Do you remember seeing advertising for a pet monkey in the old comic books?
When I was a kid, I wanted a monkey, even if they were only sea monkeys. I didn’t know the sea monkeys were really brine shrimp, or that pet monkeys and alligators are only cute for a short time. They can become animals like you might see at a zoo. Like adolescent people, they sometimes grow to be surly, unpredictable and even violent.
There was a fad involving pet monkeys, that spread from England to the US in the late 19th century. This began the monkey grinder era, where a man turned a crank on a box to make music while a monkey on a leash danced for spare change.
Some things are best left to the professionals. The newspapers of the Gilded Age held many tales of exotic pet animals gone awry. Especially monkeys. Witness the consequences of adopting one of these cute little rascals:
A St. Louis Post-Dispatch article from December 1, 1913 highlights the frolicsome atmosphere that surrounded the former Missouri Hotel on Lafayette Avenue.
A woman excitedly telephoned the Soulard Police Station Sunday afternoon, requesting that police hurry to the hotel and kill a monkey named Murphy.
Two patrolmen, Heckel and Ries, responded to the call. The proprietor, Mrs Read, met them at the front door of the Missouri Hotel.
“I’ve got him locked in a room,” she stated. “I’ve had Murphy about four years. He used to be a good monkey, but he’s grown so jealous of my pet parrot that now he’s out of control. Whenever I pay attention to the parrot, he flies into a rage. He has bitten me twice.”
Mrs. Read went on to add that she chained the monkey a few days earlier, but he got loose. She later chased him into a room and locked the door. Now she wanted the officers to shoot the monkey.
Officer Heckel objected to this, saying that he feared plinking Murphy would only result in shooting up the hotel, possibly wounding “some innocent by-boarder.” He counted by proposing to club the monkey, but Mrs. Read didn’t like that idea.
Calling headquarters to figure out a method of dispatch, gun or club, Captain McNamee told them to use their best judgment. Having never killed a monkey, they remained stymied.
“Well, you needn’t trouble yourselves any further, said Mrs. Read. I just slipped into that room and turned on the gas. I suppose that will do it.”
The policemen left. The gas had been on for about four hours when Mrs. Read cautiously opened the door. “Despite the noxious vapor, the monkey was still alive and chipper.” She attempted to kill the monkey with chloroform, but it had little effect. He sat in his bed and chewed the rag on which the chloroform had been applied.
When Mrs. Read’s husband returned that night, he brought 5 cents worth of strychnine, and mixed it with the monkey’s food. Murphy ate it “with great relish, but without ill effect.”
Realizing that the better part of valor is discretion, Mrs. Read called the office of Park Commissioner Davis in the morning. She successfully offered Murphy the monkey to the zoo.
This story reminds me of the tale of the mad monk Rasputin, and his multiply attempted murder in St. Petersburg, Russia. As reminiscent as the story of the monkey and the inn-keeper is, it preceded Rasputin’s episode by a full three years.
Consult this quick guide to problems often posed by pet monkeys. Dogs look like angels by comparison!
Resources
A history of pet monkeys in 19th century England (the source of all our Victorian Era fads) appears at https://www.mimimatthews.com/2015/07/17/the-plight-of-the-pet-monkey-in-19th-century-literature-and-history/
When the monkey craze hit New York, it spread quickly among well-heeled urbanites. Here’s a look: https://www.boweryboyshistory.com/2021/07/the-new-york-monkey-fad-of-1907-from-fifth-avenue-to-the-fire-department-primates-were-fashionable-companions.html
And thanks to the Spruce, a neat online source of advice on many things, for the monkey chart. Give them a look at https://www.thespruce.com/
An upcoming history of the Missouri Hotel will provide even more adventures from a most interesting time in Lafayette Square. Stay tuned. lafayettesquarearchives.com/1970-the-no-tell-hotel-of-lafayette-square/
Loved it!
Great story Mike. We had a pet When we lived on Mississippi st, I was 5. Mother would let it out and he’d have a made Day in the Apartment never forget !!
They eventually moved Him to the basement til they could have someone take just don’t remember who took him this was in 1957
Thank You for sharing these Stories. !!