Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-12-14
GOT HIS MONEY BY WAITING
Dog-Catcher Connell'S Bill
Paid at Last.
THE CONTENTION IN HIS CASE
A Claim That He Served
Without Authority.
But He Was Duly Appointed and Killed
222 Dogs, for which He Was Entitled
to 81 Apiece-City Council at Last
Orders the Payment of the Bill.

but ne was Duly appointed anu Niiieu |
222 Dogs, for which He Was Entitled |
to 81 Apiece-City Council at Last
Orders the Payment of the Bill.
The wisdom of the well-worn saying
ing that everything comes to the person
who waits was proved Thursday even
ing, aud Dog Catcher John Council |
after many months delay on the part of
City Council has received the salary
long due him for catching dogs and he
is now richer man by 1929. Dog
Catcher Cornell is a patient man, but
he never openly asserted that he passed
this estimable quality to pre-eminent
degree, as did Job in the scripture,
Consequently when time wore ON and
there seemed little possibility of ever
getting his money, he had almost re-
solved to resort to the law. But here
he again paused, and recollecting the
story of the laws p.overbial delay, he
was in a quandry to know whether to
take legal steps to recover his money, or
to wait a while longer. He chose the
latter, and at last obtained his money,
but he is in doubt whether the delay of
the law could have possibly outlasted
the extraordinary dilatory tactics of City
Council.
Connell was appointed dog.catcher
by the Board of Police Commissioners
in June last, and served two months in
clearing the city of scores of unregis-
tered and ownerless CANNES. When
James Hayden was appointed by the
mayor to succeed Connell, the latter
was relieved of his duties, and when
bill for his services was sent to City
Solicitor Billany that city official re-
fused to audit it, on the ground that
Cornell was not appointed by the
mayor and was not entitled to share
of the payroll. The Board of Police
Commissioners contended that Cornell
had served the city faithfully as dog
catcher, and was entitled to his money,
but their argument with Auditor Bill
lany was all in vain, and like the UNI
: pire who has called batted ball "base
HIT instead of "foul," although he
realized his mistake, he refused to
change his decision. In vain did Con
nell ask for his money.
When the bill was submitted to City
Council that body went into long de.
bate on the merits of the bill, and the
, Republican members were disposed to
sustain the decision of Mr.. Billany.
, Finally, in order to settle the diff
Guilty and prevent the city fathers from
unnecessary loss of sleep, some one
i. moved that the matter be referred to the
law committee That settled it, the
:, motion was carried and the bill was
entrusted to the committee for an in
definite period. The committee wrestled
4 with the perplexing matter for many
weeks, and as last resort City Solicitor
= Elliott was called upon to deliver an
opinion. In their haste to dispose of
the bill by taOling it or pigeon-holing
: the obligation, they had forgotten the
city solicitor entirely, and when they
did discover the oversight, they made
I haste to hunt up that official and apprise
q him of the facts. Then they waited for
! an opinion.
t Meantime Cornell had employed
e Alan Cunningham to look after his
interests and some one told the city
9 fathers that litigation in the courts
|; would follow, unless something was
done to reimburse Council. 1t was
II after this information had been inn
parted to them that they determined to
q "do something, "and when the time came
l. for Council to convene, Thursday even
n ing, the city fathers had made up their
}. minds to pay the bill. City Solicitor
!
Q opinion in which he advised that the
d bill be paid, and supplemented his
o opinion by providing that the bill be
a charged to the appropriation of the
2 Board of Police Commissioners. Thus
D after all this delay, Council decides to
y allow the bill, the non-payment OF
Is which has been a source of great in
j. convenience to Cornell, who earned the
y money and was entitled to compensa-
l. ton.
This city has seldom clothed with au
thority more capable man than wa:
Dog-catcher Connell. During the shor
period that he was in office he made host:
d of friends, an unusual thing for such al
h official, and he had few enemies. This wa:
G. owing to the fact that Connell conscien
,e tiously performed the duties entrusted
re to him. He is the man, who, when City
e, Council decided that he was not thu
ID legal dog-catcher, Notwithstanding thu
he fact that he had been appointed by the
TX Board of Police Commissioners, tool
n what CANNES he had locked up in the
rs city pound, and drove many mile
al through Delaware county, Pa, where
ie he gave the most valuable dogs away.
Or Cornell made it a point never to xii
m valuable dog and unlike his predeces
r sors, who put them to death regardless
Of of pedigree, he invariably found SOM
r. one who would take the animal from
r, his hands. During his term in office III
t. frequently came upon a family whose
70 dog was unregistered, but when TIN
ly owner assured him that poverty hal
IS been the cause of the delay in registra
ton, and that the owner would call u
the city hall and pay the registry none.
in few days, the kind-hearted dog
ne catcher wilted, and his invarlable reply
Do was, "Take the dog, and as soon as yol
n. can go and pay the tax do so. will
E. call at a certain date, and if you hav
n, not thea paid the registry money, In.
n duty will compel me to take the dog u
the pound"
ID And this was the kind of a man Cit,
II; Council compelled to wait many month
le for the money he was SO justly entitle,
-; to.
n Mr.. Dannenberg gave notice of the In
u, PRODUCTION Of an ordinance providin
'e; for the issuing of certain sinking fun
In bonds or certificates of indebtedness
II, which will come up at a future meeting
10 Notice was given by Mr. Ratledge Q
the introduction of an ordinance gov
erning the new crematory.
After passing number of bills Coun
'oi Gil adjourned.
nv