Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 July 1895 — COCKROACHES AS PUGS. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

COCKROACHES AS PUGS.

Soon Learn to Become Powerful Exponents of the Manly Art. Mat Burnett, a young fellow employed as a clerk in a small grocery store in Cincinnati, Ohio, has a number of cockroaches which he is training for

the pugilistic arena. He keeps them confined usually in a ventilated bark box near tile sink in the back shop, eacli roach having his own little stall or apartment. In the evenings, when his work is over, Mat fixes up a ring of sand on the counter and pitches in a pair of roaches. Then the fun begins. The crusty old fellows seem really to enjoy the sport, and let go at each other with a vim and perseverance that would grace a nobler cause. There is one old stager named John L. that would do credit to the great and original himself for nerve and general mssedness. The other night, in the course of a pretty lively pitched battle, he managed to knock out three game young roaches that stood up to the rack until the last trump sounded, and finally died kicking—ln fact, never giving up till they were carried off on the half shell.

A FRIENDLY BOUT.