Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-08-15
THE MUTE WITNESS:
'R, THE DOG AND THE ASSASSIN.
by MRS. G. A. SOCLE.

beautiful city of Leinzig, | observed about
half a league from the gate of the town a
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 it from the Inns of
the Judge who conducted the trial, aid
condemned him to be broken alive.
A German butcher being benighted in
the midst Of a forest, lost his way: and
while endeavoring to gain the road was
attacked by three highwaymen. lie was
on horseback and accompanied by a large
dog.-One of the robbers seized the horse
by the bride, while the other two drag
ged the butcher from his saddle and felled
him. The dog leaped Immediately upon
one of them and strangled him; but the
other wounded the animal so severely
that he rushed into the woods, utterine
the most fearful howls. The butcher,
VINO by this time had disengaged himself
from the grasp of the second robber,
drew his knife and killedhim. But at the
same moment he received a shot from the
third, he who had just wounded the dog
and falling was dispatched by the thief,
who found upon him large sum in gold,
silver watch, and few other articles OF
value. He plundcred the corpse, leaned
upon the horse and fed.
The next morning, two wood cutters,
happening in the path, were surprised to
find three dead bodies and large dog
who seemed to be guarding them. They
examined them and endeayored to 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 otl:er hastenell
to the nearest village to inform the magis-
trate of the discovery. The officer, ac-
companied by several attendants, was
soon on the spot: surgeon examined
the wounds of the three bodies they drew
up verbal process and inferred them.
The dog had dragged himself in the
course of the night, when all was quiet,
to the corpse Of his master, where he was
found the next morning. He allowed his
new friends to dress his wound, as if fore
seeing that he must consent to live that
he might one day ayenge the murdered,
he ate and drank, but would not leave the
spot.
lie looked on quietly as they dug the
grave and allowed them to bury the
bodies: but as soon as the turf was re-
placed, he stretched himself upon it,
hOwled mournfully, and resisted all the
efforts of the bystanders to induce him
to move. He snapped at all who came
near him, except the woodman who tend
ed him. He bore his caresses, but no
sooner did the man attempt to take
his paws to remove him from the grave.
than he gnashed his teeth and would have
wounded him severely, if he had not
quietly fled. Every one admired the
fidelity of the dog, and when the wood
man offered to carry him food and drink
every day, that he might not perish, the
magistrate proposed to take up collection
to remmerate the man, who was poor
and the father of large family. With
difficulty he was induced to accept the
money, but he finally did, and from that
moment burdened himself with the care
of his new pensioner.
The details of this horrible event were
published in the principal journals of the
country. J. Meyer, a brother of the
butcher, reading some time afterwards
the advertisement of the magistrate, has
tened instantly to his presence, saving he
had fears which he believed now only too
well founded, that his brother had fallen
into the hands of robbers, as he had left
home with a large sum in gold for the
purchase of beeves, and had not been
heard from. His suspicious were only
too sadly confirmed when the magistrate
related to him the singular conduct of
dog which he described. NJ. Meyer, ac-
companied by the officer, and several
others, repaired to the grave. As
soon as the dog perceived his masters
brother, he howled, Tapped his hands,
and evinced other numerous demonstra-
tions of joy. By different parts of his
dress, NJ. Meyer recognized the body of
his brother, when they disinterred it.
The absence Of the gold and the watch,
the wounds of the butcher and his dog,
those of the two other bodies, together
with the disappearance of the horse, con-
vinced the magistrate and the witnesses
that the deceased had not only been as
sailed by the two, but also by one or
several others, who had fled with the
horse and the plunder.
Having obtained permission, M. Meyer
removed his brothers corpse to his native
village and inferred it in the adjoining
cemetery. The faithful dog followed the
body, but by degrees became ATTACHED to
his new master.
Every effort was made by the most dill
igent search and the offer of immense re-
wards to discover the assassins. But in