New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-21
BAUERMEISTER is HAPPY.
BROWNSvILLE'S FELINE TERROR WILL
STEAL NO MORE CHICKENS.
zABRIsK1Es PET GREW TO BE A REGULAR
FIEND But LOVE FOR FOWL BROUGHT

neghborhOod. wherein he lived ana ruieu' TIC was
a great big Thomas cat. and from his advent 10
the dignity Of maturity ne played the ruic-or-
ruin" policy which generally meant ruin 10 the
many opponents with whom he came In contact
He is dead now. His sins overlook him anu hc
has gone the way of all flesh. The manner of his
taking off will come later The characteristics OF
Tom Platt were an undue aggressiveness ana
an unhoy and continuous desire for trouble. Ana
he always found 1t. He was siniser-iooKihg peas''
In his later days his greenish-yellow eye wore
a serio-comic look. and 1t saw all ways AT once
Tom was black. large and powerful Ills claws
were as sharp the teeth Of a buzz-saw ana when
in action he resembled threshing machine IN
full blast.
One day. about year ago. old Paul Zabrskie was
sitting In front of his bakeshop In Atlantic-ave lie
was smoking an old black Polish pipe. and musing
Suddenly he felt something brush against MS ies
He looked down and there was hungry-Iookins
kitten thin and gaunt. 1t purred almost piteousy'
and Paul, who is kindly old fellow. TOOK IL IN
the house and fed 1t. it thrived wonderfully and
showed disposition to be friendly and at home.
Paul named IL Peter, and the neighbors remarked
what a fine cat Paul briskie had found But
Peter soon developed those qualities which u,ade
him respected, we'll as hated and feared lie be-
came a veritabe terror In the neshborhooh' whose
inha bitants suddenly developed great expertness
at brickbat- throwing and the like. 1T was about
this time that a Polish politician called Peter by
the title of Tom Platt and thereafter the name
stuck to him. 1t soon became so that II there was
any deviltry committed in the neighborhoou not
traced TO Tom Plat the people wanted TO Know
about 1t at once. Tom was a freebooter and
bandit-traits he must have inherited from a 'ots
line of ancestors. The dogs Of BROWNSVILLE soon
found this out and before iOng there was only
one dog in the ward that could be induced to travel
within a mile Of him lie met and overcame them
all one sweep of his powerful claws was S r
fcent for most of them, ard the look Of terrified
Ax', Coo he raj
bleeding after short but swift encounter was
sonnet hing laughable to the grown-up population
Two or three animals Of the bulldog type. when
had made sport of cats almost from birth met
their match and speedily sought other fields
Tom also paid his respects 10 the children OF
his bailiwck. One day he nearly tore the ear rom
q youngster who attempted 10 correct him with
lath for stealing fish from the sard OF the alore-
said Youngsters father Then the neighoors rose
IN their wrath and waited upon old Paul, demand
ing the death of Tom Platt forthwith faui
promised immediate execution. but he might as well
have tried to catch and execute the devli. lom
seemed to know by instinct that he was marked
cat For a time he was unusually wary anu
sought quarters secret and mysterious In MS
kittenhood tractable, he had grown out OF old
pauls control but he still kept the old mans barn
as Headquarters and held undisputed sway. some
of the old women of the neghborhood VINO oeheVeo
in superstition said that Tom was an emissary
of the devil and they circulated the report that MS
presence meant i'll. They spread poison ana SET
traps but they might as we'll have tried 10 eaten
cyclone The the beast came TO dealn uiaiI
his actual departure for the happy land OF csts MAS
when old Paus SON. Nicholas Lay IN wa os and
load Of buckshot which had been In me gun from
time out of fes whee thee
Tom sitting on his haunches ga ga1 a'yars
s3 sorf Of friendship one eye was gone bu,
that was all. The fence back OF where the cat hau
stood punctured "a spihteren, o ne cn,' H
surveyed the ruin wrought and then retreated uuer
the barn to ruminate on the treachery OF manK Gnu
Old Paul witnessed his sons attempt to XIII ION
Platt >,,.,o,o so,a tho old man dot
Nicholas rubbed his shoulder and said he guessed
When Tom reappeared after weeks seclusion
his appearance was more sinister ana ms oispos
ton uglier than 1t only wanted the mention
TO tame the most rebellious child into absolui.
obedience. BY strange freak OF animal nature MS
The two were often seen together huntinn In
couples as il were. Tom was useful FOR he OFTEN
saved the yellow dog beating from strange uoss
which occasionally wandered into the street, but
invariably got out again faster than they came H.
hanging on to the TANKS OF luckless beast and
extracting a chunk Of hide as memento Be
tween the unearhly howls OF the dGss ana ,me yrls
ton On such occasions bricks, stones pieces or
,W az " biS as feather duster would go flying
the street and disappear over some fence with de-
fant yowl
HE TRIED TO STOP A TROLLEY-CAR.
One day In early spring tho cat, who was feeling
in fine fettle essayed to stop troley-car 1t was
evidently his first experience with trolleycars or
he would have known better. but as he was ac-
customed to tackle most anything that moved.
trolley wasn't much, after all Tom was resting
between the Jamaica tracks when the car came
tail swell faster on d came nmt tine ' Ss ana
hn frnl1a ha6 n
ders which hops up and down with each turn OF
the wheels II csugh: Tom patr on ,he an up mop
landed in mud puddle In vacant lot with a
grunt gazed reproachfuliy at the reredne car ana
for him.
CHICKENS WE'RE HIS RUIN.
Old Zabriskie has a neighbor who owned coop
full Of fine chickens. This was some time ago The
chickens kept disappearing one by one until there
were only few left. Tom was suspected and
although close watch was kept Neighbor Baur-
meister could not connect him with the crime OF
theft and murder. But one fine morning. shortly
after daybreak, Baurmeister heard a., a noise and
me fence into old Pauls yard with a fine fowl In
his mouth That was too much Baurineister
wide of its mark that Zabriskies kitchen window
sash was entirely demolished Baurmeister was
Cot in Himmel. ZaprskIe" he shouted Dot
tuyhl OF ket he kill my shickens He vos de
The breaking Of the glass awakened old Paul and
brought him out In hurry.
why you smesh my veendow! ne ahgrly IN
quired Of Baurmeister $50
Your tuvfilish kets der deef." was the reply.
II bays der gless pill, Zapriskie only getch dot
ket."
TON Platt" with the chicken. had taken refuge
In the barn The two old men. armed with clubs.
entered. TON" showed fight. and for a minute
affairs were badly mixed. He made for Atlantic
ave with a piece OF Baurmeisters trousers and a
section OF cuticle In his terrible claws With a
howl OF rage and pain Baurmeister followed. The
cat cleared the fence and for the fist time
in his troublous life lost his cunning Long
Island train was Just passing and In attempting
to cross the tracks Tom boWled over and
scattered along the track. And that was the end
OF Tom Plat" Baurmester was wild with de-
light.
I'll. eNcrypody!" he shouted. "Zapriskics ket