The Washington times., 1894-09-23
IT WAS ALL ABOUT John"
Nho Is Very Saaacious Pug that
Acts for His Living.
THERE MAS A BIG ROW RAISED
Because John" Had Supposedly Been Stolen
from the Theater, Where He Had Been
Performing-After the Police Machinery
Was Set in Motion John" Turned Up.

While the performance was still in progress
at Kernan's Theater last night there was a
stirring drama being enacted behind the
scenes, involving the cool theft, it was sup
posed, of an actor-dog and an exciting chase
after the thieves. The show was nearly over,
and those performers whose appearance be-
fore the footlights had been made were hur-
riedly packing up their stage belongings,
ready TO 90 upon the road this morning.
Not long before Prof Norwood had ex-
hibited his troupe OF performing dogs and
monkeys and the roars of laughter caused by
the amusing antics of the trained animals
were still echoing in the ears OF the master of
the beasts as he carefully chained up his
pets
One of these animals is of the rare kind
known as a Japanesc-Chinese pug. As
the people of these races are generally called
John in this country, so also was the name
given to the dog John has long hair. is
perfectly white, with two black spots, one on
the head and the other on the back, and
two curious rings about his eyes. He is Il
very wise little chap, and can turn somer-
saints walk on his hind legs initiate death,
waltz. climb a ladder. walk a tightrope-in
fact, everything that a dog can do in the
nineteenth century.
John is worth about $3.50, and the profess
sor carefully chained him up while going
about mis- own packing
During this time three young men Stood it
is said in the lobby talking. Soon one of
them casually walked through the bar-room
and thence to the rear of the stage without
attracting attention. He peeped over
screen, and saw the performers hurrying
about, some with their stage clothes and
grease-paint still upon them. No one was
paying heed 10 anybody else.
JOHNS TONGUE BETWEEN HIS TEETH.
Near by was the dog. The intruder quickly
had the peculiarly ugly fellow unclaimed and
snugly tucked him under his arm. John said
not a word. Arguing from past experience,
he concluded that he was already en- route to
anNther weeks stand, and therefore tucked
his tongue between his teeth and kept quiet
Past the scurrying stage people the thief
walked, and thence through the thronged
barroom and the lobby. Nearly everybody
saw the dog. but the bravado of the fellow
gave no cause for suspicion. He joined tho
two companions at the door and hurried OIL
In q few moments the theft was discovered.
At once everybody joined in the hunt. There
WAS excited questioning in the lobby.
That fellow just went of there with the
dog said boy, pointing in the direction Of
the Division He went into one OF those
houses"
Tn give a So bill to the man who can
show me the place. said AL Reeves, the pro-
prietor OF the variety company.
OF ran a small regiment Of hunters, to-
gether with two cabs, but the thieves could
not be located.
NOW COMES THE SEQUEL.
Then the matter was reported 10 the police,
and Officer Williams. in company with De-
tective Rhodes, was soon making a systematic
search of the houses. Prof. Norwood also
started a little investigation OF his own.
Il wouldn't have lost that dog for u thou
sand dollars, he said. He is of a breed
very hard TO find and, besides. he was we'll
trained"
Now comes the sequel, which Disguised the
police. who had been hunting so actively for
the dog and the supposed thieves, and caused
chagrin to the excited men who caused the
trouble.
The much-wanted John suddenly made |
his appearance on the stage Of the theatre
and was restored TO his masters arms. He |
had never been stolen at all, but had simply |
strayed among a lot of boxes IN the yard and
amused himself in dog fashion When he
was tired he returned.
Thus went for naught the spectacular chase !
Of Al Reeves the cabs. and the imaginative
boys who had seen the dog thieves that never
existed; the hurry at the police station and
hunt AT Thirteenth and c streets: the record
ing OF the theft that had never occurred by
Station-master Rollins-in short the setting
in motion of the whole machinery of police
investigation. At first everybody was in
cined 10 be mad for chasing viii o. the
wisp but good humor soon prevailed and
everybody ''smiled. "