Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-24
Owners of Valuable Dogs Killed by
the Police Red Hot on the
Trail of the Slayers.
THEY WILL SET THE LAW MOVING.
Instances Multiply of the Ruthless Destrue-
tion of Harmless Pets Even
When Chained.
POISON PUT THROUGH OPEN WINDOWS.
The Test Cases to be Followed by Others Demanding
Redress for Damages

looming up in the legal sky in the shape of
actions by the Humane Society's solicitor
against policemen, at the instance of citi-
zens whose dogs, it is alleged. have been un-
warrantally killed. Instances begin to
multiply of valuable dogs, harmlessly repos-
ing in doorWays, in stables, and of pet dogs,
even inside their owners houses, being
poisoned by over-zeslous policemen. How
many such cases there may be throughout
the district it is impossible to say, but judg-
ing from the isolated cases that have been
brought to attention, the number must be
large.
Many citizens whose dogs have been wan
tonly killed are awaiting the issue of the
actions pending, to institute proceedings in
their own cases. When this fact was men,
toned to Inspector McAleese last night he
remarked, 'Iet them bring their suits"
PIONEER PROSECUTORS.
The instances in which suits will be
brought, were the uounding of Butcher
Ehler's dog at Forbes and Gist streets, and
Mr.. Schwarzwaelder's Newfoundland in
the stable at 493 Fifth avenue. In the
former case the dog was lying in the open
doorway of the butcher shop about o'clock
in the morning when Mr.. Ehler opened up
for the days business. The policeman shot
him there, the ball going through the
animals shoulder and coming out at the
breast
Mr.. Schwarzwaelder said yesterday that
whatever the Humane Society might do in
his case he will institute proceedings against
fba ssroaapf ap5 yatrolpna, Gov fracnace ond
malicious mischief The circumstances con-
nected with the poisoning of Mr.. Schwarz-
wselder's dog, as told by his son, are as fol-
lows: He was hitching his horse into team
in the stable when the sergeant and the pa
trolman, who were both somewhat intimate
ly acquainted with him, came into the sta
BILE dressed in citizens clothes.
FRIENDLY CHAT.
The sergeant opened a conversation with
him, saying that he would like to have one
of the litter of pups which belonged to the
dog. Mr.. Schwarzwaelder replied that
there were none to be given away. Mean
while the patrolman had seated himself
near the dog, which was tied to a chain near
the door, and was ostensibly patting and
playing with il. Mrs. Schwarzwaelder and
several other persons were in the stable, but
they paid no attention to what was going on
between the patrolman and the dog. Just
as the officers were going out of the stable
little boy ran up to Mr.. Schwarzwaelder
and said that the patrolmsn had given the
dog button" Mr.. Schwarzwaelder
secuted any such idea, but went over
to the dog. In few moments
4ba animal laid doun and ernirad shortly
afterward. The dog was a valuable one,
Mr.. Schvarzwaelder said, and greatly
priced by him on account of its fne quail
ties as house and watch dog.
Here are other instances which have come
to light, where sufficient discrimination be-
tween worthless ours and valuable ami
mails does not seem to have been made.
A dog owned by Mr.. Patterson, the
iveryman at Forbes and Magee streets, was
found dead in the carriage house of the
stable Monday morning. He had been
locked up there about s or o'clock Sunday
evening, and during the night a button"
was pushed under the door and the dog
found it. The animal was kept by Patter-
son as a watch dog at night in his stable.
KILLED IN THE HOUSE.
A large white spitz dog, owned by Mr.. |
Probst, II Magee street, was poisoned Mon |
in the hall of the house. Mr.. Probst was in |
Cleveland at the time. Before going away |
he had hired a little boy to keep the dog |
tied in the hallway in order to save him |
from the fatal button" The little boy had /
taken the dog out for run in the afternoon |
and then tied him up in the hallway, after |
which he went downtown. When he re- |
turned the dog was dead. The dog wore a |
muzzle.
Another instance is where the poisoner
passed the button through the open window
of house which held pretty canine pet. |
The dog took the deadly dose and carried it |
to her litter, in another part of the premises. |
When the owner afterward looked at the |
shaggy-coated family the mother and two !
puppies were dead and those alive were |
whining piteously.
In another case buttons were given to two |
pet dogs sitting in a doorway. The button |
fend watched his opportunity, and during |
the temporary absence of the mistress of the |
house placed his poison on the premises.
WILL GO TO COURT.
George Heaps, the Fifth avenue grocer,
owns some fine fox hounds. He has sent |
them to the country, but retained a fine |
stable dog, which he muzzled. This dog he |
valued highly, as it always remained with |
his horses, and when anything happened in |
the stable always gave the alarm. The dog |
is now a corpse. He died with his muzzle |
on in the stable Some of the residents of !
the hill district will test the right of the |
poisoners to invade their premises if the |
trespassers are caught in the act.
Reports of such cases as these are heard |
in ali parts of the city, and much indigna- |
ton has been expressed, both by owners |
and non-owners of dogs. They do not come |
under the provisions of the law against |
dogs. which Mayor Gourlev said Yesterday |
applied only to dogs running at large"
The Mayor said also that he was convinced |
that the law does not justify the present in |
discriminate and wholesale slaughter of |
dogs, and that it contemplates that the dog |
shall be caught and then taken to some GER |
tain place and killed.
HE KNEW AN OFFICER
The dogs instinct, however, has more
than once balked the policeman's astute- |
ness. One day last week lady was going
down Fifth avenue, followed by a little
brown pug. A policeman in citizens |
clothes caught sight of the animal, and he |
started to railroad the canine into the brute |
paradise. Come, doggie, good doggie,"
''doggie," "doggie; here, doggie," sang the |
officer. following the lady down the avenue. |
and throwing a luscious-looking button
after her pet. The pug turned around, |
smelled the "button" and then looked stthe |
officer and ran on. The officer continued to |
follow, and a couple of blocks away he made |
another attempt ''Doggie, doggie, war |
bled the officer, as before, dropping the but |
ton again on the sidewalk. But "doggie"
evidently was of high degree, for he trotted |
IN and ha1ked the officer for the second /