The Ohio union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1849-1854, 1853-07-20
5elstt Hisrpllunq.
THE MUTE WITNESS,
Or
The Dog and the Assassin.
The Dog a
by MRS. c. A. souLE.

few rods from the highway, wheel, and
the bones of chained corpse exposed to
the gaze Of every passer.
The following is the history of that
criminal, as ! learned il from the lips of
The Judge who conducted the trial, and con-
demned him 10 be broken alive.
A German butcher being benighied in
The midst of forest, lost his way; and
while endeavoring 10 gain the road was
attacked by three highwaymen. He was
on horseback and accompanied by large
dog. One of the robbers seized the horse
by the bride, while the two others dragged
lhe butcher from his saddle apd lelled him.
The dog leaped Immediately upon one Of
them and 'stranged him; but the other
wounded the animal so severely that he
rushed in the woods uilering tho most fear
ful howls. The butcher, who by this
time had disengaged himself from the
grasp of the second robber, drew his knife
and killed him. But al The same moment
he received shot from the third, he who
had just wounded the dog, and falling was
despatched by the thief, who found upon
him large sum in gold, silver waIch
and few other articles of value. He
p!undcred the corpse. leaped upon the
horse and fed. t.r-
The next morning two wood cutters
happening in the path, were surprised 10
find three dead bodies and large dog
who seemed 10 be guarding them. They
examined them and.endeayored 10 restore
life, but in vain.
| One Of them dressed the wounds of the
dog, gave him some food, and sought
some water for him, while the other has
tened 10 the nearest village to inform the
magistrate Of the discovery. The officer
accompanied by several attendants, was
soon on the spot: surgeon examined the
wounds Of the three bodies; they drew up
a verbal process and inferred them.
The dog had dragged himself, in the
course of the night, when all was quiet, lC
the corpse of lis master, where he was
found the next morning. He allowed hi:
new friends TO dress his wounds, and as i
ioreseeing that he must consent to live tina
he might one day avenge the murdered, hi
ate and drank, blu, would not leave tn,
spot
He looked on quietly as they dug III,
grave. and allowed them 10 bury the bod
,os; but as soon as tho turf wns replaced, h,
stretched himself upon it, howled mourn
fully, and resisted all the efforts Of the by
ISLANDERS 10 induce him to move. He snap
ped al all who came near him. except lh,
woodman who had tended him. lie Dor
his caresses, but no sooner did the mai
attempt to take his paws TO remove hin
from The grave, than he gnashed his ;ee,f
and would have wounded him severely
he had not quickly fled. Every one ad
mired the fidelity Of the dog, and whel
the woudman offered to carry him foot
and drink every day, that he might no
! perish, the magistrate proposed taking W
!. a collection 10 rcmunerate the man, whit
: was poor and the father Of large family
With difficulty he was induced 10 accep
the money, but he finally did, and from
that moment burdened himself with tn
care of his new pensoner.
The details of This horrible event ver
published in the principal journals of tn
country. ]. Meyer, a brother Of the butch
er, reading sometime afterwards the ad
verlsement Of The magistrate, hasloUed in
slanlly TO his presence, saying he ha
| fears which he believed now only too vel
: founded, that his brother had fallen int
the hands of robbers, as he had left home
with large sum in gold for The purchas,
oI beeves, and had mol been heard from
His suspicious were but too sadly con
!, irmed when the magistrate related 10 hin
d the conduct Of a dog which he described
p NJ, Meyer, accompanied by the Office
n and several others, repaired to the grave
i AS soon as the dog perceived his master
b brother, he howled, Tapped his hands. an
4 evinced other numerous demonstrations {
JOY. By different parts of his dress, MI
1t Meyer recognized the body Of his brotht
!, when they disnlerred it. The absence
the gold and the watch, the wounds oi III
butcher and his dog, those Of the two oht
= bodies, together with the disappearance
The horses, convinced the magistrate an
3 the Witnesses that the deceased had n,
g only been assailed by the two, but also b
oi one or several others, who had fed vii
~ ~ the horse and the plunder.
= Having obtained permission, Mr.. Mey
,e er removed his brolher's corpse to his nj
!. tive village and inferred it in the adjoinin
cemetery, The faithful dog followed ii
v body, but by degrees became attached
T. his new master.
. Every elfor, was made BY the mo-
dillt eni search anil the offer of immen,
v rewards TO discover the assassins. But
Q. vain; the horrible tragedy remained an Ell
y igma.
ii Two years had passed away, and n
$, hopes of solving the mystery vanishe
70 when M. Meyer received letter urgit
: him 10 repair without delay to Leipzig
close the eyes Of his maternal uncle, wi
= desired 10 see him before he died. Il
Immediately FASTENED lhither, accompaniC
by bis brothers dug, who was his con
,c panion al al times. He arrived too lat
u His relative had deceased the prcviol
a "a evening, bequcathing him large lorlun
E, He found the city crowded; it being Il
season ofthe great fair held regularly lheI
twice year.
While walking one morning on Il
q public square attended as usual by his do
d he was asionished to behold the amin
II suddenly rush forward like a FASH
He dashed through the crowd and lnan,