Morning journal and courier., 1882-03-16


 From the New York Sum- One of the most expert rat catchers in New York is little man with thoughtful face q constantly thinks about lem, sir,' he says, land I lose no opportunity for finding out their curious ways, which is quite remark | able, I do assure you, sir"
 1 Are there many in your line here ?n
 There is many. sir, which has the audacity to call themselves rat catchers, which they | ain't notwithstanding. I should say there is about ten of 'em.''
 His hair is long and tangled: he has scraggy moustache, and his hands are uncom- 1 monly large, with mJnstrous knuck1es and long nails; they are scared in many places. He is much under the average height, and quick as 8 rat in his movements He does | everything with abrupt gestures. When put 1 ting on his hat his hand moves with great rapidity. He walks leisurely to within two feet of door, and then his hand flies out and the door opens like flash. His speech is as | slow as his movements are rapid, and the muscles of his face never seem to change. His ruling passion is his great pride in his l calling.
 1 (Which iss looked up to on the other side" he says, ''as it should be, being profession requiring unusual abilities'' He invited the reporter to go with him on one of his expeditions against his enemy, the rat, and few nights later they met at sta ble in West Fortieth street The rat catcher wore pair of light cloth slippers, heavy trousers, flannel shirt and vest He had a 1 kit of tools with him, and at about 1 o'clock l he went to work First he went carefully around the edges of the floor, and learned every rat hole. There were number some at the edges of the partitions between the stalls, others at the washstand. and number in the harness closet. The rats had ruined valuable harness Many efforts had | been made to exterminate them but without | success
 'I guess I'll get lem out, sir. I just cleared 217 rats out of private residence on Tenth avenue in three nights" he said.
 He then took a number of little wire doors | out of his bag They were about four inches square. One of these was screwed over each rat hole at an angle of forty-fve degrees, so l that the rat could easily raise it on coming out of the hole, but could not get back into the hole again after it had dropped in place. When every hole had been thus covered the reporter retired to the top shelf of a long J step ladder and smoked, while the rat catcher turned down the lights and cleared the large floor of the stable of all the small objects that could be readily piled in the carriages or on the shelves.
 Are you sure the rats will come out ?''
 ''Oh, yes, sir. They comes out every 1 night. Some men professin' to call them selves professionals claims that they has a
 
 holes an die, but it cant be done. They claims. also as how they can charm rats more lies, I assure you. Phosphorus poi son causes most horrid thirst, an the rats comes out of their holes an drinks, an then goes back an dies. Then there's a pretty | how to-do, an whole floors must come up at great expense" "
 He was moving about in a most stealthy manner, now trying one little gate and now another. A large bag of coarse material, with a string with which to close the opening, hung on harness peg, and he had sprinkled little powder down several of the holes, ] which was designed to make the rats thirsty and cause them to come out for water. He lighted stub pipe and perched himself on the bottom of the step ladder with his chin in one hand, while he slowly opened and closed a pair of tongs nearly two feet long, with flat blades.
 Everything was quiet for Q few minutes, and then there was slight scratching at one of the little doors, and monstrous rat, as fat an alderman, slowly came out. The door dropped to behind him. he turned quickly, tried to get back, and ran squealing along the wall.
 "He's a good one" remarked the little man in q whisper, going out into the middle of the room, laying his pipe on the step and turning up the gas "I'll tell you what I'll do; I'll catch this one in my hands,
 Ho began to squeak throughshis teeth, mak- ing noise like the squeaking of a rat and slowly approached the fat intruder. The rat backed into a corner and stood with his little eyes gleaming and tail swishing rapidly from , side to side. The rat catcher slowly drew closer until the rat suddenly shot of along the wall In instant the little man had sprung forward with bound that was en tirely reckless, and went head first, for the rat. Both his hands were outstretched, and he pinned it to the floor with asforce that made it squeal The bound swas like that which cat would make.
 ''He is indeed fat one, sir, " he said, get ting on his feet ''you'n observe"
 Keep him away Ain't you afraid hell bite ?"
 Afraid, sir? do assure you nothing is further from my thoughts. Besides, it's very rarely that they bite if you know how to l handle lem. You might let this one run all over you and not get hurt"
 Yes I might, but l won't" II will then" he said, calmly and be . fore the reporter could interfere the little , Englishnlan had thrust the rat inside his clothing, and the creature emerged from his right trousers leg and shot like meteor be- hind the step ladder. The reporter raised his feet one step higher, and the rat catcher F crept up toward the rat with the same quiet movement that cat displays. The badgered 1 animal shot one way and another until il reached the corner, when the little man R bounced on it and dropped it into the bag