Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 310, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 December 1913 — Mouse Multitude Released in “Movie” Theater [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Mouse Multitude Released in “Movie” Theater

MILWAUKEE, WIS. —Liberating a multitude of mice in a moving picture theater caused much joy to a gang of 15 boys, but little hilarity on the part of the proprietor. In a spirit of deviltry the boys caught more than 200

field rodents in a North side vacant lot and went with them to the Queen moving picture hbuse at Thirty-third street and North avenue. The mice were there released l»t© in the afternoon. The show was to open at 7 o’clock in the evening. When Mrs. Margaret Klofta, charwoman, arrived to do her work, she found the lobby alive with small rodents which upon her appearance scampered in every direction. Contrary to feminine,precedent, Mrs. Klofta, instead of screaming or seeking the safe altitude of a convenient chair, took a commanding position and applied a broom with deadly, effect. Having slaughtered many and driving the rest of the mice to the basement, Mrs. Klofta turned on the youthful perpetrators of the alleged joke.

A handy pall of water In Mrs. Klofta’s hands sent them flying. Later Ruaaa Sharp, Walter Dunn and Roy Fremond, aged eighteen years, were arrester for disorderly conduct. Sharp disclaimed any intent to flood the theater wltt mice and cause a probable panic in the evening. “Someone kicked the pail and the mice oame out,” he said. “I had thre% on a string. They ran in the labby and I went after them.” “What did you catch them for?" inquired the city attorney., "To frighten women to death," volunteered Judge Page as he fined thf lads *5 each t