Los Angeles herald., 1908-01-02
FATE OF ARISTOPHANES
SURROUNDED BY MYSTERY
Judge Is Unable to Decide Case, So
Orders 1t Dismissed - Feline
Said to Have Had Twenty
Lives

WASHINGTON, Jan. 1.-Exponents
of the occult occasionally drop to the
ordinary and sometimes to a police
court. So it was with Madam Rita,
reader of riddles and forecaster of for
tunes, known in plain life as Rita
Jackson, and Senior Bishop, mind
reader and students of prognostics.
Bishop also has an ordinary plain life
name, Willard Bishop. Madam Rita
lives at S21 Ninth street northwest,
and loves cats. In fact, she owns d
colony of them. Senior Bishop, who
lives next door, simply abhors cats in
general and Madam Rita's in particu-
lar. He said so in court, repeating the
declaration several times. And there
by hangs a tale of a tomcat-Aristo-
planes by name.
How Aristophanes got his name is a
different story, but suffice 1t to say he
is an alleged analogy of an ancient
age. For several years Aristophanes
has been a wonderful sidestepper and
dodger of the senor's wrath, until a
few days ago, according to madam, his
end came by means of an ak handle in
the hands of senior; by means of a stray
bullet, according to Senior Bishop.
Anyhow, senior, due to the strength of
madam's convictions, was before Judge
Mullowny yesterday, charged with
ending Aristophanes.
"'E killed ma Gait. judge, your
'onor" testified madam; &c 1T i'm with
a max 'andle, right on the roof of is
sheyd. and e quite tykes is life AWAY;
and judge, your 'onor, e swore. 1t
was 'orrible, 'orrible, and then the poor
little cat ran and ran and"
IT'S a wonder she didn't call an I'M
dertaker," interrupted the senior
why. may it please the court" he
continued, with a whitening glance of
superiority. this woman is fortune
teller-a fortune teller She works by
the Ramasian method, and I've counted
twenty-one cats in her backyard-four
tomcats, eight kitty cats and nine kit
tens. And this particular cat-Aristo-
phanes-" the senior paused for a mo-
ment's breath. why, may it please
the court, a twenty-round go between
a church organ and steam calliope
would sound like a ripping creek COM
pared to Aristophanes after / in the
morning.
Accomplishment Superb
For the past ten months" con-
tinued the senior, that eats voice has
been the last thing I've heard at night
and the first in the morning. It's a
wonder Aristophanes and his family
have invaded my garden, my piazza
and my house; they have even looted
my larder and driven my wife out of
the kitchen. I've tried to get him
these many, many months-with stones,
sticks, bricks, bottles, cans and. may 1t
please the court, even poison"
How many lives did this cat have?'
was the first question of the court.
About twenty" answered the senior
feelingly; land 1 hope he don't come
back again"
Did you kin him this last timer"
queried the court
Mono" replied the senior after a
lengthy pause. Some stray bullet
from far, far away over on NJ street
must have hit him.
Where is your cat now?" asked the
court of madam, to make sure.
Hi don't know, judge" she replied,
but Him quite sure 'e's dead, 1t was
such an 'orrible lick with"
And, your honor" interrupted the
senior, "even if he has gone perma-
nently there are others left"
"'E Killed may Gait, e knows e did,
interposed the madam. MAY cats
har hall nice. gentle, well-bred Cats
Hive yellow cats, white cats, black
cats, blue cats, spotted cats, striped
cats. May dead Gait only cried at
night when"
TOO many cats here for me-" inter-
rupted Judge Mullowny. '"rhe case is
dismissed"
But the progeny, your honor; I must
have some protection" persisted the
senior.
Congress may help you'll can't"
answered the judge. Good morning"