A COCKROACH LETTERCARRIER.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 9, Issue 78, 30 September 1898, Page 1 (Supplement)

A COCKROACH LETTERCARRIER.

A common cockroach was trained to act as a letter-carrier between William Rodifer and “ Starlight Jack ” Ryan, convict* in the Southern Indiana Penitentiary. It is probably the first instance on record, too, where there was any use found for this little creature. Rodifer occupied a cell in the tier just above the one where Jack was confined, and for a long time they bad oo means of communicating with one another. Rodifer was a daring fellow, but he had not sufficient imagination to get up a plan of escape, and he relied on the bright mind of his friend “ Starlight Jack” to suggest an idea. One evening Rodifei noticed an innocent-looking cockroach running about oa the floor. After watching its gamboilings for a time, he thought he could use it. So, writing a short note to bis friend, he tied it to the cockroach’s wing, and kneeling down on the floor, he put it on the wall under the iron balcony in front of bis cell. He calculated ttiat it would run into the cell underneath. And It did. Jack noticed the paper, caught ibe insect, and read the note. Then be answered it, and poking- the little creature out on the wall from the ceiling over the door, bo T -leased it. The cockroach went into Rodifer's cell and was caught. Then they fed and cared for it, and used it in this manner for somemonths. In fact, it grew to understand its business. It must have been a female cockroach, however, for one day it stopped to chat with a friend and was noticed by a warder. The note, which was written in some sort of cypher,was taken off, and U.e hospital steward, Dr. Sid C. McCure, read it. Then the beetle was put on the balcony floor, and it ran into Rodifer’s cell. Thus the officials were kept posted as to the plans of the two famous gaolbreakers. After a time Jack began to suspect that something was wrong, and added a postscript to his letter something like this: “It everything is right you will find a hair from my head in this note.” The warder read it, as did the others, “but dropped the hair and lost it. “ Never mind it,” said Captain Craig, whose huir was red, “ put one of mine in it.” The answer came back, “ That last whipping must have been au awful one. Jack, for it has changed the colour of your hair, ” The scheming of these two worthies came to naught, however, and they served their terms.