The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-21
PRISONERS STRANGE PETS.
CONTICTS WHO HAVE SHOWN
FONDNESS FOR ANIMALS.
SIurderer's Trained Rats--A Trusty VINO
famed Ailisators-Bank Wrecker's
Canaries-Dags and Cats Well Cared
For in Jail iseons as Prison ots.


Tor In Jail-Iiseons as Prison Pots.
Whether because they feel that the hand
OF all mankind Is raised against them, and
therefore they are forced to turn to dumb ami
Ma Is for love and companionship or whether
It is to divert their minds during the long,
dreary hours behind prison walls. 1t Ia q
noteworthy fact that many Of the CON-
victs in the penitentiary. says the Columbus
Press Post evnce marked fondneas for
animal pets and show remarkable tact
and patience in their caro- and training
Many of these prisoners. who during
their confinement have by their loving cars
and tender patience won the devotion and
fidelity of their dumb friends were noted
during their freedom for cruelty and bru-
sl,v Some Of these oonvicts. who arc 70
strongly attached to their pets that they
would risk their lives in protecting thom
from harm and would share their last crust
Of bread with them, are serving lie $50
fences for murder.
As the number and species Of animals
permitted to live inside the prison walls
are for the most part very limited, tho
prisoners who are DESTROYS Of oulhvating
pels must put up with such animals -
chance throws in their way. This often
eads to peculiar selections, but mono arc
more strange than the choice Of pets mado
by two convicts at present inmates Of tho
Ohio enitentiary.
Ore OF these prisoners II Morgan
McSweeney, about 90 years old, who In
serving life sentence for murder committed
In Washington county. He was received
al he prison in 1898, and. being an eng-
pee-, he Was put to work running q steam
pump that supplies water TO tho prison
kitchen and laundry. This pump is stu
aed in dark, dismal corner OF the kitchen
basement, ard is entirely shut Cd from
where any of the other prisoners are en-
ployeL
lis basement, like many other parts Of
Vie penitentiary plant, Is infested with
rate, hundreds making their homo In the
holes and crerioes Of the crumbling walls
snd beneath the broken flooring Of tho old
BUILDING.
Gradually the rats grew accustomed to
NcSweeney's presence, and insolvency
grew accustomed to the rats. Because Of
Eis lonely existence lie began to take an in
tereet in watching them as tley would
poke their heads out Of their holes and
stare at him, ready to dart back again vt
bis slightest mo vement.
The more the old man watched the rodents
the more interested he became in them
living companions, and as he felt kindly
toward them he took the quickest and
easiest way to win their trust and friendship
by feeding them. He began by placing
bits Of bread, meat and other nonsels Of
food near their holes. TT ese the rats would
back to their nests.
Gradually McSweeney placed the food
farther and farther away from the rodents
holes and closer to TIE chair in which he
sat, until by months Of patient perseverance,
never Offering to harm or scare them, he
won the confidence Of the rats to sloh an
extent that they would come right up to LIS
chair and eat the food out Of his hands.
The engineer soon had the rats 80 well
trained that whenever he wished to feed
them all he had to do was to give allow
peculiar whistle and dozens OF them. some
almost as big as cats, would dart from their
holes Without waiting an instant trey
would swarm all over Insolvency.. running
up his legs, under his coat. on fis head
and shoulders. and in fact everywhere they
,, one Of these occasions the rodents.
not finding enough food on McSweeney's
person TO satisfy their appetites, devoured
the entire back OF his coat collar and the
back Of his coat before he knew what they
After a while the rats became so fond Of
their benefactor that there was scarcely
an hour in the day that there were not at
least a dozen Of his strange pets crawling
around on McSweeneey's Lap, or perched
was to give vent to his REGULAR whistle and
the whole vast army Of them would rush
from their hiding places and literally cover
him by swarm ing over his body.
McSweenev kept on feeding and playing
with his pets in this manner for more than
ri init ut
relations with The rodents when the prison
authorities few months ago changed
his employment from running the pump
to working around the corridors in the
east wing Of the prison.
Al though this present employment Is
much more congenial and he has the So
ciety Of several other conyicts McSweeney
sa he hated to leave the pump solely be-
cause 1t hurt him to part company with
his pet rats.
Many a time" said Mcsweenev, y have
bad the rats so thick about me that when |
got up from my chair to walk away I |
would he obliged to shove them out Of the |
way with my foot in order to find space |
to walk without stepping on them. would |
ALWAYS have TO eat my meals standing up
with my plate in my hand, for if put the
plate down anywhere the rats would take
II away from me before I could eat it,
The Other prisoner WHO las made strange
pets is Pat Moran sentenced to life i'm
lIISOllIlleII LOT uOuI IL rnuTQeT Ill SleVe-
land in 1894. For several years Moran has
Teen employed as clerk in the deputy
warCens Office. He is allowed many
srecial privileges, which include permission
to 80 anywhere he likes within the prison
grounds.
A few years ago, while on their way to
TIE prison one morning, a couple of guards
cane across an alligator al out four feet
long, lying in the street. 1t was after
ward learned that the gator had escaped
from is owner, a nearby saloonkeeper.
during the night.
Tie guards, not knowing at the time
vs. ere il e.onged, procured barrel into
which tfev put the gator and took him
TO the prison, where Trey dumped him in
II asin of tie large foun' ain in the inner
yard The alligator seemed 20 / e 80 greatly
leased with lis new quart rs that when
! is owner shortly af;crward learned where
Is lost pet was he decided 10 let him stay
there
Moran used TO sit near the edge Of the
fountain and watch the alligator with in
terest He cyan to feed 1t and soon had
u q ugly rute so tame II at it would swim
UP 10 where he S. God and would take food
out Of his hand. The east also grew 30
tame il would clamf er ont OF the water
and IN RESPONSE to oran's call IL would
follow hin all over the lawn
couple Of years go a resident Of Column
BUS had three alligators sent to him from