The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-02-17
SCHOOL BOARDS
CATS CLAIMS TO
PAY FOUND GOOD
New York Defenders of Two
FeIineS Declare That Both
Fought Rats in Interest
"0f the People,"

NEW YORK, Feb. 1.-THE problem
OF determining the duties Of the board
OF education cat, the problem that was
put up squarely to Commissioner Of Ac-
counts David Hirshfleld by Mayor Hy-
Ian, became doubly serious when it was
ascertained that there are two cats.
This disclosure, while making it ap-
parent that there were two employees of
the board not regularly accounted for
on the pay roll, showed that the actual
outlay per cat capita on the part Of the
city was cut in half.
Commissioner Hirshfield was not pre-
pared to report on his findings because
he had not yet heard from the special
investigator assigned to the case. AL
though he had not talked with the
mayor, he said, he believed that 1t was
not the $3.50 maintenance charges that
provoked the inquiry, but "only the
principle of the thing
The plain &le Of what proves to be a
tailless cat, along with her accomplish,
who is also her offspring. was revealed
at the office of Patrick Jones, the su-
p~erintendent of supplies, in the board
of education building. Once upon a
time. when art artists" and eff
cheney experts were not, the rats
and mice in the board of education
building lived almost exclusively on the
choice bindings of schoolbooks await
ing delivery, causing a loss to the city
of thousands of dollars every year. Rat
traps were used, but the Intended vic
TINS were wary. Poison was laid along
the trail but the rats ate the poison
and then topped it off with the bind
= ings, only to return for more the next
day. Anthony Wahle, standing guard
for the educational S. O.. S. system, was
driven to extreme measures. So, enter
the cat!
AS the curtain rises upon the second
act of the feline drama at a date set
two years back, a member OF the board
of education Is discovered questioning
Anthony as to the cats excuse for ex-
~istence and the source of her upkeep.
The keeper Of the books AYERS that the
cat IS a public benefactor, confessing
that in his weakness he has bought
milk and meat and liver out of his
own small stipend.
Whereupon the board member sug-
gests that the city might well afford to
pay for such valuable service and that
he will see that the bill is O. KID when
rendered. Thus the origin Of a voucher
which has been sent through the regular
channels periodically ever since. When
the original estimate for cat mainte-
nance was made $3.50 was said to be
a talr inquire. meantime the cost OF
living for cats has steadily risen, yet
Wahle does not complain.
Mater familias cat is a black and
white cat, with a temper so vicious
that all those in the building, except
the keeper, think twice before going
near her, and hen stay away. She Is
black and white n has no tail. She
is saidtto have lost it in line of duty
one night while battling with a rat in
the geography sector of the supply
room. Tabby cat is just black, with
green eyes, and since the
ment that an investigator would arrive
has worn a worried expression. The
other cat was openly belligerent when
she learned of Mayor Hylan's letter.
Commissioner Hlrshfield gave assur-
ance that If he found the cat was justi-
flying the cost of her upkeep he would
not hesitate to say so, but If he found
the expense unwarranted he would be
equally emphatic.