Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-11-08
CAPITAL CHARACTERS.
Eccentric Men Of WashsngtOn.
MAJOR KING, WITH MANIA ON THE SUBJECT
OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS

Washington Correspondents Of the Chicago Herald.
One Of the eccentric characters OF Washing
ton Is MAJOR King, secretary Of the society for
the prevention OF cruelty to animals. He is
tall, thin man, With long brown beard, q keen
face, and sharp vigilant eyes, He appears to be
in all partsiof the city at one time. You meet
MIN everywhere The negro drivers are scared
TO death Of him, Tor they never know at what
moment he may pounce upon them and eonfis-
cate their delapidated mules. He is continually
seeing new forms OF cruelty. His last effort
was for the protection OF the toothsome turtle
Here, as elsewhere, before the turtle is
converted into soup, he is placed ON
his back in front Of the restaurant door,
where he affords intense enjoyment to
throng of sdmiring urohins. Major King,
after due elaboration, arrived at the conclusion
tnat TINS mode Of exposure inflicted unnecessary
went to the fsh commissioners the other day to
complain OF the cruelty one unfortunate turtle
was made to suffer in this particular way. he
hopedto get suficient scientific information from
the commissioners to enable him to arrest and
convict the restaurant keeper. To his astonish-
ment, however, the commissioners took the view
that this position Of the turtle was painless II
not pleasant one. They told the major that
the seat OF all pain was in the brain-that the
brain of the turtle is 90 small that he hardly de-
isfactory to Major King. He was convinced In
his own mind, from the appearance Of the tur-
ties eyes and the oonvulsive movement Of its
legs, 1t wrs suffering untold agonles. But, as
point, he reluctantly allowed the turtle to re-
main on the sidewalk until time for his CONVEX
sion into steaks and soup.
The alert major was more successful In an
vendors for carrying chickens by their legs with
their heads downward. The poultrymen kicked
at his interference, and said chickens could not
feel anyhow-they preferred to be carried that
way, and nothing delighted them more than to
have their little heads twisted Major King was
resolute, however. and by threatening arrest.
compelled tho dealers to carry their poultry In
some more humane but less convenient man
ner He is now after the dog catchers He
thinks the way in which they catch their prey
in this. It il the duty Of the dog catcher to
seize each animal that does not bear the
oficial tag signifying that he Is properly
taxed canine Now, the general mode OF opera
ton for catching the animal is to throw net
over him, catch hold of the back Of his neck,
swing him into the air. and deposit him In the
van. Sometimes owing to the crowded condi-
ton of the van the dog has to be suspended In
the air a few seconds until place is made for
him. 1t is during this period Of suspension the
major holds that intense pain is suffered. The
dog-catcher has to catch the dog That is one
OF bis peremptory duties. He has also to dr0p
him into the van. Major King comedies these
two acts must be performed, but he is trying to
devise some means by which there shall be no
period Of suspension or an adequate punish
ment inflicted on the catcher who suspends To-
day he carried his point to the prosecuting at
torney, who laughed in his face and refused to
issue warrants for so peculiar an offense Major
King ia indignant but the ablest lawyers whom
he has called in consultation think he will have
to abandon this hobby and turn his fertile mind
to something else.