The sun., 1894-10-27
SET FIRE TO THE RATS.



They have new way Of extermlnstinG rats in
Norfolk street, which, while very thorough In It's
results, at the same time affords great enjoyment
TO the sports OF that locality. Unfortunately
the officers Of the law do not take kindly to the
game, and It received a setback yesterday
morning through the arrest Of one Of the par
ticlpante. who was taken TO the lookup just at
the most exciting time.
There are lots Of rats In the Norfolk street
tenemcnts, large, gray old follows, who are as
shrewd and cunning as any Of their tribe, and
they cause no end of bother TO the housewives.
How 10 get rid Of them has been puzzle for
years. Cats won't do IL, poison won't, and traps
are Of little use. Long ago people in tho street
gave up hope Of extcrminating the pests, and
then some bright mind conceived the idea Of
getting some fun out of them and at the same
time killing off a few in a way that would
be an example to the rest. The scheme was to
catch n lot OF the largest soak their coats well
with kerosene, then put match To the oil. and
let the animals scamper down the street, squeal-
ing In their agony, In vain effort To get away
from the flames. The game became popular
Immediately. and its devotecs rapidly grew In
number.
At Iso Norfolk street is little grocery, one Of
the kind that Is numerous on the east side
hardly more than n hole In the wall. Early
yesterday morning. when the store was opened
for business as usual. the rat trap was examined
the side OF the sports, for there were four great
big, sleek rodents, grown fat from long pecula;;
around, and soon n crowd had assembled. Those
living In the block who weren't in the street
hung out of the windows to get view OF the
proceedings.
The trap was brought out on the sidewalk so
that no one should miss the, sight The rats
rushed around inside as II they were already
aware Of approaching torture. The crowd
quickly brought and u young FELLOW began TO
pour It on the rats. As the smarting liquid
soaked through their coats and began to work
into their skins, the animals became furious In
their terror and pain. They squealcd and tried
to gnaw the steel.bars of their prison, and finally
began tn fight each other. At last the master OF
on, and he gave the order to set 1t atre: The
crowd fell back. and the match was applied from
underneath the trap.
A sheet OF fame enveloped the poor rats as
the door of the trap was opened. With terrific
squenlings the maddened creatures rushed down
the street followed by the yelling crowd. They
darted this way and that trying TO escape from
crevices in the walls and houses, but every time
there was some one there to heah them OF with
astick or u stone. They weren't going to lose
dark hole and possibly set the houses on fire.
At last the poor tortured animals gave up, the
fight, turned their toes In the air, and nothing
but four charred bodies remained Of the four
into a trap to get the enticing bit of cheese.
In the mean time Policeman Hughes OF the
Eldridgo street station. attracted by the crowd
and the noise. came up unnoticed IN the con
fusion, and saw Fishel Friedman, 20 years old
Of $50 Norfolk street, open the ttap TO let the
burning rats out. He promptly arrested the
prisoner " the Eidridge street station. Later in
the day Friedman taken before Justice
Sims at the Essex Market Police Court, charged
with cruelty TO animals. He said that he
thought he could kill rats in any way he want
ed, but Justice Sims held him over for trial on
$500 bail, in default Of which he was locked up.