Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 205, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 August 1914 — CATS ABOUT BODY [ARTICLE]

CATS ABOUT BODY

■ < Find Remains of Aged Woman Surrounded by Pets. Family of Felines Attack Police When Attempt Is Made to Remove Corpse—Father Was at One Time Cashier of a Bank. J «. ,’v, Philadelphia.—The body of an aged woman, attired in a dirt-stained wrapper, lying within a circle of cats, was found by two special policemen when they entered an unkempt, dust-covered front room at 640 North Sixteenth* street in answer to an anonymous telephone call. The cats were the only living beings in the house, and the policemen were forced to battle with them before they could move the body of the dead woman. Investigation showed that she. was Miss Sarah Lippincott Starr, seventy years old, who, with her sister. Victoria, and a horde of cats, had occupied the house for the last 12 yean. Shortly after midnight Miss Victoria Starr, who is slxty-elght years old, came upon her sister lying at full length near the cellar door on the first floor. She did not disturb her for several hours because she thought she was sleeping. Later when she knew her sister to be dead, she notified her nephew, whose name, she says, Is Walter Jordan. He called the policemen of the Twentieth and Buttonwood station. Miss Victoria was out when the policemen called. Police Surgeon John H. Egan found that the left arm was discolored and swollen from an infected scratch on the hand. Miss Victoria then returned and explained that her sister had pricked herself three days before with a needle but had refused to have medical aid. , “We never had a doctor in our lives "and we weren't going to begin with them," said the sister. “We were a couple of regular did maids," she Said complacently, “but nice ones,” .she added quickly. And then she lapsed .into the present tense as if her sister were still alive. “We love animals,* all kinds, birds, dogs, horses, snakes, but especially* cats; O, I love ’em, that is, four-legged ones. But I don’t like two-legged ones,” she mumbled reflectively, and ebook her bead decisively. “I like rats, too. Those in the cellar get many a scrap from me. Sure I feed ’em, but I have trouble keeping the cats away. Well, I’m all alone now, except for the cats, but I’ll scrape along, although money is •carce.” Miss Victoria Starr is now the last of the five children of Samuel Starr,, who was the cashier, 25 years ago, of the Bank of the Northern Liberties. The body of her sister, Sarah, was removed to the morgue. Doctor Egan said the death was due to natural causes.