Daily Republican., 1883-05-07
PHILADELPHIA LETTER,
A SANGULAR VOCATION - THE
T8IAL OF PlIlPPH-HIS
COnvICTIOH, AID ETC.
Correspondence Of the RsPUnLioAs.

VAvASA1V1s n - II Ell.
Correspondence Of tho RsPUnLioAs.
PHILADELPHIA, May 8.-Having
few spare hours one afternoon las
week, l took the ferry boat and crossel
over to our sister city Camden, to inter
view a curious genius known a.
English Jack. This man for tn,
past thirty years has made his living
by killing rats, and he boasts that dur.
Ing that time he has brought over
qnarter OF million Of rodents to an un.
timely end. found him In q small
house, where he lives alone, with the
Exception OF his dogs, ferrets and some
white ratS, with rcd eyes, who were very
tame and seemed to be great pets.
Jack Is apparently over fifty years Of
Iage, and small, but well built man,
who looks IN though he will be able to
continue the war on rats for q quarter
OF q century To come His canine com.
panions are two Scotch terriers, which
he estimates M worth over Ave hun
Idreh dollars. He said that he had
Iowned these dogs nearly fifteen years,
and during that time they have killed
lover one hundred thousand rats. The
ferrets and white rats occupy separate
rooms on an upper floor, and he com
|piained that the first named were very
difficult to keep, and in spite of al his
care would die Oft, 80 that he is COM
pellei every year or 40 to replenish his
stock. He estimates them ~ worth
fifteen dollars apiece, and said that he
lost from twenty to twenty-five every
year
When he is called upon to rid a house
OF rats, he takes several Of his ferrets IN
bag, and with his two dogs proceeds
to the cellar at night. He lets the fer
rets loose and they lose no time in en-.
tering the rat holes and going all
through the building The rats have
thn greatest dread Of these little ami
mails, and will, aS a general thing, fly
10 the holes opening into the cellar
where they are sure to be slaughtered
by the dogs as fast as they appear. he
said that he had frequently reSsived as
much as 500 for Kidding a HOUSE ofthe
pests, and gave II glowing history OIL
how, during the war, he was su,Aponcf
to Forts Mitfiin and Delaware TO- &aas
a war of exterminati0u on the trouble
some little animal. AT the last named
place he says he spent seven weeks and
killed over two thousand % week.
After spending over an hour in listen
ing 10 the Old man, wcnded my way
to the ferry, wondering an the many
ways adopted by men to make living
The trial Of Phipps, of almsho,ise no
torir'y, ha, had the effect Of crowding
the new court house for the last few
days, but during the whole time the
Major was cool and collected. On |
Friday the court room was densely |
packed with vast asscmblage, who ;
listened with breathless silence to the
speech of District Attorney Graham for
+ h" prosecution, and Furlnan Sheppard,
Esq, for the defense. Several times
Mr. Graham was app!auded, and the
audience was finally admonished by
Judge Allison that If It was repeated
those persis,ing in it would be placed
under arrest
AT the close Of Mr.. Sheppards :
argument, the jury were charged by
Judge Allison on the evidence, and the
law governing the case, and few
before six o'clock retire |.
They Were out all night, and yesterday
AZ ten O'Clock the court room
was again packed. A few minutes after,
the twelve men filed into the room and
took their seats in the bar Major
PhIpps sa, inside the bar with a few
friends, and HIS counsel. The calm
expression which he had borne ali
through the trial had fed, and his
expressed the greatest
anxiety As soon ~ the jurors had :
aiken their seats, the Judge inquired if
they had agreed upon a verdict and the
foreman answered in the affirmative.
In reply 10 the uSuai question he re-
piled equity The verdict seemed f.,
to br II surprise to all except the Major,
who sat unnoved and could readily l.
have been taken AZ the most disinter-
'steI person in the room. The jury
were polrd, and all answered in the
affirmative, when Mr.. Heverin, for the
irtrnsr, moved for an arrest of judg- :
ncnt and new trial.
Judge Allison said he would give the
let"nS" four day-ir which to file their
"a"nr, and phipps va, taken back to
prison.
In u short time the iron railing
around Frarklip Square will be reInov-
ii, as he Cuuncl committee have ,
awarded thu contract for the improve
nents, Nhich l,cIuurS the removal Of
he unsightly iron railing This has :
,lrcady hcrr sold to the School De 7
,artmcnt fer 5000, which, with So. 900 ,
appropriated Ivy Council, viii be spent J.
N he square,
In consequence of he reduction Of the
for League Island Navy :,
iDri from 1000 to $1,000 per month.
I heraiHr necessary 10 reduce the num-
,er Of hands, and fifty men have already
,ceu Discharged from the construction
The ontlook for the cOm-
NJ year i" decidedly gloomy, AS all ~
lcW Vessels ordered hy the department .
viii hr built by contract, AZ private .
ards. The appropriation for next year
or tie repair department has been re-
|ucel $500 900, and the employees who
lave been retained are placed ON half T.
imc Some ;urHUn. think that these :,
igns pu'trui the closing of the yard =
altogether. i,
Another historic land mark will soon T
NJ removed to make way for modern "A
ThiStlm It Is William +,
',nn'S old cottage, on Ietl'ia street, "
'ear Second, hut fortunately it will no "
'e demolished to pass away forever, but Y
viii be re-erccted at the main entrance Il
# West Fairmount Park. Th" house y
viii be taken down with great care, and
II doors, windows and other parts Will
,c numbered, and the structure erected
= near like the original as possbI'. ,
his house was erected by Colonel Mark :,
900, William ibnutl h,4tpII bi l.lUI-
Il, and considerable Of the wooH work n
vas hrougli, from England by the first n
.ess.l. Ia 1890 the hons" aud lot Of 4