Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-04-22
Rat-KiIIing at Cambridge.

There are few students at Harvard
college each year, writes correspond
ent of the New York Herald, whose
natural thirst for sport is not satiated by
the tame and ordinary attractions of
college rowing, baseball, football and
lawn tennis. They want something
more exciting. and TO supply this want
some of the more wealthy students
short time ago started a polo club and
won glory for themselves and their
ponies at Newport last summer. There
are other students more venturesome
and reckless, whose longing for excite
ment can only be satisfied by sports of
more bloody character. The result has
been that during the past few years
hard-glove contests and cock-iights have
not been of intrcqucnt occurrence in the
college rooms. Last winter there was
brutal dog-light JIM one of the most
thickly inhabited of the college domi-
Giles. So secret have these affairs been
kept that probably not more than
and during the past SIX years only one
of them has leaked out and appeared in
print. 1t would mean immediate cxpul-
sion for everyone concerned if the facul-
ty should get wind of any OF these con-
tests.
Tonight new feature was added to
this course of secret entertainments
given to wealthy young Harvard bloods.
1t was rat-killing contest in one of the
most richly furnished parlors in the
finest of the fine buildings of the uniyer-
sity. A wealthy western student owns
pretty black and tan dog who recently
has developed much skill in killing rats.
A short time agoG. he offered to bet
fellow-studcnt that his pet could finish
fifty of the rodents in thirty minutes.
The wager was accepted and $500 side
was put up the next day. A few friends
of the principals were let into the
secret. and it was estimated that fully
$1,000 changed hands on the result to-
night
Early this evening the rats were
brought in u box to Cambridge by u
wcll-known rat-catchcr Of the north end
of Boston, who also furnished large,
round pit. The room presented queer
scene ut about . o'clock, when the sport
began. The elegant furniture had been
piled up promiscuously on all sides of
the room, and standing and sitting
upon it were twelve young men. the
sons of some of the wcalthest families
in this state, New York, and the west.
They wore their hats on the back of
their heads, were smoking cigarettes
and excitedly offering wagcrs on the re-
suit of the contest The rats were big
and hungry. and their squeals then and
m u Gb
down the backs of the students, for fear
that the noise would attract the notice
of the college officers.
The dog was soon put into the pit
He is beautiful specimen of the black
and tan, and weighed a trifle over ten
pounds. He went at his victims vicious
ly, and after dispatchlng one of the
squealing brutes would grab another
with lightning-like rapidity The hung
ry rats fought well, and often succeeded
in biting the dog In a short time he
was covered with blood, and at one
time, about twenty minutes after the be-
ginning of the contest, he showed signs
of weakening, and it was feared by his
hackers that he would have to be taken
out of the pit. Suddenly he made a
wonderful brace and went at his little
foes more viciously than ever. The dog
killed the last rat ten seconds before bis
allotted time was up.
The game little dog was then taken
out, his wounds were washed and
dressed and the dead rats and pit were
taken back to Boston by the rat-catcher.
The little black and tan was literally
covered with bites, but was apparently
in no danger of dying from them