National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-05-23
RAIDING THE GOATS.
AN EXCITING SUNDAY EXPEDITION
Through Swampoodle with the Poundmaster-A De-
scent Upon Yagrant Cows and Other Domes-
tic Animals-Ln Ineensed and In
fnriated POpulace.

AS in the spring time a young mans
fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love, so does the
fancy of the solemn-visaged goat turn to lawn
plants and the luscious juice of young trees bark,
while the melancholy swill-fed cow is wont TO
search city parks for dessert of tender clover
As our parking commission objects to the goat
leaving his accustomed diet of brown paper, cigar
stumps, &c, to browse upon their young trees ana
parks, and are also intent upon Encouraging the
industrious cow the able services of General Elm
stein called into requistion and he is required
to double his exertions to prevent depredations.
During the past few weeks the pound brigade has
been securing the city at all hours of the day and
night, and, although the General is inclined to be
less iconoclaStic than Colonel Ingersol, he felt
yesterday that necessity compelled violation Of
THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT,
and about ten o'clock he massed his force at the
Seventh Precinct Station, where, being reinforced
by two of Lieutenant Austins mounted men, he
dashed off for a raid through Swampoodle. A rep
resentative of THE REPUBLICAN, having heard of
the intended raid, secured seat with General
Einstein and accompanied the raiders. The course
was down to North Capitol, and up the latter
street toward Boundary. The cavalcade, fanked
by mounted police officers, presented quite strik-
ing appearance and created no little sensation in
the classic region of Jackson alley. The pound
men are recognized afar by the hOodlums, and
soon after striking North Capitol street the warn
ing cry of Hog catchersI hog eatchersp was
rung ont in hoarse and in piping tones by half
hundred Threats, the sounds of alarm mingling
strangely with the voice of the bells ST. Aoysius
The cry was echoed and re-echoed far in advance
of the raidIng party, and the open lots and
commons in every direction could be seen the
FLYING FORMS
of men, women, and urchins rushing to secure
their goats, cows or horses the same CONSERVATION
prevailing as when the dread cry of &" The rebels
are coming!" was sounded through Maryland and
Pennsylvania. If however, the animals were all
secured and safe before the enemy arrived, as was
the case in most instances, we were greeted with
jeers and derisive laughter as we passed, keep
ing straight ahead, as there nothing to be cap
tured, up North Capitol 10 X, thence out K to the
boundary line, and up Boundary street westward.
So far nothing had been captured, and General
Einstein had received full measure of abuse from
the Irish women and curses from the men and
boys. The pace being q rapid one, we had got
beyond the crowd and cries of Swampoodle, and
were passing in quiet up Boundary when herd
of cows without keepers were eSpied about three
squares ahead. Our pace was Quickened, the
mounted police dashed forward
AT A GALLoP,
and we were soon upon them. The men, accus-
toned to such work, were out in a jiy and had the
COWS in charge. Looking to the right we two
boyslying stretched under large oak on the north
side of Boundary one forming a pillow for the
other. The noise brought them to their feet, and
when they realized the situation the corners of
their mouths dropped and big tears were soon
streaming down their cheeks. The COWS were
taken about square and the boys formed pite-
Gus picture bringing up the rear. AS they hap
pened to be only short distance from where the
animals had strayed the General lectured them for
their carelessness, exacted promises of better
things in future, and changed their grief to JOY by
returning the cows \ crowd formed at this point
of course and had to dash off lively to get away
from il. Determining to take in
sCow TOWN"
and the lie Droft PARK and Schuetzen Hill sections
away we went up Boundary to Seventh and up
Seventh-street road. Turning in suddenly above
the Freedmens Hospital, got into a lot of horses
goats and COWS but the goats were all picketed
and the larger animals in charge of keepers. No
time must be lost, of course. The hoodlums
"yodle" of Hog catchersi hog catchersr' had
again gone up and was resounding far and near
Hurrying out onto the Seventh street road and up
nearly to the top of the HILL make another sud
den turn, to the left this time, and winding round
come suddenly upon the brow of the hill. and find
a large drove of COWS, without any keeper and
struggling Off Again the men are out like magic
and eight of the drove those which have wandered
farthest, are taken in charge. We occupy a COM
handing position, and the scene which ensued
almost beggars description. From every hut and
house in the valley below and on the hillside be-
yond pour out men, women, and children. They
rush in every direction. as though
THE MILLENNIUM
were at hand. Whipped and frightened goats go
bounding into doors and gates focks of geese with
wings spread are hurried into yards and pens
Boys rush up and grasp the horned tethers and
hold them as though they expected they would be
lifted bodily from the earth and torn off; while
the war cry of :" Hog catchers hog catchers
hog catchers!" resounding in every direction,
and mingled with the cries of children threats of
women, and coarse epithets of men and boys, made
the pandemonium complete. We could not stop
long to contemplate this scene, though. The cows
captured must be taken Off Attempts at rescue of
impounded animals, even with police officers pres
ent are not uncommon. The cows are turned into
Seventh street and driven slowly down. We fol-
low quietly, and are amused at
THE ABUSE
which the women heap upon the pound master.
The men are silent and sullen-we have the laugh
on them now; but the women cudgel their brains
for epithets to hurl at us. .'Theyes!' "Robbersr'
&c Hog stealersr' &c, &C., come from every side,
and the colored pound men laugh, and sometimes
"guy" them in return. One Biddy, who has fol-
lowed us for some distance leaves US with the
parting shot: bad cess to We an the likes O ye,
that come a thavin like this on Sunday! May
nver blessin' come to vel" We pass down Sew
enth street into the city again, the taken
to the pound, and General Einstein remarks al
haven't caught much, but guess it's good Sun
day lesson" THE REPUBLICAN man trudges off to
write up his trip, firmly convinced that " pound
mans life is not happy one"
TEMPERANCE TOPICS.