Meet a Monkey in Defiance

 

Meet Cesspool.  This pristine skeleton may be viewed in person at the Defiance Public Library in the Local HIstory room, but it's really not Cesspool's.

Cesspool was a gift to Mr. Edward Manley, manager of the J.C. Penney's store when it was downtown on Clinton Street. 

His daughter recalled in a newspaper article:

"Someone gave my father a little monkey named Cesspool, but, not wanting it in her home, my mother told him, 'You're not going to keep that monkey!'  He ended up taking it to the store and somehow it got loose in the store.  

The fire and police departments were called to get the monkey out of a tight space it had become wedged in between two inner walls.  They never did get the monkey out and as far as I know a little monkey's skeleton is still wedged between the walls of Rogliatti's Sports Center and Phil's Hobby Shop(the location of the original downtown Penney's)"

Holgate Avenue was once beset with a loose pet monkey that kept them busy for awhile.   It was running free, and it was hard to catch.  

The Defiance Daily Crescent reported on September 21, 1907:

 "...The little fellow made his appearance several days ago when one of the good housewives was busily engaged at some work in the back yard.  She looked up and beheld the little imp, but did not extend him the usual courtesies of visitors.  Mr. Monkey then proceeded to go down to a poultry yard and frighten the wits out of a flock of ducks.

Friday, he contented himself by breaking into the basement of a neighbor, who was out of the city, and making himself at home therein.  The children of the neighborhood have been in pursuit of the little animal ever since he made his appearance, but he always manages to allude them.

It is thought that the little fellow is the property of the boys at the Waterworks plant, but whether or not his owners are able to capture him remains to be seen."

As it turned out, the monkey's name was Jocko and it was the property of a man named O'Conner who lived near the B & O Depot.  He gave the children much entertainment on Holgate Avenue.  The Defiance Weekly Express reported on September 27, 1907:

"Jocko is very nimble and so far he has successfully eluded the panting youths who have tried to snare him.  Friday, he discovered an open cellar window and to satisfy his curiosity,he investigated the interior.  Turmoil and destruction followed the progress of his flying fingers and feet.  

A crowd of school children espying him just previous to his entrance, followed him taking the window route as the members of the family were not at home.  But despite their active endeavors, Jocko escaped.  Early this morning he raided a front porch, filched a breakfast and with cool assurance, shook hands with the head of the house who, clad in his robes de nuit, investigated the clatter..."

And then there was Philbert - what a thrill it was when he was sent to the city to Chief of Police, Karl Weaner, and fireman, Mick Schultz!  The three year old monkey with the sweet tooth was to be the first animal in the developing city zoo along the canal.  Philbert arrived in town on July 23, 1937, and the Defiance Crescent-News reported:

"You should have seen the way he climbed right on the car wheel when we brought him down from the B. and O. station," the chief related.  "How did we get him?  Well, here are the letters from the man in Cincinnati who sent them.

'.I have a pet ring-tailed monkey which is fairly well-trained and in very good health. If the police department of Defiance is still interested in acquiring a pet of this kind, I'd like very much to give him to you.  Would you let me know as soon as possible whether you are still interested?'

'Dear Chief: In reply to your letter of July 21, I have made arrangements to send my pet monkey, whose name is Philbert, to you via the Railway Express Company.  They assured me they could provide a dog crate in which to ship him off to you tomorrow morning so you should get him by the 24th.

I have had Philbert for close to three years, and so far have found no difficulty in feeding him.  I have fed him most everything with the exception of meat, which I have given him very sparingly.  He loves fruits and sweets of all sorts.

If handled correctly, he is quite docile and friendly, although at times he can become very excited.  I absolve myself of any liability due to any accident that might occur with him in his transmission from the railway station to the place you have arranged for him.  Otherwise I give him to you in fee simple with an unencumbered title.  I am very anxious that he does have a good home and decent care.'

And so, Philbert became the first animal in Weaner and Schultz's Defiance zoo.

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Gotcha! The Slasher -Smasher is Apprehended

On the evening of December 16, 1934, Eugene Booher was picked up by Chief Karl Weaner and Brad W. Chaffin, wandering coatless on Fifth Street.  He had run away from the home where he lived as a foster child.  He came originally from an orphanage in Detroit.  It wasn't the first time that Eugene had been questioned about the events of summer 1934, but this time, he decided to confess to it all.

 The Crescent-News of December 18, 1934, headlined the capture and confession.

"Last summer's terrorist who stabbed four women, clubbed two others and shot another, today was merely a conscience-stricken 16 year old orphan boy who is glad he made a clean breast of it all.

Weeping one moment and emotionless the next, Eugene Booher, 1102 Perry street, smiles when he thinks it is all over and sheds tears when he wonders 'what will Mom think when she reads it in the paper.'

 He was sent to Columbus for a mental evaluation and then to the state hospital in Lima. While there, he and Herman Groty, 65, a trustee, escaped.  Groty's brother, who worked in the dining room, procured milkman uniforms for the two and they walked out right past the guards.

They were eventually captured about Christmas time near Beavercreek, Ohio.  Booher had frosted feet and was very hungry when found and returned.
His future beyond that is unknown to this writer.

The Defiance City Zoo

A zoo in Defiance?  Why not?  In the 1930s, Mike Schultz, who was eventually named zookeeper, Police Chief Karl Weaner, and fireman, Raymond Schultz began a city zoo "on the old canal property at the rear of city hall," according to one source.  
It seemed to be the project of the local fire department, but animals were donated to the zoo from many folks, both local and from afar.

Silver pheasant

One of the first animals obtained by Weaner and Schultz in 1936 was a hoot owl.  Later in 1937, a pair of silver pheasants were added, along with a pair of lovebirds.  The lovebirds were first housed in a cage in the police station, and were obtained from a friend of Schultz in Connersville, Indiana.

A local newspaper reported on November 13, 1937, that an enlarged cage was ready for "Tom" and "Jerry," two bears at the city zoo that were donated by the Hi-Speed Oil Company.  Their cage was made from steel railings from the old Second Street bridge.  Also a pair of foxes were given a hollow log as part of their new home.  In December, a black raccoon was donated by the Defiance Fish and Game, and Wayne Traxler of Delaware Bend donated a goat.

Black raccoon

In 1938, the Toledo Zoo encouraged
the Defiance group to start a zoo membership drive for the local zoo.  Nice membership cards were given out and punched at each zoo visit.  The local newspaper reported that 
"Considerable expense is involved in feeding and caring for twenty animals and twenty-five birds.  The zoo now numbers two black bears, three monkeys, two raccoons, two badgers, two foxes, two coyotes, one gopher and six guinea pigs.  Several beautifully plumaged pheasants are included among the birds"

Eventually that year, four alligators, a pair of bluejays and another monkey came to live at the zoo.  Fred Seghist, game protector of Fulton County, presented the two badgers to Mike Schultz.  Forrest Bidlack of Continental sold the zoo a rhesus monkey, named "Maggie," eleven months old.  At that time the zoo had one ringtail monkey, "Philbert," and three females.  Paul Degler, Clarence, Elmer and Charles Retcher, of Holgate, donated another fox.

Badger

At one time, the zoo had a lion cub that eventually was sent to Toledo Zoo when it became too large.
Still, in 1938, new animals were added and a new cage was built for a squirrel colony. But news of the zoo tapered off after that.  How and when the zoo met its demise is unknown right now.  

Rhesus monkey

Maybe someone can provide more information on that.  Please comment or email if you can!