Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-25
OBJECTIONS TO CATS
Indirect Cause of Loss to Pref.
Clifton F. Hodge.
HIS GROUSE POISONED
THE OWNERS OF FELINES sUS-
PECTED OF THE CRIME.
Other Indictments Brought Against
the ADMINISTRATORS Given
81 Of Their Ferocity.

Every one interested In the progress OF
science will regret to learn that the famous
experiment In the artificial rearing of ruffed
grouse. which has been so successfully car
ried on by Prof. Clifton r. Hodge OF Clark
University, has been set back for three
years by the hand OF criminal Every
one Of DR.. Hodges grouse has been poi
! soned. Arsenic hidden in acorns, was the
direct cause of death: cats, seeking the
lives of these world-famous birds, were the
direct cause.
Three years ago the rearing of ruffed
grouse by artificial means was said to be
an impossibility. On account of the rapid
decrease of this valuable game bird, at
tempts without number were made to prop
agate the species in captivity. All were
unsuccessful until DR.. Hodge turned his at
tention to the matter, and, by his simple
but thoughtful efforts, brought little flock
OF healthy, vigorous birds to maturity. The
| news Of his success was published far and
wide. and brought him congratulations from
naturalists and sportsmen all over the
world.
Last winter visited Prof. Hodge at his
| home In Worcester, Mass, and saw the
grouse. They were housed In a pen In the
garden. and had a good-sized open-air
run, made Of wire netting. They were
In good condition, seemed contented, and
some Of them were so tame that they would
feed from their masters hand and even
aa-ow themselves to be fondaed.
His Chief Trouble.
The chief trouble Prof. Clark had had
was not In rearing the birds. but in pro-
tecting them from the cats which haunted
the garden. After two birds had been de-
stroyed by having their heads and wings
torn of through the meshes of the net
| ting, the scientist saw his whole expert
| mert threatened with failure. and cour-
teously warned his neighbors that, IL their
cats continued their depreda atoms. it would
be necessary to protect his property. All
the intelligent neighbors were in full SYM
pathy with DR.. Hodge, and either got rid
of their cats or did their best to keep them
where they belonged. A few paid no atten-
ton, and the professor was obliged to set
box traps near his grouse pen and catch
the trespassing cats. All whose owners
were known or could be found, were re-
turned with a request that they be kept at
home; II seemed fair to presume that the
others were "strays" and as such they were
chlOroformed.
During a recent absence of Prof. Hodge
the grouse were left in charge of certain
students attending the university, and these
young men had great trouble in defending
the birds from particular cat which per-
sisted in climbing all over the cage. This
beast was driven away over and over again,
and at last, when he had killed one of the
finest of the grouse, by causing IT to ny In
terror against the side Of the pen and
burst its CROP one of the students threw
the first thing which he could reach ana
the cat ceased to cucumber the earth.
The Courts Comment.
The Massachusetts S. P. c. A. was insi-
gated to prosecute the young man on
charge of Cruelty as it was claimed that
the cat had not been properly killed Judge
Utley promptly discharged the defendant
with the following comment
Here is case where man found cat
on his premises and was perfectly JUSTIFIED
in doing what he did. Whether he meant
to strike the cat or not is immateriaL Some
time ago in this court 1 discharged man
for shooting a cat that was stealing MS
chickens. l see no reason In this case why
! should change my opinion. A cat Is the
most untamed animal in Christendom. You
cannot control 1T. A dog will mind you, but
a cat Is beyond control. A man has per-
feet right to protect his property from per-
son or animal preying upon it
On the following Sunday ali the birds
were poisoned, and with them was de-
stroyed an amount of honest. patient labor
whicn was worth more to the world than
all the cats in Worcester.
Most of my readers already know my
personal attitude toward cats. and shall
not repeat my own grievances against these
comfort-ioving, fawning. treacherous beasts
But for years I have been collecting the
evidence of accurate people against them.
and little of this / will give. Much of
II Is too horrible for newspaper publica-
ton
From any number of physicians of high
standing, I have testimony concerning the
danger Of cats as carriers OF disease, and
one famous throat specialist assures me
necessary to kill the cats by wholesale for
blocks around the infected quarter.
Stronger Objections Stated.
But to my mind there are much stronger
objections to the cat than this. A story
told me by United States army Officer of
how. in camp on the plains OF Texas. he
and brother officer fought through long
summer night to prevent q horde Of cats
from devouring the dead body of an infant
is more than matched by the following
CHASTITY but dramatic account given me by
Charles I. Rice. one of the best-known men
OF Worcester Mass:
Cup to my eighteenth year, my home was
In the country on q farm The nearest
neighbors lived about q quarter of mile
distant. and the family consisted OF two
unmarried brothers. who. save for a number
Of pet cats, were the sole occupants of the
house. was an occasional visitor at this
house. and used to see the cats feeding
b0untifalfy when the milk was brought
fresh from the cows and distributed to
their different dishes.
aIn return these cate manifested all the
two men) which is poaaibie Tor their kind.
They rubbed their sides against his legs,
or purred contenkedly In his lap ~ he read
his Massachusetts, Foughnan. They
crawied into his bed for warmth In the wins
ter. and he. laclging the coFnpanaonshkp Of
family loved and cared for them.
"One night. when the October moon was
ct tts best. this man. In the abssncs Of hts
younger brother. was atssp,ked by caller.
and kfAe0 BY Tepeaked blows from . mali
IN. The neat DAY. after the autopsy, ell
the curjoa4ty-Heekers followed the detec-
tfvos ahout - thar were Investigating clue.
aad wus aakod 20 remain on gpArd until
relieved