Year: 1871

From the Louisville Courier Journal.l


A remarkable cat story is going the
rounds in the West End Several day,
ago q lady's cat was sick of a distemper
and she Immediately carried it, tied up
in bag, TO DIR. Terrill corner oI
Eighteenth and Market streets The
doctor was requested to kill or cure it;
either would be satisfactory TO the lady
OF course the doctor accepted the job
feeling sure that he could accomplish
one thing or the other, The bag was
opened and the animal turned loose
upon the floor 1t was quite sick and
sneezed at terrible rate Other symp-
toms we're visible, which showed that il
was almost ready to give up the ghost.
The cat was desperate. There was lit
orally no chance 10 save its life, and
the doctor at once determined to kill it..


Dr. Giggs was present and assisted in
the operation. He held the cats mouth
open while DR.. Terrill poured into it a
small quantity Of prussic acid, very
deadly poison. The little thing turned
over, kicked once or twice, and expired
The body was thrown out upon the com
mons, and the two physicians rested from
their labors. ~"


On the next night, about the same
hour the cat came back and jumped
around the room, sneezing and coughing
and showing by unmistakable signs that
it was the same cat Giggs was amazed,
but undaunted He determined to try
second time his expertness in killing
such animals. A handkerchief saturated
with chloroform was tied over its mouth
and nose, and, as before stated, it keeled
over and died. The application of the
chloroform was renewed several times,
in order that there might be no mistake
this time. A regular post mortem was
held on the body, and there could be no
doubt that life was extinct The re-
mains were second time sent to the
commons, and DIR. Giggs congratulated
himself that the work was accomplished
A greenback vision fitted before his ele
waited mind, for he was determined to
charge for killing as well as for curing.


The third night came. DIR. Giggs was
sitting by the fire watching the dying
embers, and musing over the collection
which would be made on the morrow.
All at once he heard noise, as of some
thing scratching, gently scratching at
his chamber door. In a moment more
the murdered cat, the very same cat
which had been killed twice, with prus-
sic acid and chioroform, jumped up into
the window and then down upon the
floor. The animal was of the same size
and color, and sneezed and coughed
with the same disease. There could be
no doubt Of its identity. "Well," says
the heroic Gigs, know can murder
you, and will try it again The
animal was seized and the poison
administered third time. The pro-
cess of dying seemed perfect and
natural. This time the body was put
into bag and beat against hard pave-
ment until it was thought that the head
and limbs were completely broken to
pieces. Giggs would not look at the
remains, they were so bruised and
SCARED. A boy was hired to take them
away in the bag. Giggs very compla
Gently observed to himself. q If it comes
back this time, | shall know that the old
saying is true about cats having nine
lives"


Giggs was at his post the next night,
and so was the cat. 1t ran about the
room for little while and then darted
away, as il tired of dying and coming
back to haunt its murderer. Two nights
have passed since its last return, but the
fearless Giggs is still ready to receive
such visitors. He is determined to
fulfill his contract.