The Portland daily press., 1895-07-12
QUEER CRANKINESS.
A Dog Imprisoned for Seven Years by
A Dumb Man at Coal Kiln Corner.

SOH~@
In a Filthy, Ruined, Deserted House.
Stone Blind from Lack of Light-Ayent
Perry's Visit to Zachariah Tripp and
the Result
AS has been stated in the PRESS GER
tain residents of Coal Kiln Corner have
made several complaints to Agent Perry
that a certain aged deaf and dumb man
named Zachariah Tripp had kept dog
and a cat locked up in room in desert
ed house for period of seven years. The
complainants alleged that whereas the
animals were we'll fed and kindly treated
their imprisonment constituted case of
cruelty that demanded investigation
Agent Perry resolved to.investigate and
yesterday made the trip to Coal Kiln
Corner accompanied by PRESS report
er.
AS they drew near to the little village
Agent Perry stopped his horse in front
of pretty little farmhouse close to the
road and hailed two old men who were
haying in the field close by.
"Where does George Trip liye?"
One of the old men came up and said
that he was George Trip and lived right
there. Agent Perry stated the facts as to
the complaints that had been made to
him in regard to Zachariah Trip the
brother of George. He was the other old
man who was haying in the field.
George Trip who is about rs years old
is pleasant and intelligent old man. He
said that his brother being deaf and dumb
was pretty hard to handle, that he set
an awful sight of store by the dog" fed
him well and was kind to him.
A little yellow cur dog pretty happy
little fellow was frisking about in the
dooryard.
"That can't be the dog" said Agent
half a..nile from here. :"
How about the cat?"
"There amt any cat He died from
old age over a year ago."
The old man explained that his deaf
brother had lived in the other house with
his mother till the latter died six years
ago at the age of 90 years. Then he took
him down to live with him. He's as
smart man to work as ever was and as
clever as anybody"
"Why don't he have the dog down here
with your dog?"
81 did think awhile ago I'd go up
there and bring him down here' was the
reply.
why does he keep him up there?"
"I don't know. He afraid somebody'll
kill him. -
Agent Perry declared that he must see
| the dog.
"But I'll have to take him away from
haying' said the old man pointing to his
brother.
"Tell him to give you the key'' said
Agent Perry.
"He won't give me the key. He'll have
| to go himself oL
''Well then you'll have to hitch up your
team and go up there"
| The old man beckoned to his brother.
The latter stuck his hayfork in the
ground and came up to the house.
Though seven years younger he looked
older than his brother George His front
teeth were all gone and his expression
was rather vacant. He was much wrink-
led and very round shouldered George
indicated by signs that Agent Perry
wanted to see his dog. At this he began
to groan and grunt and made various un-
earthly sounds of alarm and dissent He
held out his arms as if holding gun and
then initiated the striking of blow in
dicating that he feared Agent Perry
would kill the dog. He was assured to
the contrary and finally the two old men
reluctantly made preparations for har-
Messing. They led out horse that was
80 years old and hitched it to wagon
that was at least 100. The horse was
plump and shapely and showed every
sign of the best of care and he started off
at brisk pace.
| "He can trot inside of three minutes
now said the old man with show of
PRIDE
| Mr.. Perry drove up the road short
distance and then turned up a lane into
the field. Soon appeared the queerest
little tumble-down set of buildings that
there is in Maine.
They were in most ruinous condition
and were black with age. They were
located behind row of old trees beside
an old stone wall There was no road
near by and never has been. 1t was q
most picturesque but also most lone
some place. It was the ancestral home
of the Trips.
"That's no place to keep dog in'' said
Agent Perry. "a dog wants the COM
panionship of men more than any other
animal"
Mr. Perry drew up in the little overgrown
dooryard and followed the old dumb man