The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-02-25
Rat-EilIing at Cambridge.

There are n few students al Harvard
college each wear, writes u correspond
ent of the New York Herald, whose
natural thirst for spor is not satiated Dy
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 a
short time ago started a polo club and
won glory for themselves and their
ponies at Newport las. summer. There
are other students more vcnturesome
and reckless. whose longing for excite
ment can only he 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 infreQuent occurrence in the
college rooms. Last winter there was 4
brutal dog-fight in one of the most
thickly inhabited of the college domi-
Giles. So secret have these affairs been
kept that probably not more than a
dozen students have known OF them.
and during the past six years only one
of them has leaked out and appeared in
print. 1t would mean immediate eXpul-
sion for everyone concerned if the facul-
tests.
Tonight new feature was added to
this course of secret entertainments
given to wealthy young Harvard bloods.
1t was a rat-killing contest in one OF the
most richly furnished parlors i'll the
finest of the fine buildings OF the univer-
sity. A wealthy western student owns
a pretty black and tan dog who recently
has developed much skill in killing rats.
A short time ago he offered to bet a
fellow-student that his pet could finish
fifty of the rodents in thirty minutes.
The wager was accepted and 5000 a side
was put up the next day. A few friends
of the principals were let into the
secret, and it was estimated that fully
81, 900 changed hands on the result TO-
night.
Early this evening the rats were
brought in a box TO Cambridge by =
well-known rat-catcher of the north end
of Boston, who also furnished 4 large.
round pit. The room presented Il queer
scene ut about o'clock, when the sport
began. The elegant furniture had been
piled up prOmiscuOusly Oh all sides of
the room, and standing and sitting
upon it were twelve young men. the
sons of some of the wealthieSt 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 wagers on the re-
suit of the contest. The rats We're big
and hungry. and their squeus then and
during the contest sent a cold Shircr
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 trifle over ten
pounds. He Went at hisvictims vicious
". and after dispatchrng. one of the
squcaling brutes would grab another
with lightning-like rapidity. The hung
ry rats fought well, and often succeeded
in biting the dog. In 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 4
wonderful brace and went at his little
foes more viciouSlv than ever. The dog
killed the last rat len seconds before hi,
| 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 ral-catcher
| The little black and tan was literally
| covered with bites. but was apparently
in no danger of dying from them.