troops appointed to guard the e1-
Emperor. Now, St. Helena, the bills stated,
was cursed with plague of rats, and the
British Ministry had pledged itself to clear
the island of those noxious animals for the
benefit of the resident citizens. According
ly, all good Britona we're called upon to fur
nish their quantam of grown cats or thriving
kittens, for the carrying cut of this purpose.
The Government was willing to "pay the
piper" and, in addition to free transportion
in vessel to be specially chartered for the
purpose, offered for each athletic, full grown
tom cat, sixteen shillings; for each adult fe-
male puss, ten shillings; and half that sum
for every vigorous kitten that could swill
milk" The result can be imagined. With
in three days over three thousand cats were
collected in Chester. The city was pande-
monium, and one street in which the cat mer-
chants had been directed by bill to assemble,
was the scene of positive and bloody riots.
Meantime some mischievous boys let the cats
out of their bags, and colossal hunt had to
be organized among the hoaxed spectators.
In one day five hundred of the obnoxious fe.
lines had to be thrown into the river Dee,
and Chester, for months, was afflicted with
swarms of stray cats as result of the freak.
THE GREAT BoTTLE.TRICK swINDLE.
The most glaring yet successful of the old.
time hoaxes was perpetrated in 1749. The
Duke of Montague wagered that toilet a man
advertise the most impossible thing in the
world he would find fools enough in London
to fill playhouse to see it, and pay for the
privilege "Surely," said Lord Chesterfield,
eff man should say he would jump into
quart bottle nobody would believe that" A
wager was made on this basis, and the follow
ing advertisement was inserted in the papers
AT the New Theatre, in the Haymarket,
on Monday next, the 18th instant, is to be
seen person who performs the several most
surprising things following, viz: /. He takes
a common walking.cane from any of the
spectators, and thereon plays the music of
every instrument now in use, and likewise
sings to surprising perfection. 2. He presents
you with common wine bottle, which any
of the spectators may first examine. This
bottle is placed on table in the middle of
the stage, and he without any equivocation)
goes into it in the sight of all the spectators,
and sings in it. During his stay in the bottle
any person may handle it, and see, plainly
that it does not exceed common tavern-bot-
tie. Those on the stage or in the boxes may
come in masked habits, if agreeable to them,
and the performer, if desired, will inform
them who they are. Stage. rs. 3d."
INTERESTING TO THE sprRITUALIsTs.
Another section of the advertisement can
not fail to interest the believer in Spiritual
ism. 1t says:
"NorE.-If any gentlemen or ladies, (af.
ter the above performances), either single or
in company, in or out of mask, are desirous
of seeing representation of any deceased
person, such as, husband or wife, sister or
brother, or any intimate friend of either sex,
upon making a sratuity to the performer,
shall he grati6ed by seeing and cenversing
with them for some minutes, as if alive !; like
wise, if desired, he will tell you your most
secret thoughts in your past life, and give
you full view of persons who have injured
you, whether dead or alive. For those gen.
tlemen and ladies who are desirous of seeing
this last part, there is private room pro-
vided."
At the designated time, the theatre was
crammed from pit to dome. When the ap-
pointed hour passed and the conf njurer did not
appear, terrible uproar arose. One person
in the audience proposed, if the lookers.on
would pay double-price, to crawl into pint
bottle Finally, some one threw lighted
candle on the stage. Within ten minutes
more the theatre was Quilted, the benches we're
converted into large bonfire in front of the
building, and the drop-curtain was hung on a
pole, presumably as banner, to the triumph
of Gullibility. A number of people we're
blamed for the hoax-notably Foote, the act
or, who was one of the theatre, but the real
author was the Duke of Montague.
Another genius advertised to turn himself
into rattle (which he hoped would please
young and old ;" and still others followed on
his heels. Some of the notices we're printed
in a spirit of ridicule-notably the following
A SPECIMEN OF DARK WIT.
"Lately arrived from Ethiopia, the wonder
full and surprising Dr.. Benimbe Zammaupo-
ango, occulist and body surgeon to the Empe
ror of Monoemungi, who will perform on
Sunday next, at the little T, in the Hay.
market, the following surprising operations,
viz:
First He desires any one of the specta-
soon as he has done, the Doctor will show
them to any lady or gentleman present, to
convince them there is no cheat, and will
then replace them in the sockets as perfect
and entire as ever.
"Second. He desires any officer to rip up
his own belly, which, when he has done, he
without any quvocation-takes out his bow.
els washes them, and returns them to their
place without the person receiving the least
hurt.
"Third. He opens the head of j. Of
P, takes out his brains, and exchanges
them for those of calf; the brains of a beau
for those of an ass and the heart of bull
for that of sheep (which operations will
render the persons more sociable and rational
creatures than they ever were in their lives"
Boxes for this extraordinary performance
were to cost five guiness; pit, three guineas
gallery, two guineas Incredible as it may