The Osceola times., 1877-04-14
MANGLED by A BULLDOG.
a Litiie Girl Five Years Old FATAL,
Iujurcd,

4 Little Girl Five Years old FATAL,
Injured.
A heartrending calamity has over.
taken the family OF Mr. Daniel Boote,
book-keePer, at the corner of Third and
Walnut streets, whose residence il on
Gilbert avenue, two doors above Syca.
more street, Walnut Hills. About one
o'clock k yesterday afternoon he was sum.
moned from his place OF business by a
telegram from the Walnut station TO the
officers at Hammond street, but did not
know the nature of the summons until
within square or two of his own house,
Mr.. Boote has for some months past
had what he considered valuable Eng.
lish bulldog, in which he took consid.
cradle pride. The dog was not con
sidered safe to run at large, and therefore
was kept chained in the yard back of his
house. lie 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 wears
OF age, was in the habit OF feeding this
dog, which yesterday proved himself to
be one OF the most savage of monsters.
Aftel 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 CT the dogs chain,
when he flew at her, and seizing her by
the throat, pressed her TO the earth, and
commenced tearing her tender fes h in
the most terrible manner. The Door
little child could not even scream while
the ierocious 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 lett side
of her face, and mangled most horribly.
All this the agonized mother saw from
the kitchen window. She ran into the
yard screaming "My God 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 fortu.
nately evaded him. Police officer John
Thomas, whose residence adjoins that of
Mr.. Boote, was providentially at home
eating his dinner, and when 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 pis-
tol drawn an1 cooked. al PRAYED to
God, said officer Thomas to our repor.
ter, that | might not hit the child
when ] fired, for the dogs mouth was on
her throat, and | feared that | might
miss my aim. The dog was literally cat
ing the little girls flesh" His prayer
was answered. The bullet struck fair in
the ferocious animals forehead, and he
released 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 horribly lacerated by his sharp
teeth. Officer Thamas 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 throat,
but fortunately fell short, was enough
to knock the officer against the Crane
harbor, and before the attack could be
renewed the dog fell dead from his
wound.
The terribly mangled child was carried
into the house and medical aid sum
moned. Everything possible was done
to relive the little sufferer, but the physi.
clans were of the opinion that the wounds
would prove fatal. She bore her terrible
suiftrings like a little heroine, and pre-.
served her consciousness all the time,
At midnight we received word that she
was dying, and would soon be beyond
the reach of sufiering.-Cacianad Ga.
settc.