Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-01-21
RACING cockRoAcHEs.
= queer Pastlms Among the Prisoner. II

= Queer Pastime Among the Prisoners In
ConstantinopIe JaiIs.
Racing cockroaches is the latest de-
vice OF the prisoners who are Ianguish-
ing in the Turkish prisons. These
men are locked up for indefinite terms.
often not knowing themselves what are
the crimes OF which they are accused.
and in many instances be-ns entirely
forgotten by the officials as soon as the
doors of the prison have closed upon
them.
The prisoners perform no work. and
are given considerable freedom if they
have friends who supply them from the
outside with money. In this way the
prisoners meet daily in the halls anG
corridors of the prisons of CONSTANT
nople. Here they discuss the news of
the day, smoke and read, and do what
they can TO while away the dreary
hours.
The prisons are overrun with cock
reaches. The more intelligent of the
prisoners make friends with these in
sects.
Infinite patience is required to train
a cocllroach. But man TO whom time
IS nothing, like these Turkish prisoners
who may spend years behind the bars
without coming up for trial, can easily
nfford to undertake the difficult task OF
Educating a cockroach in the way ke
should go. Only the wealthy prisoners
can do this, for by bribing the guards
they are enabled to secure bread crumbs
and pieces of sugar. which are eagerly
sought for by the cockroaches.
BY enticing a number of cockroaches
into his cell every day, one of the pris-
Dners discovered that they were PTS
sessed of rare intelligence and cOuld
easily be caught, if they were pro-
pitiated with molasses. After few
weeks work he astOnished his friends
IN the prison by bringing out for their
fdifcation a corps of trained cock
reaches.
The cockroach fever at once spread
through the prison. Every man who
could beg or borrow molasses began to
Train company of cockroaches. 1t was
found to be a most diverting and ex-
citing pastime.
When the prisoners met daily they
recited the feats of their pets, and re-
ported the progress they were making
in teaching them new tricks. Out of
this grew the cockroach race. Two of
the most highly trained cockroachcs
were pitted against each other, and
the prisoners ranged themselves on
either side of the corridor to watch the
race.
Bets were made of pieces of tobacco
and loaves of bread, and great excite
meRt arose among the onlookers as the
new and novel contest was started.
The prize for which the cockroaches
raced was a small platter of moiasses.
The owner of each insect prodded him
with a piece of straw. As the cock
reaches raced along the floor the eX-
citement among the prisoners and jail
ers rose to fever heat. The insects had
been so well trained that they deviated
neither to the right nor left, but KEEP;
straight ahead.
The one that was beaten lost the race
because he stopped to scratch his leg
The race between these two cockrOaches
was the most exciting event that has
occurred in the Central prison of Con
stantinople since Armenians were cut
down in the corridors there year ago
The prisoners at once started train
ing coc6roaches, and now races occul
on the floor of the prison several times
each day. Thus is afforded a welcome
break in the monotony of the lives OF
the prisoners-N. Y. journal.