The state herald., 1910-10-07
James J. Gallagher.

a subject for mockery Despite his
unpopularity Gallagher viewed his SO.
cial ostracism as joke and through
utter perverseness would demonstrate
his strange power over animals.
For this trait he was feared when
he worked in the appraisers stores as
an opener and packer In 1898. Gal.
lagher was appointed in that year and
often boasted that political pull had
led to his selection from the third
grade list OF the custom house.
The old stores building was over.
run with rats and they were the one
abomination OF the men uncrating aid
wrapping the stores. They possessed
no terrors for Gallagher. however. He
delighted in their coming. He often
demonstrated his peculiar command Of
his voice to his fellow laborers and
seemed to get any call he desired from
the throat region.
One day the tide drove many OF the
dock rats among the barrels and boxes
in the stores Office. They ran for shell
te, TO the heaps of wool In the section
Es
fright the packers deserted the room.
The stocky Gallagher laughed at their
alarm and pursued the rats into the
wool piles. They were about to attack
him when n weird call issued from his
throat.
Ills fellow workers looking In upon
him saw the rats gather about him
With anuaala ~ a aH..tE,, ,h., ,.,,,a.a
similar TO the noise that Gallagher
made. They crept upon him from all
sides. He stroked the rodents ns he
continued the chuckle and they
climbed all over him. Many of the
rats. fattened on the refuse that had
been thrown from the stores. were al.
most the size of cats and aggressive
ly fierce.
Gallagher gave no need To their size
or appearance. He coddled them aud
let them nestle In his arms. They
ran about his neck and down the back
OF his coat He tweaked their long
tails. but they did not bite him, and
he performed other minor crueltles
that would ordinarily have provoked
the rodents to sink their teeth In him.
but they made no move TO hurt the
lhborer. Their tails swished across
his face but he only laughed between
his intermittent calls.
He finally put the rats away from
him, but 10 horrify the other mon he
called them back every noon hour
with the same throaty cry. Thcy
came through cracks In the floor and
from holes In the wall His summons
was Irresistible. To shock his fellow.
almost TO nausea he permitted tho
rats TO nibblc the food hchcld between
his lips. The men appealed TO him TO
stop. but he laughed NJ them.
They are loyable animals" ho
often told his companions. "Tho rat
il much misunderstood. You must
greet him with his own love call and
he will never harm you
on occasions when other men IN tho
rooms were bitten by tho rats. result.
ing ultimately In blood poisoning. ho
laughed In apparon, delight. and. 10
show his own control of the rndcnta
gathered them about him In Hoofca
The Pied Piper OF Hamoiln waa n
man OF my own type" boaHted Gal.
lagher. lie could make tho rats come
from their hiding places. but am su.
porior 20 him. lie used n fiuto: / have
nothing but my throat 10 win them"
When the situation finally became
unboaarblo recourse was had to tho OF.
fioialA. and In 1897 Gallagher was driy.
On from his position. lie had been
guilty OF another ofronuo. but the op.
portuni,y TO leave tho appraisers
stores honorabiy wsa given 20 him.