Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-13

81
NNQ paid no attention TO this
wv remark, but went on to
say that the bird was sick and that she wanted
him destroyed. At this polly exclaimed: "You re
. d-n har!" He followed this up with
string Of oaths and vile phrases such as are not
commonly heard far away from Hester street
and the Bowery. Then the old woman burst
into tears and confessed the fact.
Her brother was a sea captain and he had
brought the parrot from South America. Ii
was the old story. The sailors had taught il TO
swear and use abonnnable language. Being an
exceptionally apt pupil Its repertoire of '-cuss
words and improper expressions became sur
prisingly large. The old woman received the
gift Of the bird with delight, but presently it
assailed her with the most outrageous and
abusive epithets. Unfortunately she lived in a
house where there we're many other dodgers and
Polly did not hesitate to swear at and villify
them as well, calling them all sorts OF imprint
able names Thus he made such a disturbance
and occasioned so many complaints that his
mistress finally decided that he must be killed
and brought him to the society for that pur-
pose. However, Superintendent Hankinson
refused to ac:ede to the request.
THEY WANT CATS DESTROYED
Often as many as dozen postal cards and
letters are received by the society in morn
ing mail asking that cats be called for and
destroyed, besides which many people bring
their sick pussies to the Office for the same
purpose. In response TO such communica-
tons the officers call promptly and take away
the animah in an ambulance specially con-
structed for that purpose with shelves and
baskets that viii hold twenty-five cats at a trip.
IL Is the same way with dogs. Small ones are
put IN the basket. while big dog can repose
comfortably on straw at the bottom of the
vehicle. If the creatures are i'll Or injured be-
yond recovery they are placed in wooden
box four feet long made of oak and lined with
zine. Ordinary Illuminating gas is admitted 10
the box by tube, and the beasts lie down and
die painlessly without a struggle. During the
process they can be watched through glass
door in front At the end of a minute, or at
most minute and a half, they are past suffer-
ing.
The society has tried several other WAYS for
killing the creatur. committed TO its charge
for destruction Ii has experimented with
drowning, shooting, hydrocysnic acid-eyery-
thing. IN fact, except electricity, which it pre-
fers not TO toy with The hydrocyanic acid Was
applied by injecting ii with syringe into the
throat, but it was abandoned because il was
painful On all accounts the best thing for the
purpose seems to beilluminating gas. All kinds
of animals besides dogs and 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 con-
slider 1t sufficiently ceremonious in tine case Of a
snake to chop the reptiles head off but this il
not the way in which the society looks at such
things. Its services have been demanded occa-
sionally to slay elephants. Because they are too
big to 60 into the gas tank they are 81 through
the heart with explosive bullets from an ele-
plant gun. If a cat or dog is run over in the
street aud hopelessly manned it is usually shot on
the spot All OF the officers in the service are ex-
cellent pistol shots.
A VICIOUS MONKEY
There are remarkable scenes sometimes In
rooms Of the society on 22d street near Broad
way. One day about six weeks ago an Italian
was brought in by an officer with a monkey and
raccoon. Both animals were trained 20 90
FOR pennies while their owner ground a hand
organ. People had sent in COMPLAINTS TO the
effect that the raccoon was in q wounded con-
dition from bites inflicted by the monkey
During the colloquy that ensued between the
organ grinder and Superintendent Hankinson
the monkey. which was a very large one. sat on
the superintendent desk. First he picked up
the Bible on which witnesses are made 10
swear and proceeded to peruse its pages ap-
parently with great attention. When the Ital-
ian said that the monkey was very quarrelsome
and could not be kept from attacking the rae
coon Mr.. Monk seemed very angry. chartered
savagely, and threw the copy Of the Scriptures
with great force at the head of his. master, who
only escaped being hit by lodging promptly
Then he grabbed the heavy Office inkstand and
threw that also, folowing it up by leaping at
the Italians throat Mr.. Hankinson thinks he
would have killed the organ grinder IL 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 retained by the
society. cured OF Its injuries. and finally given
away to lady who has made great pet of IL.
The society Is frequently called upon to
rescue cats from trees There such a case
the other day, which made a great excitement
in the newspapers. 1t particularly dislikes
that kind of work. In the first place the cats
can come down As easily a. they went up. if
they want to. Secondly, trying to get them
down is usually attended by danger. For ex-
ample, last winter a cat was in a tree top on
22d street within half block Of the officers of
the society. 1t mIaouwed and dozens of peo-
pie appealed to Mr.. Hankinson in its behalf.
An officer was sent to climb the tree. which
was slippery. He fell down and dislocated his
shoulder. More sympathetic complaints came
in. Another officer, at the risk of his life. was
sent to climb the tree. He got nearly
to the top and the cat ran down to
the ground on the other side. In descend
ing the second officer tumbled and was very
badly bruised That cat is a notorious nuis-
ance in the neighborhood Because il went up
Q tree after birds and did not chose to come
down two human lives had TO be put at hazard.
There is such thing as carrying humanitarian
Ism too Tar. women have all eorts OF queer
notions about their cats. One old ladv brought
a sick pussy to the society the other day asking
that il be destroyed When an officer came 70
take IL away in Q basket she fell on her knees
and prayed for the animal. Another old
woman believed that her cat was a reincarna-
ton Of the soul of her daughter, but the beast
was SO sick that she begged TO have it killed
nevertheless. Persons who fetch dogs TO be
disposed Of because they have bitten people
very commonly request that some hair from
the ends Of the tails be preserved and returned
to them for application 10 the wounds.
UNIQUE DOG FIGHT.
A gentleman in. this city owned . big New
foundland dog. The animal attacked him and
would have killed him il he had not been res
cused. He had the beast shot and stuffed srtis-
tically by taxidermist Thus mounted in a
lfelike attitude, il was presented 20 the society
and was set up in the vestibule as an ornament.
One day big mastif came in at the front
door, saw the stuffed Newfoundland and imme-
diately attacked It. The fight which ensued
was terrific. At the end Of about five minutes
the mastif tore open the stomach Of its sdver-
sary and the sawdust poured out on the floor.
Then, for the first time, ths mastif perceived
that he was sold, and with IN air of the utmost
humiliation and detection he put his tail be-
tween his legs and skunk away into Q corner.
The Newfoundland was sewed up again and put
in the ambulance house, where IL may nov be
Ia -