Sol Williams, a "good-looking colored man" aimed to kill all Montreal's dogs and cats when he came from New York City 140 years ago in January 1879.Williams became noteworthy after he rushed frantically into a grocery store on Craig Street (now St. Antoine) alerting the woman behind the counter of the 2,000 dogs and cats outside trying to kill him.
"Madame I would be ever so much obliged to you if you would lend me your cheese knife to defend myself against these savage little enemies of mine," said Williams.
The woman shopkeeper screamed and he ran out.
Williams told others in Montreal that he had previously killed 50 of the 7,000-8,000 dogs and cats attempting to kill him on Third Avenue in New York City.
He said that he made a point of living on the eighth floor in New York so that when dogs and cats attacked him he could toss them out the window to their death.
In Montreal Williams was staying with another Afro North-American family in the east end but they kicked him out after a couple of days due to his disturbing antics.
Williams had come to Montreal after his sister, a notable New York animal lover known as "Dog Mary," passed away.
Dog Mary had made a good living as a fortune teller and owned a dozen dogs and many cats as well as rodents. She took care of pets for the wealthy and had veterinary skills.
She had managed to keep brother Sol away from the public after he went mad following getting bitten by a dog while working as a porter for the Astor Hotel.
Sol was set free in the world after Dog Mary died. Alas, a lawyer swindled Sol out of his sister's inheritance.
Sol then moved to Syrcause New York, where somebody apparently informed him that Montreal had no dogs or cats.
But Sol learned that Montreal not only had cats and dogs, he complained that it had more than all of New York state.
Williams said that unless Montreal police kill all local cats and dogs, he would move to Quebec City, which, he said, had no dogs and cats.
Williams, after the initial news report, was only once again mentioned in print, in passing three days later, as The Gazette reported that he "still amuses people around town with his crazy antics. He is not, however, considered dangerous."