Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-14
MERCY FOR THE BEAST.
Humorous Features of the Duties Of
an Anti-Cruelty Society.
A PARROTS IMMORAL TEACHING.
How Sick Pets Are Disposed of in Wooden
Box Filled With Gas
GETTING CATS OUT OF TREE TOPS
rcossEspospENcr OF THE prspArcH.,

took perch on q corner of the Superin-
tendent's desk. Cooking one eye at his
mistress, he said, 'you're foolp She
paid no attention to this remark, but went
on to say that the bird was sick and that
she wanted him destroyed. At this Polly
exclaimed, "you'rs liarp' He followed
this up with q tiring of oaths and vile
phrases. Then the old woman burst into
tears and confessed the fact.
Her brother was sea captain, and he had
brought the parrot from South America 1t
was the old story. The sailors had taught
it to swear and use abominable language.
Being an exceptionally apt pupil, its reper-
toire of cuss words and improper express
sions became surprisingly large. The old
woman received the gift of the bird with
delight, but presently 1t assailed her with
the most outrageous and abusive epithets
Unfortunately, she lived in house where
there were many other dodgers, and Polly
did not hesitate to swear at and Willy them
as well, calling them all sorts of unprinta-
BILE names. Thus he made such disturb
ance and occasioned so many complaints
that his mistress finally decided that he
must be killed and brought him to the So
ciety for that purpose. However, Super
ntendent Hankinson refused to accede to
the request.
How the Animals Are Killed.
letters are, received BY the society in q
mornings mail asking that cats be called
for and destroyed, besides which many peo-
pie bring their sick pussies to the office for
the same puspose. In response to such COM
munications the officers call promptly and
take away the animals in an ambulance
specially constructed for that purpose with
shelves and baskets that will hold % cats at
trip. 1t is the same way with dogs.
Small ones are put in the baskets, while q
big dog can repose comfortably on straw. at
the bottom of the vehicle. If the creatures
are i'll or injured beyond recovery they are
placed in a wooden 4-foot cube made of
oak and lined with zinc. Ordinary illumi-
mating gas is admitted to the box by tube,
and the beasts lie down and die painlessly
without struggle. During the PROCESS
they can be watched through glass door in
front At the end of minute, or at most q
minute and a halt, they are past suffering
cats are killed in this manner at the request
Of their owners. the list including squirrels,
canary birds, white rats, and even pet
snakes. Some people might consider it
sufficiently ceremonious in the case of a
snake to chop the reptiles head of, but
this is not the way in which the society
looks at such things. Its services have
been demanded occasionally to slay ele-
phants Because they are too big to 60
into the gas tank, they are shot through the
heart with explosive bullets from an ele-
phant gun. If q cat or dog is run over in
the street and hopelessly MANNED, it is
usually shot on the spot
An InoorrigibIs Monkey.
There are remarkable scenes sometimes
in the rooms of the society on Twenty-sec-
ond street near Broadway. One day about
six weeks ago an Italian was brought in by
an officer with a monkey and raccoon.
Both animals were trained to 60 for pennies
while their owner ground hand-organ.
People had sent in complaints to the effect
that the raccoon WAS in wounded condi-
tion from bites inflicted by the monkey.
During the colloquy that ensued between
the organ-grinder and Superintendent Hank
inson, the monkey. which was very large
one, sat on the Superinteadent's desk.
First he picked up the Bible on which wit
nesses are made to swear, and proceeded to
peruse its pages apparently with great at
tention. When the italian said that the
monkey was very quarrelsome and could
not be kept from attacking the raccoon,
Mr. Monk seemed very angry, chartered
savagely, and threw the copy of the Script
ures W ith great force at the head of his
master, who only escaped heing hit by
lodging promptly. Then he grabbed the
heavy office inkstand and threw that also,
following it up by leaping at the Italians
throat Mr.. Hankinson thinks he would
have killed the organ-grinder if there had
not been assistance at hand, SO ferocious
was the assault. The upshot of the affair
was that the man was permitted to take the
monkey away, while the raccoon was re-
tanned by the society, cured of its injuries,
and finally given away to lady who ade
great pet of it.
Killing Men to Save Cats.
The society is frequently called upon to
rescue cats from trees. There was such
case the other day, which made great e1-
citement In the newspapers, It particu-
larly dislikes that kind of work In the
first place, the cats can come down as easily
as they went up, if they want to. Second
ly, trying to get them down is usually at
tended by danger. For example, last win
ter cat was in tree-top on Twenty-second
street within half block of the offices of
the society. 1t miaouwed, and dozens of
people appealed to Mr.. Hankinson in its
tree, which was slippery. He fell down
and dislocated his shoulder. More sym
pathetic complaints came in. Another off
Ger, at the risk of his life, was sent to climb
the tree. He got nearly to the top and the
cat/fan down to the ground on the other
side. In descending, the second officer
tumbled and was very badly bruised.
Women have all sorts Of queer notions
about their cats. One old lady brought
sick pussy to the society the other day,
asking that it be destroyed. When an
officer came to take it away in basket she
fell on her knees and prayed for the animal.
AFirht With Stuffed Dog.
A gentleman in this city owned big
Newfoundland dog. The animal attacked
him and would have killed him if he had
not been rescued. He had the beast shot
and stuffed artistically by taxidermist.
presented to the society and was set up in
the vestibule as an ornament One day a
big mastiff came in the front door, saw the
stuffed Newfoundland and Immediately at
tackled it. The fight which cnsued was
terrific. At the end of about five minutes
the mastiff tore open the stomach of its ad-
versary, and the sawdust poured out on the
floor. Then for the first time the mastiff
perceived that he was sold, and with nm air
OF the utmost humiliation and detection ho
put his tail between his legs ana skunk away
Into corner. The Newfoundland was
sewed up again and put i'll the ambulance
house, where it may now he seen together
with the beautiful stuffed head of the
famous Leo.
Leo was owned by a lady who during her
lifetime was an enthusiastic assistant in the
work of the society. When she saw q man
abusing a horse she would say: LEO, don't
let that man go until come back with a
policeman" The man was always there
when she returned with the officer. because
Leo held him II necessary. Mr. Hankinson
says that he knew as much about the busi-
ness of preventing cruelty to anima Is as any
body did. He had two false teeth which his
mistress had put in by dentist when he got
old.