Los Angeles herald., 1891-01-18
KILLED BY DETECTIVES.
Members Of the Police Force Catch
and Shoot q Thief.

ana SnoOt HleI.
For some days past complaints have
been made at police headquarters by
people residing in the neighborhood OF
the new high school, OF the depreda-
tions made upon their chicken roosts
by some unknown midnight marauder.
The matter was placed in the hands OF
Detectives Auble and Bowler for investi-
cation, but in spite of their most search
ing inquiries they " ere unable to OBJ
tain a clue to the perpetrator of the
thefts until yesterday, when they were
informed that coyote had been
seen sneaking about in the old
Sand street graveyard. Feeling that
their official regulations were at stake,
the detectives came to the conclusion
that the best thing they could do under
the circumstances was TO proceed to the
burial ground and put an end to the
animals thieving propensities once and
for all. Accordingly the two Hawk
shawes, accompanied by Auble's
brother, buckled on their six-shooters,
and in due time reached the graveyard.
After searching cautiously in every
direction for some minutes, without,
however, catching sight of their quarry,
the two detectives were Just about to
give up the chase in disgust, when
young Auble espied what appeared to
be small bundle of yellow fur rolled
up comfortably under the sunny
side of the fence. Stalking eau
tiously along behind the grave
stones until within a few yards OF
this object, the detective saw that it
was the coyote they were looking for.
1t was fast asleep, and quite uncon-
scious OF its danger, was probably dream
ing of the fine fat capon upon which it
had apparently just dined. A pile of
feathers and few bones, including the
feet of a chicken, which lay near by, fur
nished evidence enough to condemn the
sleeping thief in the minds of the Off
GERS, and he was sentenced to death
cooking weapons simultaneously, both
Auble and Bowler emptied all six cham
bers as fast as they could pull their trig-
gers at the slumbering coyote, but be-
yond convulsive shiver once or twice,
the animal did not move. AS the echo
of the last report died away, however,
the coyote rose from his recum-
bent position very leisurely, and
after little shake and yawn-
ing stretch, shifted the air in a.
suspicious manner and trotted off among
the graves. The two detectives, who,
by the way, have quite reputation
among the members of the force as
marksmen, looked at each other for
few seconds in blank amazement, too
deep for words. In the meantime, how
ever, the coyote had unconsciously
trotted toward the younger Auble, who
was hidden behind monument, and
that young gentleman, as a forlorn hope,
hurled huge rock at the animal. As
luck would have it the missile struck
the coyote on the back of the neck and
stunned him. Supposing it to be dead,
young Auble rushed out, and picking it
up, carried it to the discounted hunters,
who had not yet recovered from their
surprise. In triumph the trio then started
on their return to the station. but about
midway they were reminded that life
was not extinct in their victim, by sew
eral nasty nips from his sharp teeth,
none OF which, however, were of any
consequence, and after smart fight
the coyote was finally despatched. il
W. On landing their quarry proudly at
the police headquarters, the bold
hunters were once more doomed to dig
appointment, for on examining the car
cass of the dead animal, one of the
members Of the force pointed to what
were unmistakably the marks of col
lar round its neck, and remarked that ii
the detectives had whistled to the an
imal, before shooting at it, it would 'un-
doubtedly have followed them home and
they would have been spared the trouble
OF packing it. The boys suddenly re-
membered an important engagement in
Chinatown and left.
1t will be some time before the boys
hear the end Of that coyote story.