The morning times., 1895-12-15
DOGS OF GREAT R[PUTE
They Became Famed in Local
Police Annals.
ARE PETS AT THE STATIONS
Seliie, of the First, Knew More About
Calls Than the Inspector Himself.
Old Bob Was the Cynic of No. 2.
As for Butch, He Was u Pronounced
Bull and Loved G Ghosts.

Policemen have emotions, popular belief
or popular pre- judlce to the contrary not
withstaDdins, anu under the covering ol
glittcring buttons, black betting and police
blue there beats many a knightly heart,
often full of as tender sentiments as those
which swell In tue breast OF the philan-
thropist or the poet.
Just like other people, too, they have
fheIr superstitions; many of them Woo their
mascots and shun their huudoos.
1t is difficult TO enter a police station
without treading ON the tail of u pet cat or
arousing some equally pet dog. In many OF
the stations the old-time difference of opin-
ion existing between ordinary cats and
dogs is oblteTated, class legislation is un-
known, Tabby and Fidu go arm in arm and
the lion and the lamb lie down together
without arising rs one.
NELLIE'S WISDOM.
Many members of the force own pets that
follow them ON their beats on all tricks
of duty, witohut reference To the hour the
season or the weather. AS a general thing
station dogs know very much more about
police routine and District law than new
policemen, and IL is said by the police of the
First precinct that old Nellie knew more
about box calls, wagon calls, distress calls
and the like than any policeman i'll any other
precinct. They say that she knew just as
dbOut uuty
and where they should be at a given hour
as '"Uncle Isaac himself.
Perhaps the Gninitlated in policedom
should be informed that Uncle Isaac" is
the endearing name by which all the police
refer to Lieut.. Pierson, the night Inspector
and IA mixing liuetenant in the police de-
partment.
Poor old Nellie is dead now, and many
moons have passed over her tomb, but her
har l-ar.t
for anyone to enter the First precinct and
insinuate that better dog than Nellie ever
lived here, there, or elsewhere is equiva-
lent o being clubbed blasphemer. band
cuffed for doing dishonor to the gods, and
locked up for sacrilege.
WAS NO DUDE.
Nellie was a white and liver pointer of
large size. Her early history seems 10 have
been somewhat obscure, but no policeman
ever questioned her about this or threw out
reflections as to her birth II was sufficient
that she was the brainiest dog iuthe Depart
ment. Unlike the dude dogs OF the north
west. she did not follow a carriage-she led
apatrol wagon. She slept In the squad room.
and would wake up on the bour to hear the
men as they turned in.
As the instrument would rattle and the
desk sergeant would call out the name of
the man turning in. preceded by the inev-
table 80. k Nellie would rise on her
hauncbes till all the me n on duty had been
heard from. After the limit OF time had eX-
pired and there happened TO be man who
had not turned in. she would notice IL. She
would not only remark the absence, but
she would know who the absentee was and
she would not only know who the absentee
was, but she would know what beat IL was
on.
She would rouse herself. shake few times,
push open the swinging doors of he station.
and go off in search of the absentee. She
would first run 10 that box on his beat from
which he ought TO have turned in. Then she
would visit the other boxes: anyhow. she
would patrol that beat till She found the
man Wa nted. Then she would consider her
duty done, and would return 20 the station.
This was only one phase OF her nieiIt.ii acu-
men, though only a few OF the police ever
referred to It by thatnam When a wagon
call would be sent in Nellie woud take her
stand in front of the instrument till the
desk-sergeant sang out the number of the
box. Then Nellie would go into the street
and stand till the patrol would swing into
sight. Then she would jump up and kiss
the patrol horse few times, say something
to him in the language OF barks equivalent
to "get up there" and in the rush to the box
would lead the way. tits said tina I the First
precinct could take the patrol driver out
OF any other precinct, even out of oneof those
precincts where the police are said TO be only
watchmen, and by relying on Nellie they
would never go astray.
Upon arriving at the box Nellie would
know Just what kind of a case it was, and
would rush back to the station, and the men
there learn ed TO understand her so well that
they could tell before the arrival of the
wagon what kind ofa case would be brought
in.
JTNFAJJJNG DJSCRJNIN ALTON
If 1t was only ''drunk'' Nellie would