The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-06-18
NEFARIOUS DOG CATCHERS.
now A sPUNKY YOUNG WOMAN TWICE
SITED HERsPET NEWFOUNDLAND.


Nowhere in tho limits OF this municipality
do the dog catchers havo more success or
work moro havoc In tender feminine hearts
than in tho annexed district Probably be-
cause yards are larger and streets less CONS
pletely built up. moro families possess dogs
there than In moro densely populated Man-
haitian Island. At least two families out OF
every i've keep dogs, and, as some keep tvs
or three. II might almost he said that. averag-
ing things. every house In Morfisania has .
dog. That results. naturally. IL scarcity OF
tramps and bcggars. but means q harvest FOR
the dog catchers. As the men are mostly on
Manhattan Island during the day. earning the
family bread and pie. 1t follows that 1t is left
to tho women and children to exercise the
family pets.
Miss or Mrs doesn't like to have to keep
Towscr confined Ivy n chain for various reasons
affecting both herself and Towscr. When the
latter wants TO say howtly to the bull terri5r
across the way, or wants to chase the cat around
the corner ii Is awkward and unpleasant to
have him mako sudden dash that almost
yanks the fingers or the hand that holds the
restraining chain. At tho Same time the poor
fellow ought to have a little run occasionally.
The result is that chains aro rarely used, and
that is where the cunning dog catchcrs profit.
All day long tho latter roam over the annexed
district. Ono drives tho cage-like wagon into
which Towscr is cast when caught, but the real
catchers keep away from 1t. They know that
the presence of tho wagon would defeat their
purpose. for no sooner is that seen than the
Indy catches tho dog in her arms, II no is small.
or by tho collar If he is large, and doesn't lot go.
even when he tries to get away, until she has
him far from all danger. Therefore tho dog
catchcrs precodc their cart, armed with gloves
to render harmless possible bites, and
with ia strnprlo doc foolish
enough to show fight. Because Of their
cunning they rarely fail to bag
good many canincs and only immedt-
alto and generous cash ransoms are sufr
flcient to release an unfortunate. The sighs
OF well-dressed woman tearfully imploring
dog catcher to give UP her pet. promising all
most anything. and explaining that her pock-
etbook is ut home. and IL he only will follow
her to such and such number she will
shower gold upon him. is not unusual, but
rarely does it avnl It's either cash or the
pound and you takes your choice"
Som etimes there are men around. and in-
dignation inspires them to Interfere. That
doesn't happen very often. but it usually results
in n lively departure OF the dog catchers. as
the following will illustrate:
A young lady who lived cast of Willis avenue.
less than a dozen blocks above the Harlem. and
is the proud nosscssor Of II handsome Ncw-
foundland. was out walking with her pet the
other day. Although pretty well trained, Mr..
Newfoundland is an inquisitve animal. dis
posed to exchange compliments with all Of his
kind whom he happens to meet. Being n very
strong animal he sometimes manages to do this
in spite of his mistrcsss efforts to restrain him.
On this occasion he was walking along beside
handsome ana digninoi, His mistress was
feeling l.. unusually proud Of him, when
ahead Of them. Instantly the Newfoundland
was 2if. in spite Of the lady,s attempt to hold
street to regain him. she would have been too
late had not the dog catcher, who had been in
She had to run the last few steps and reach out
her hand to catch her animal before the dog
catcher could lay hands on him. With the
knowledge Of possession came n sense of indig-
nation. and. although sho trembled so she
could hardly stand, as she admitted afterward,
scorn and disgust that must have affected him,
II dog catchers are capable OF being stirred in
Now to the point of this story. The whole oc.
fcnrrence had been n witnessed by 4 lot OF
BY The rescue Of the dog caused some Of them hem
to toss their hats in , the air; while others ap-
" Tia s cssne a ne sHT 5y ieenE
of hatred for him. Epithcts more forcible than
polite were hurled at him By one and all. and
that were deep ana frght(nl., Tho dog catcher
his horse Just in time to escape a shower OF
stones. AS the horse, Disappeared around the
corner. tho dog catcher shook his fist men,
Another time the Same dog escaped the dog
catchers evenmore narrowly I1e ha been
mistress. and had reached l;}Sth street. when
the dog cart came around the corner. The
He would have secured him surely had the
dog not sweryed as he reached for him. and
could turn. When the latter saw her holding
the dos, by the collar with her left hand; her
eyes blazing. he, puckered his lips and res
turned to his cart.
paIhy Tor their owners which exist in Norris
gentleman who was rIout to depart for the
into q vacant lot in front OF, the house.
there and had never strayed away but
on this imp3rlant, occasion he misbehaved.
came aware e'r Of the fact Tact through the the
81 Rss Re mash
bored man. The women were the mistress of
the dog. her bosom friend, and her maid. The
man was tho owner of tho dog and the hus-
band Of tho aforementioned lady. Ho was
bored because his vito threatened TO faint
vice into his ears within tITe minutes people
came out Of every house IN the block to helpin
sympathetic, and although the owner was
driven almost distracted u.s. III" mnltinlicity Of
HueetstlunS ne couIu nor hcIp Ica!iZing tIag
they wero kindly meant.
The news Of the. dogs dsarpearanco was
spread far and wide in remarkably short
time. Tho PRINCIPAL and teachers of the
grammar school nj l;Sth street heard Of 1t
and cautioned their bupils to report to them
Immediately if during the noon recess they
should SEQ biz hlack dog with nickel collar
and no visible owner In hurrying from Brown
place to Third avenue the owner was hailed a
dozen timcs ly lndiyituals who wanted to
know If he hHd lost dog. one man had seen
n wlckcd-ooknE tough load lust such u
dog. into tho basemrni under the saloon
mob OF ragged urchin ai his heels the dogs
master rushed to tho placc Indicated. The
door nfTurdinE entrance to tho basement WAS
locked. hut there WAS Il window in it. through
which the interior could DO thoroughly
scanned. There was Just one occupant-a
Youthful Irish setter, who howlcd Gismally
when ho Jaw the mob reering through the
glass at him. The man who had given tho
Iutslcaling information sorrowfully admitted
that he WAS color blind.
Al! the canal boats for blocks along the lIar-
lem were visited by the searchers. and tho occu-
rants were put through rigId cross-"Nnrnina-
Nl