Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-12-10
FASHIONABLE CRUELTY.
Slaughter OF Birds for Ladies' Hats
What MIR. Bergh Thinks Of il.

From the New York Tribune
Walking up Broadway one fine afternoon
lately, Tribune reporter noticed an unusually
large display of plumage on ladies' hats. He
saw the wings, plumes, heads and bills Of red
oirds, yellow birds, robins and hum
ming-oirds and almost every variety Of
the feathered songster known, doing
duty In adjoining the headwear and trim
mlngs of the enthusiastic devotees of fashion
In many instances the birds that looked 80
PRETTY on these jaunty hats Were complete,
and the stuffed songster looked as gay as in life
In the windows of a millinery store frequented
mainly by wealthy ladies of fashion. the re-
porter saw many hats thus decorated, With a
bestating step he went in and was met by a
stout dame, who wore an elaborate dress dotted
with dead hre-fiieS In life these fire-flies had
undergone squeezing process. which causes
the phosphorus in them to eXude and has the
effect OF making brilliant costume.
The stOrekeeper informed the reporter that
hre-hes are imported from warm countries
mainly the Indies. where they are prepared for
market. She had them for sale One of the
large counters was almost entirely covered with
stuffed birds and various parts of birds. ready
TO De placed on hats and trimmings as the fancy
or taste OF the wearer mi ht suggest.
Are you not afraid of being arrested for
cruelty" asked the reporter.
No, indeed We import them" replied the
woman, looking the reporter out OF counte-
nance. They would not arrest woman?" she
asked or rather stated in the most assuring
manner.
The reporter called on President Bergh who
SAID: II nave noticed lately that this cruel on
slaught is increasing. There is greater dis
play OF these little tortured creatures than ever
before | notice it in the fashionable stores in
upper Broadway. in cheap 9th avenue and down
In 9th avenue. This wautOn slaughter f1aying
birds alive and tearing feathers from their Quiv-
erlng bodies. is the most barbarous cruelty that
can be practised 1t is an Insult to the cviliza-
tlon which we boast. The savages can do no
more than that. If he does take a few feathers
from fowl. it is the pride of a warrior that
prompts him, not mercless vanity. and he is.
therefore, more eXcusable than our more cult
waited and refined people The feathers are
plucked from these living birds and their limbs
are torn from them while in the agOnes of
death. under the impression that if the feathers
are cured while the blood is warm they have q
fresher and more lasting tint.
They may import a few" continued MI
Bergh, but the demand for birds has become
so great of late that the jersey farmers are now
trapping pigeons and raising squads for this
market. to be sacrificed to cruel fashions whims
The squads are killed when only few weeks
old and their plumage Is fresh and bright.
stuffed squad sometimes look more cunning
on hat than ful-fedged pigeon Stuffed
squirrels are also largely used. What Is more
vanity than to see couple of squirrels on
woman's hat' These squirrels are brought over
from Jersey and the Long Island boys by boys
who sell them at Is or 20 cents each. The young
squirrels are generally selected for this bloody
sacrifice because Of their more desirable size
Cats were formerly used but there was so much
trouble In cutting their skins down to the pro-
per size that kittens have been substituted
ut seems that nOthing-not even the most
defenseless and prettiest of Gods creatures
the birds Of the air, can escape the merciless
hands of fashions slaves. Fashion has such an
unlimited power that our women are not only
deaf to mercy, but ruin their own health and
sacrifice their lives In following its arbitrary
DEGREES. few years ago England. and even
India took steps to prevent the further
slaughter OF birds. But America has done prac-
tically nothing.
IF the wealthy ladies of fashion of this city
should set the fashion by misunderstanding this
practice. great deal could be accomplished If
the leaders of society would cease using orna-
ments that were obtained only through cruelty,
there would soon be no demand for them The
prevention Of this slaughter rests with the
leaders of fashion more than with this society,
for the work Is done SO secretly that we cannot
trace the doors to their butcher shops or get
even the slightest evidence. We see only the
results OF their cruelty. So popular has this
cruelty OF plucking live animals become that
live geese are picked under the impression that
the feathers make better bed than If they were
plucked after the goose was killed"