Bummer and Lazarus

Bio:

Bummer and Lazarus were two stray dogs that roamed the streets of San Francisco in the early 1860s. Recognized for their unique bond and their prodigious rat-killing ability, they became a fixture of city newspapers, were exempted from local ordinances, and immortalized in cartoons. Bummer was a black-and-white Newfoundland who established himself outside the saloon of Frederick Martin in 1860. In 1861 he was joined by another dog—after rescuing him from a fight. This dog was in a bad way, with a deep wound on his leg, and was not expected to live. Bummer coaxed him to eat, brought back scraps from his scavenging missions and huddled next to him to keep him warm during the night. The injured dog quickly recovered and within days was following Bummer as he made his begging rounds in the streets. This remarkable recovery earned him the name Lazarus, and he proved to be an even more prodigious ratter than Bummer. As a team they turned out to be exceptional, once finishing off 85 rats in 20 minutes. Referred to as the Damon and Pythias of San Francisco, they remained inseparable friends until Lazarus was killed in October 1863. Bummer continued alone, although Mark Twain reported a year later in the Daily Morning Call that he had taken a small black puppy under his wing. In November 1865, Bummer died a lingering death after being kicked by a drunk named Henry Rippey. He was still popular enough that, to avoid violence, the city immediately arrested Rippey. But he did not escape popular justice. On learning of his crime, his cellmate, David Popley, promptly "popped him in the smeller."

Member Since:

October 16, 2008

Members:

Dana Adam Shapiro

Lindsay Marcus