Evening journal., 1892-05-26
UNREoIsTeREo uNroRruNATes.

UNREGISTERED UNFoRTUNATEs.
The Fate Of tie Tagiess Dog lie Must
Fan Beneath the Bullet Woinen's Pets
Among Them.
There is one class of Wilmingion's
population that is very little known
notwithstanding the fact that IT is the
source of much revenue, comfort and dis
comfort The class referred to are the
dogs of this city of G2 600 people Per
haps there is only one man in the city
who is thoroughly conversant with this
class and he is Dog Catcher Writ
A day or two ago All EVENING
JOURNAL reporter saw him walking down
Delaware avenne and asked him for an
interview on the dog question. feeling
assured that some information might be
gained that would prove Of general inter
est because it is very questionable
house nowadays that has not two, three
and sometimes five or six dogs
The dog catcher seemed q little sur
/ prised, but the reporter beguiled him to
q brownstone carriage block in front of
a West street mansion aud he was very
! willing witness.
Il suppose you know nearly all the
dogs in.the city MrWirtfi suggested the
/ reporter
.Yes, and great many Of them
Know me, he replied. Especially those
unregistered dogs that ] have chased,
time and time again trying to get them
into my net
ITO be sure Now let us begin at the
beginning of this dog business and see il
through, suggested the reporter
Certainly sir; certainly Well the
beginning Of this dog business is pup
Quite right quite right
''Well You see, the law provides that
all dogs in the city shall be taxed The
rate fixed is 81 upon males and s. upon
females This tax is paid at the police
station. where the register is kept A
man takes his dog there, pays his money,
a description of the canine is entered
upon this book, together with the
number that corresponds with the tag
The law provides that this tag shall be
worn by the dog, but that law Is not
lived up 10. and IL gives me much unnec-
essary trouble, because ! am compelled to
pick up every dog that is not tagged Of
course If ! know chat it is a registered
dog / do not molest IT,
''What do you get for killing dogsY'
81 get 81 for each dog / kill and fifty
cents for each one caught and claimed ="
"How much time do you give after they
are picked upY
Twenty four hours IL dog is not
claimed within that time lac must die. "
"Just tell me the way In which YOU do
your work, asked the reporter Of the
lord high eXecutioner
IL have wagon 1t is an ordinary
covered dearborn, with gate in front
and one behind About $50 o'clock in
the morning put my net in the wagon,
and calling my assistant we drive over
certain portion of the city, keeping
sharp lookout for unfortunates. II does
not matter how good-looking the un-
tagged is Il gather him in, Then after
we have driven around the territory until
about 10 o'clock we return and deposit
our catch in the pound
Where is this poundY'
'lt is out on Maryland avenue near the
toll gate
what kind of a place is itg'
"a building. Wen, then 7 wait for
twenty four hours for the owners TO
come and claim them AT the expiration
of that time they become the city's
property, and Idispose of them
I'm what wayg'
81 shoot them have 32-calibre re
volver ! step into the room in which
the dogs are and kill them one by one.
During the four years | have been dog
catcher ] have yet TO shoot dog the
second time
Don't they try TO bite your
"No indeed They behave very
genteelly while they are being shot,
DO you catch many nice dogsg
eyes. net a great many shepherds,
sky terriers, pugs, poodles, mastiis
Rabbit hounds and ours are the most
numerous
DO You have much trouble in catch
ing them p
''Well we have some pretty lively
chases. We are not allowed to chase n
dog into yard, but we can swear out a
warrant for the man for harboring an un-
registered dog.
"Are many Of the dogs you catch
women's pets
Yes
"Do the women go TO the pound to re-
claim their darlingsY
Occasionally
E 81 suppose you get good tongue
lashingY'
"No, get that when / catch theii
pets But am used to It, now. and
2 just let her seold throw her dog int
p the wagon and drive off and leave her {,
r. talk TO herself or her neighbers. The,
a are rather meek when they come To The
. pound and promise TO bow TO the majesty
of the law and have their dogs registerc,
; II I viii spare their lives
9 ''Do you ever notify owners of dog
. that you have themy'
mot as a rule but sometimes do.
after You have killed the dogs wha
do You do with the leavingsy'
Heretofore have been in the habit o
putting them on the ground an,
: covering them with earth. This gavl
. rise recently, TO considerable stencil an,
complaint Registrar Colquohoun noti
fed me that the law provided that a hol
. should be dug The last consignment
put away, / buried in hole about fou
p feet deep
z How many victims do You average
weekT
/ "rhe number varies, but think fai
average would be twenty-five or thirty
DO you have any trouble with mad
( dogsY'
e mot at the pound. but / have killel