The Washington times., 1903-02-17
RAT BATTING AGAIN
POPULAR IN NEW YORK
Quick Action in Sport for
Betting Men,
DOGS PROVE PROFITABLE
On One Occasion Two Hundred Tick
cts Were Sold at Three
Dollars Each.

The number Of rat-baiting ronies+s
which have been held in View York ,bis
winter amounts. it is said by those who
should know. almost 10 a revival OF this
old-timo sport. In stable loft not FIR
from Central Park. two contests. ono IN
The afternoon and the other after the
thcater ut night. have been given daily
for al least two weeks.
The managers of these affairs have
been for The most part professional
handlers or pit dogs who have discov-
cred that a ratter as money maker has
become far more valuable than his tena-
cious cousins. the fighting terriers or The
American bull. A Grst-clsss rat dog. in
fact, II he is handled properly and the
betting is judiciously managed, is likely
10 yield his owner a tremendous return
on the original investment.
The patrons have been recruited large
ly from downtown Office buildings. where
rentals are high aud dollars seem trivial.
1t has been frequently demonstrated that
after 80 p. m. The sporting blood 10
The veins Of these tenants is aroused.
on one occasion 2oo tickets at 81 each
were sold for contest in which twelve
dogs and something like 200 rats took
part.
The bait took place in a large room
over saloon which was formerly used
as a poolroom
Good Speculative Medium.
AS a spectacle the batting OF today
is full Of dash and action and dogs and
rats. good performer must possess I
the agility and speed or a game cock
AID the same brilliant ring generalship.
As a specializing medium the player
can get quicker action for his money
n, rat batting that az roulette. Bets
arc made on the time a dog will kill
given number OF rats BY betting
that one dog viii excel another OF sew
v-al others, any number OF combinations
can be played on one contest
The rules which govern the sport at
present are extremely simple. zinc
lined pit feet long , feet wide and 8
icet high is placed in the center OF the !
com and around this on four sides are I
erected high benches for the spectators 4,
There are twenty-five rats for each /
doc. and when these have been dropped /
in the pr man. holding a dog i'm his |
arms. takes his place in the center OF |
the iuclosure. His functions are re
stricted 10 removing the dead rats which \
h does by tossing them with great i'm 4
partiality among the spectators. Should \
IL assist or encourage the dog. the ami
NAL is at once disqualified.
The instant time is called the handler /
drops the ratter TO the floor OF the pit 4
end the battle is on. Twenty-Five care /
fully assorted rats present a fighting /
front. from which the amateur house dog /
UrdoubtedIy would retreat. but the pro
fessionaI goes 10 his work calmly and /
Systematically.
The More Rats the Better.
The more rats in front OF him the bet
ter il suits him and a good ring general 1
viii always try to get as many as posi-
bic crowded into one corner. Il is never
more than one shake 10 a rat and an
average dog viii Kill from six to eight
q minute
Should there by any doubt as TO wheth-
81 rat Is dead after the dog has drop
red it some ono calls Live rat and the
dog is instantly caught up By the handler
who puts his foot on the suspected rats
tail and II 81 moves its own length. the
DOG has 10 tackle It again Time is TAX
en- out Tor this proceeding
AT the bait in which the twelve dogs
contested broker won every bet he
made and broke all his friends with
littic fox terrier owned by his coach
man. 30 one knew the dog and when be
vas brought I'm ludicroUslv rat and ouf
o. condition a friend OF the broker who
stood IN. derisively offered TO bet OF
the rats The first broker became dF-
grpe~f~p at oufa
III 20 you or anyone else amp
amount" be announced. that the Ter
rier kills In less than six minutes"
The spectators could not get their
money up fast enough. Then The broker
made more proposition. he would bet
even money that the dog killed iu less
than Eve minutes j 10 > that ne killed
81 less than four minutes. and J TO
that DC would win he bai:. All c. hess
offers found takers.
Quick Work.
Tho fat terrier was dropped 10 the
focr and in just - minutes aItc-warI
every rat WAS dead. Tho moment h- be
gan work no one could tell whether ne
was fat or lean. whether he was a FOX
terrier or 1ird doc. His IIjtle round .
body fa- 1rd IRON one end % The nIt 10
The other llko The Guivering figures ia "a Z
flncioscope and not once did ne miss his D
strike b- che fraction or an inch
" hon % was over the cOachman took g.
hlm from tie handler arms.
Fat h'or hin. Bobby be said there -,
J. amt 40 dog Twin can beat you
x4rUCsV porrT-~ pAcrBr