The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-01-13
Staying THE RODENTS
Rat Batting Proves Popular
Among the ''Dead-Game" Sports.
Number of Contests Between Rats and
Dogs Held Last Night-Chicken
Fights Prevented.

The new reporter attended his first rat
ting main last night. 1t was given at Horns
Hall, across the river, on West Washing
ton street The new reporter is accustomed
to witnessing revolving and disgusting
scenes. but even the reportorial indiffer-
ence could not withstand the attack upon
decency which he witnessed last night. The
main was given by George Schrader and
Henry Winkner, and was under the direc-
ton of Jack Christian who acted as time
keeper. There were seven battles, and all
or them resulted disastrously for the rats.
The first event was a battle between "a
ferret and four rats. The ferret was owned
by George Schrader, and when first put into
the long cage in which the rats had been
previously placed, the veteran rat exter-
minator viewed the situation for a mo-
ment. then glided stealthily to one of the
largest rats, and before the spectators were
aware of just what was intended, the rat
was lying dead upon the floor with its
throat cut The ferret was in no hurry
and proceeded slowly and cautiously One
after another the rats were laid low, and at
the expiration of seven minutes all of them
had been killed in the same manner.
Then ten rats were placed in the cage
and the first dog was placed in with them
TO demonstrate his alacrity in Strengthening
the varmints. The dog was a rat terrier
called Dude" owned by William H.
Poehler. When the last rat lay dead upon
the floor and Jack Christian called time
it was found that the time had been just
two minutes and ten seconds. The next dog
put into the cage was bull bitch, Doc"
owned by Merchant policeman Bennett
Campbell. She was put into the cage with
gore in the deadest kind of earnest The
last rat was killed in two minutes and forty
seconds. Then Charles Glltzenstein's rat
terrier Fannie was put into the cage
with five rats. She killed three of them,
but the other two showed fight and the dog
would not attack them. Campbell's Doe
and Poehlers Dude seemed TO be the
only dogs in the house that would kill rats,
and there were loud cries from the audience
for these two to be again placed in the
little wire encaSed arena Doc was bark
ing loudly and making every effort to get
at the rats held in large cage on the floor,
and the demands of the crowd and the
dog desires were satiated by putting him
again in the cage with ten rats, which he
killed in one minute and fifty seconds. The
Dude was again placed into the cage
and killed five rats in one minute and forty
seconds Then there was dearth of un-
tried dogs Several were put into the cage
but either did not know what was expected
OF them or were not inclined TO enter the
lists None of them would tackle the rats.
Then three young feTrets were placed into
the cage but refused to have anything TO
do with the nasty rats. The crowd was not
yet satisfied and kept calling upon Jack
Christian TO put Doc in again. Campbell,
the owner of the dog, was willing. but
Christian refused for time to allow her
Finally it was announced that Doc
would be put into the cage with twenty-five
rats. This announcement created the WIId-
est enthusiasm and the dog was cheered
Justify as she was raised to the cage. She
was anxious for the fray and no sooner
had her feet struck the floor of the cage
than she sprang upon the nest of fright
ened rats all huddled together in one cor
ner vainly endeavoring to squeeze them
selves between the wires OF the cage. The
dog seized a rat. gave 1t vigorous shake
and dropped il upon the floor dead and then
seized another. The terrified rats sprang
up the sides of the cage In their efforts to
escape from the jaws of the vicious dog
The crowd, which gathered close about
the cage. would yell beat 'em down. ="
Then some person standing near the cage
would beat the rat down into the jaws of
the dog. In very few seconds the floor
was strewn with dead rats lying, in little
heaps here and therS In one OF these was
large-sized rat, evidently an old-timer,
which had not been killed. The dog had
caught him in the middle of the back and
broken its spine so that it was unable to
use its hind parts. Wounded as it was 1t
stood upon the defensive. Only able to
use the fore part of it's body it turned and
offered all the resistance 1t could to the
dog. For awhile Ii escaped the notice of
the dog but finally it was observed and one
snap of the dog ended its misery. The bat
tie lasted just three minutes and ten sec
onds, when twenty-five dead rats were ly-
ing upon the floor Of the cage. During the
battles several of the smaller rats sue
ceeded in wedging themselves between the
wires and escaped. Then big, strong men,
who are wont to revile the fear of a wom-
an who springs upon chair at the sight
of a mouse. sprang upon chairs or any 9TH
er object that would take them from the
floor The prize of s. for the best time was
awarded to Bennett Campbell, the owner
of Doe" After the rat-killing was over
a bushel basket full of the dead var
minis, were carried from the hall.