Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1852-01-28
SIIEEP-KILLISG DOGS.


ties having been made by an adjoining
State for protection against sheep-killing
dogs, beg permission to say: In the State
of New Jersey,the dos-tax is expressly de-
voted to this purpose, and forms separate
fund and whenever or wherevery sheep
are destroyed by dogs, the injury sustained
by the owner is adjudged by the proper Of
kcer, and the value paid over without fur
Their trouble, and at once.
once had seven sheep killed by dog
in one night, after many more had been
killed at various times by the same dog, IN
other parts of the county, Isle OF Wight,
England No one would scarcely believe
the distance to which regularly bread
sheep-killing dog will travel to indulge this
strange propensity 1t is recorded that
large yellow dog which was always kept
chained in lanyard in Lymington-a
town on the opposite coast of Hampshire
was in the habit Of swimming the channel,
an arm of the sea, to kill sheep in the Isle
Of Wight and although many persons had
met strange dog Of that description in
their fields at nights, he had as yet eluded
their watchfulness, and escaped, no one
could tell how or whittier. At length la
borer, going to his work one morning long
before daylight, saw the dog, after killing
two sheep, making his way under wall, to
save himself from observation, while he,
following after in seemingly careless way,
was able to keep him in sight until he had
tracked him to the waters edge, at Var
mouth and seen him dash in and swim in
the direction of Lymington on the opposite
coast, an arm Of the sea, say four or five
miles across. Here the man took boat
and rover, and kept the dog sight with
out alarming him, until he saw him land,
and strike up the beach towards lanyard;
and observing him very closely, but stealth
lily, he saw him enter grass field, where
he began to roll, and at the same time lick
himself very carefully. The dog then a.
rose, and looking around, entered the tan
yard, walked up to his kennel, and, push
ing his head through his large brass collar,
laid himself down, as though nothing had
happened; all being now safe, the man call
ed upon the owner of the dog and told him
what he had witnessed, when he was re-
ceived with reproaches, and even threats,
with the assurance, first, that the thing was
impossible, and next, that his dog was then
lying asleep in his kennel; with his collar
locked about his neck; and, on going thith-
er, 1t was found to be just so,the dog feign-
ing sleep, as though he had been human
being; but the man had taken too much no.
tice Of all he had seen to leave doubt on
his mind as to his identity however, he
put it thus THAT is the dog, and the boat
man and are ready to swear that we have
not lost sight of him for moment since he
first took the water at Yarmouth, while |
will testify before any court in the realm
that I saw him in neIghbor's field, killing
sheep. However, and to come to the point,
you say the collar is locked around his
neck, and cannot be removed without the
key. Now, if can take it off without I'M
locking, will you be convinced :" to which
the owner assented. But there was no need
even Of this to convince for, as soon as
they came up to examine the dog more
closely, no murderer when caught ever E.
WINGED more terror in his countenance than
did this animal he rose up, eyed the man
who had followed him for moment and
skunk back into his house, with a guilty
whine that could not be mistaken. On pull
ling him out, the collar was found so large
as to slip over his head without unlocking
and, with all his care in rolling and clean
himself, he was found still We, with the in
side of his rose, and even his ears, clottcd
with blood. 1t is sufficient to say, the dog
was given up, and the owner honorably
paid for the sheep that had been destroyed,
without farther appeal, 1t was afterwards |
found that persons had seen exactly such
dog in the fields where other sheep had |
been killed, but, with all their care and eau
lion ia tracing him, they had uniformly lost
sight OF him at the precise spot where he
took to the sea to swim over to his home
these fields lying sometimes several miles
across the country, and away from the wa
ter Boston Cultipalor.