New Britain herald., 1929-01-12
QD TINE BUTCHER
 DID OWN KILLING
uk 0tba h Danger While
 Slu8htsline Animals

WHICH, - NOAAAA 80CO " SAAS AAANe~
 market she is very particular to SC
 that the butcher gives her . choic
 cut and does not hesitate to speal
 out and state just what she wants.
 An old resident of Berlin who wa
 in the meat business years ago re
 calls hls experiences before the es
 tablishment of large meat packing
 companies. In the past everythin:
 was done by hand in the meat in ,iustry. The term butcher" Wa! more appropriate at that time the' it is at the present era. Each mea' dealer was forced to kill the ami ynals from which he obtained his stock of meat for the day.
 Slaughtered Own Supply
 In this part of the state, a large cattle dealer was located in New ington. Meat dealers from this vi cinity brought cattle and sheep from him and drove them to their farms Each meat dealer had a crude slaughter house and many hours of disagreeable work were spent in 1t. Figuring out the amount of meat that he would need to SUD- ply his customers for the next day, the dealer would kill by hand the necessary number of cattle or sheep.
 They experienced many difficult ies, especially in their effort to se- cure the animals firmly so that they could make their kill. As the Ser lin resident expressed it, they liter ally were forced to take their lives into their hands at times when Kill ing cattle. The animals that were not killed on one day were crazed nv the smell of blood and by the time the next day came. it was al- most impossible to lure them into the slaughter house.
 Less difficulty was experienced Tn handling sheep but the Berlin man stated that as long as he lives ne will never forget the look Of an- suish that he saw in the eyes or the sheep which he prepared 10 kill. Incidentally sheep were very plentiful and a great deal or iaihp was consumed.
 Butchers Rose Eearly
 After killing the cattle and sheep, The meat cutter would place 1t m cold room. Early the next morn nR. about 2 or o'clock. he would .ise from bed and cut the creatures ID and prepare his stock for the lay.
 In the morning he would start his rounds about the village. The people asked for certain amount of meat and there was no such thing as specifying a round. snort or shoulder steak. The different parts of the animal were not class flied. the customer taking whatever the meat man had to offer.
 The Berlin man tells many inter .sting things In connection with the killing of heifers. He had a large bull doy which was very strong. lie used to place the dog in the door of the slaughter house and then hide from sight. The heifer chosen for the days killing would be re- leased in the vicinity of the house. Attracted by ths dog, the animal would slowly approch 1t and sud lenly dash at it. Immediately the dog would spring in the air and grab the heifer by the nose. Step by step the bull dog would force Inc heifer into the slaughter house, still maintaining it's grasp on the creature's head. When both were inside the meat dealer would enter and would soon dispose of the anil nal by striking it over the head near it's ear with blunt instru- ment. If the dog failed to hold Its grasp on the creatures head, the | nfuriated and crazed animal at- lacked the man and his life was in | h n0ar