The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1884-07-23
HIS DOGS DIED AT HIS FEET
POISONED LIVER GIVEN TO PROF.
BUTTONS PERFORMING ANIMALS.
Eight OF Them Die In n Few Minutes Aftei
Romplng About their Play Yard-AD
From the New York SUM-

From the New York SUM-
One Of the features of the programme
OF a city theatre has been ths exhibition
OF the trick and performing dogs OF
Prof. j. Burton. The dogs, eight in
number, were valued by the owner at
several thousand dollars. In the rear OF
the theatre is large yard, enclosed by
a high board fence.
1t was the custom Of Prof. Burton to
take his trained dogs from their cages
and give them exercise in the yard
every morning and night. He let them
out, and they exercised in the lot about
ten minutes. They were unmuzzled.
He gave them drink and then called
them back and ordered them on top OF
Jack had no sooner got on his cage than
he fell Off in what the Professor sup.
posed to be an epileptic fit. He put the
animal in his cage, and Immediately
Till, blue greyhound leaper, was
seized with similar symptoms. The
other animals dropped down in spasms
in rapid succession, and in ten minutes
time the entire eight were lying around
the yard in dying condition. They all
died within eight minutes excepting
Katie, black greyhound.
Prof. Burton believed that his pets
had been poisoned, and summoned DR..
Mark l.. Frey, veterinary surgeon.
Katie lived four hours. DR.. Frey adj
ministered emetics in the hope of saving
her life. A post-mortem examination
was made Of Jack, and he was found to
have eaten piece of cooked liver pois-
oned with strychnine and Paris green.
The eight dogs who died were Harry,
black spaniel trick dog, valued at
$500; Katie, three years old, worth
$500; Tony, Russian poodle, trick
dog and leaper, $500; Jack, trick dog,
four years old, 81, 600; Till, a blue grey
hound, $500; Frank, brown English wa.
ter spaniel, clown dog, valued at S2, 900
Prof. Burton said that he had been
offered 81 600 for the animaD, Paul, a
white German poodle clown dog, and
companion to Frank, 81 600, and Wyan-
neto, black greyhound, two years old.
Prof. Burton said that this dog was the
favorite Of the collection. He consid.
cred him the champion leaping hound,
for length and height, in the world. The
dog was entered in a match for 81 900.
Prof. Burton said that the dogs had
all died from poisoned liver, which they
had picked up during the ten minutes
they were exercising in the yard. Pieces
of liver about two inches long impreg-
mated with Paris green were found scat
tered on the ground. Prof. Burton was
sure that they had been thrown over
the fence from lljth street, in the ex-
pectation that the dogs would get them.
He attributed the poisoning to jealousy,
be said he would not tell at present
whom he suspected. He said that it
would be worth 81 900 to any person
who would expose the authors of the
outrage.
The dogs performed for several years
with Haverlys Ministries and with other
shows. The owner asserted that they
were the best collection of performing
dogs in the country. Some of them he
had been training for seven years.
Superintendent Hankinson, of the SO.
oiety for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals, and number of his assistants
viewed the dead animals in the after
noon, and began an investigation into
the circumstances of their death. One
of the officers visited the meat shops
and drug stores in the neighborhood.
He discovered what was thought to be
clue to the perpetrators. The body of
the dog Jack was removed to the soci-
ety's dissecting room for examination.
The other animals were left lying under
canvas in the yard. Prof. Burton said
that they would be buried Immediately.
Henry Bergh, the President of the So
ciety, offered reward of 800 for infor-
nation which would lead to the arrest
and conviction of the person or persons
who did the poisoning DIR. Halleck,
the manager of the pavilion, offered
further reward of $780,
DR.. Halleck said that he could nc
conceive what motive had prompted the
poisoning. Ever since his entertainment
opened, residents of the neighborhood
had shown hostility to it. The street
on which the pavilion is located is one
of the widest and finest in the city. OPP.
posite the pavilion, and on the upper
side of the street, are row of brown
stone houses, mostly occupied ~ pri-
vate residences. DR.. Halleck said that
the opposition to him came from the
residents of those houses. Complaints
had been made against him to the Health
Board, the Society for the Prevention OF
Cruelty to Children and other bodies,
aud n great deal of annoyance had been
caused him. He paid license for his
entertainment and made it as respect.
able and orderly as any given in the city,
and he did not propose to be driven |
away because two or three did not like
the proximity of his place.
He said that DR.. Henry T. Peircc was
the leader in the movement. He could
not tell what motive actuated him.
Inquiries were made for DR.. PIERCE at |
his residence, but he was not at home. |
Other residents said they thought the
pavilion detracted from the quiet and
desirability of the street.
DIR. Halleck and other managers are
arranging benefit to be given to Prof.
Burton this week. Prof. Burton had
three dogs which he kept in their ken.
nels, and they, of course, escaped the
poisoning. He said that it would take
him years to get together troupe of
animals as intelligent and remarkable as
the one he had lost.
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