The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-03-29
Fatally MangEed by a Bulldog.


A heartrending calamity has over
taken the family of Mr.. Daniel Boote,
book-keeper at the corner of Third and
Walnu. Streets, whose residence is on
Gilbert Avenue, two doors above Syca.
more Street, Walnut Hills. About one
o'clock yesterday afternoon he was sum-
moned from his place of business by
telegram from the Walnut Hills Station
to the officers at Hammond Street, but
did not know the nature of the summens
until within square or two of his
house.
Mr.. Boote has for some months past
had what he considered valuable
Engliah. bulldog, in which he took
considerable pride. The dog was not
considered safe to run at large, and,
therefore, was kept chained in the yard
back Of his house. He was sometimes
cross to members of the family, but had
never attempted to bite any of them, and
sometimes was very good-natured. Mr..
Boote's little daughter, only five years of
age, was in the habit of feeding this dog,
which yesterday proved himself to be
one of the most savage of monsters.
After dinner was over the little girl
took the remnants of the meal as usual
to feed the brute. She had just got
within the limits of the dogs chain,
when he flew at her, and seized her by
the throat, pressed her to the earth, and
commenced tearing her tender flesh in
the most terrible manner. The poor
title child could not even scream while
the ferocious beast was tearing her throat,
her cheeks, her nose, her scalp and
breast. The flesh was literally torn
down to the bone on the entire left side
of her face, and mangled most horribly.
All this the agonized mother saw from
the kitchen window. She ran ints the
yard screaming " My Godl My child /"
and was fast advancing on the dog, when
he released his hold of the mangled
child and flew at the mother, but she
fortunately evaded him. Police Officer
John Thomas, whose residence adjoins
that of Mr.. Boote, was providentially at
home eating his dinner, and VIXEN he
| heard Mrs. Boote's screams ran out into
the yard. Looking over the fence he
took in the situation at once, and in an
instant was in his neighbor's yard, with
his pistol drawn and cooked. "I prayed
to God," said Officer Thomas to our re-
porter, that might not hit the child
when I fired, for the dogs mouth was on
her throat, and I feared I might miss
my aim. The dog was literally eating
the little girls flesh" His prayer was
answered. The bullet struck fair in the
ferocious animals forehead, and he re-
leased his hold long enough for Mr..
Thomas to seize the child and hand her
to her mother. But in his dying throes,
the dog returned to the attack, and
caught Mrs. Boote by the hand, which
was terribly lacerated by his sharp teeth.
Officer Thomas then prepared to fire
again, but the brute released Mrs.
Boote's hand and sprang at him. The
force of the dogs onslaught, which was
directed at Mr.. Thomas's throat, but
fortunately fell short, was enough to
knock the officer against the grape arbor,
and before the attack could be renewed,
the dog fell dead from his wounds
The terribly mangled child was carried
into the house and medical aid sum-
moned. Everything possible was done
to relieve the little sufferer, but the
physicians were of opinion that the
wounds would prove fatal. She bore
her terrible suferings like little heroine,
and preserved her consciousness all the
time. At midnight we received word
that she was dying, and would soon be
beyond the reach of suffering.
In a Tight Spot.
A few weeks ago there was washed
ashore on the coast of one of the Orkney
Islands bottle containing an appea,
from some starving castaways who had
been wrecked on st. Kilda, the most in
accessible of the Hebridean islets. Mr.
Sands, Scottish artist, had landed OF
that lonely rock in small boat, and OF
January 18th an Austrian vessel wa
, wrecked off the cliffs and nine survivor
were washed ashore. The islanders hae
, scarcely enough provisions for them
selves, but they generously shared wha
they had with the ten castaways. Star
J vation stared them all in the face Mr.
Sands wrote the message containing tn
| information, and lashing the bottle to
| life-buoy, and rigging small sail, cas-
it adrift. The little craft drifted to tn
, Orkneys, and was picked up by the islam
: ders. The gunboat Jackal was dispatched
? to the island with a store of provisions
: and arrived not day too soon, for tn
| islanders and their guests were starving
The artist and sailors were landed a
Greenock about March 1st, after dan
gerous voyage. The London Telegram
J. states that St. Kilda belongs to tn
e Macleod, of Macleod, whose family ha
owned it for two centuries. Over the es
: tate he reigns with despotism as ur
q questioned as that of the Cars. TIL
whole trade of the poor people is hi
n factors monopoly, for until Mr.. Sand
v got boat for them a few months ag
v they were unable to undertake a passag
!. to Lewis and sell their produce for then
selves. They attribute to his neglect t
J. send them supplies this season, whe
s their corn crop was failure, the strai
ened state of their resources when th
4 Austrian castaways were thrown on thei
4 charity.
u LORD CHIEF-JUsTICE CoLERIDGE,
" England, in addressing jury at Dul
% ham, recently, remarked that his exper
,, ence had shown that crimes of violenc
~ almost without exception, originated
y public houses and were traceable
drunkenness, while he was convince
l. that if England were sober she migl
> shut up nine-tenths of her jails. Durir
the past sixteen years crime had great