Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-04-04
ESCAPE OF A LITTLE CHILD



The Rabid Dog shifted of Its Clothing, |
hut Refrained from biting Detective |
Jones in Hot Pursuit for Several Blocks !
The Mad Dog Finally Killed by But
let from His Revolver,
A mad dog hunt took place on West |
Front street shortly after noon, Tuesday, |
and for time the neighborhood was NJ.
roariously excited. The hero Of the occa-
sion is Detective William 4. Jones, who
finally put bullet through the dogs body,
after chasing it as far as Front and West
streets, but not until il had bitten several
dogs and narrowly escaped including
several people among its victims. A crowd
of several hundred people joined in the
hunt at one time.
Detective Jones was standing on the
westerly side Of Market street below Front
when the mad dog came flying down the
street and made straight for a small pug
dog owned by an Italian who keeps q fruit
stand at Water and Market streets. The
cur picked the little pug up as terrier
would grab n rat and shook it until the
canine howled with pain.
Then the rabid dog darted out into the
middle OF the street. where Thomas Me-
Hugh's dog Spider was playing. Spider
saw the mad brute coming at him and
with q yell he put his tail between his legs
aud never stopped running until he was
clear inside Mr.. McHugh's liquor store.
PREPARING FOR RATTLE.
BY this time Detective Jones had his
revolver out, and, satisfied that the dog
was mad, prepared to give him a warm
reception. The dog made straight at the
| detective, and just as the cur got his front
feet on the sidewalk. he fired at him. The
| ball took effect in the dogs side. but it did
nothing further than to turn its course.
The detective followed in close pursuit.
| The dog bolted around the corner, and out
Trout Street went mad dog and detective,
while everybody else was glad to give the
animal wide berth.
LITTLE CHILD IN DANGER.
At Front and Shipley streets a man
named Webber was standing OH the side
walk, holding in his hand bar of iron.
Detective Jones called to him to kill the
dog with the iron bar, but the man seemed
bewildered and made no effort to strike it.
| The dog sped by him like flash, and con-
tinued running until he reached Thorn
street. On the steps of the Thorn street
side Of Simmons Il Brothers. sash factory
u small child was at play. The back Of
the little chap was turned toward the dog.
| The animal made dash for the child and
Detective Jones for an instant held his
breath. He was in hot pursuit of the
brute, but was prevented from shooting 1t
IOT lenr Ol HltIlnp tne Cnllu.
By an extraordinary streak OF good
fortune the dog merely touched the gar
ments of the tot with its nose, and the
child kept on at its play, never dreaming
OF the danger of the situation, aud happily
for 1t did not turn around or it would
probably have been bitten. After nOsing
tho child the dog retraced its steps and
swung around the corner Of Thorn street
again, and went running our Front.
BULLET THROUGH THE BRUTE.
BY this time Detective Jones managed to
get the animal between himself and a
brick building and he fired another bullet
into its body. Il still Kept on running.
The report of the pistol shots and the eX-
citement of the chase brought people To
their Windows, and doors were opened by
others anxious to learn what was trans
piring in the street Some left the dinner
table and rushed ont into the street hatles4
and SOME without their coats. They fell
in behind the dog and the detective who
chased the animal up Front street to Wash.
fngtOn. IL ran as far as Second and Wash
ington streets, where it bit large shop.
herd dog belonging to William H.. HOlli.
day, pastor OF Mt. Enon Baptist Mission.
II turned and came flying down Washing
ten street again.
DOG KILLED AT LAST.
Detective Jones now saw his opportunity
{ to end the career of the rabid dog with i
bullet. He stepped out into the street IN
order to allow the dog To pass between him
and McCormicks saloon, a large brick
building, and the minute the dog got oppo
i site the barrel Of his revolver he blazet
away. The dog dropped in his tracks anC
lay kicking on the sidewalk. After the de
tective had fired two mere bullets into It's
body, it ceased kicking, turned over and
died.
BULLET STRUCK A MAN.
While the crowd was sufging in arounC
the slaughtered dog there was little ex
element inside the beer saloon 1t wa!
| discovered that the bullets from the detec
tive's revolver had gone clear through thu
dogs body, struck the pavement. auC
, glancing went crashing through the saloor
} window, where it struck John Dryer ii
! the breast and dropped down ON the floor
II did not even pass through his clothing
J but Dryer was scared beyond measure
The force OF the bullet was spent when /
} struck the window.
Detective Jones was relieved of all blam
l for the accident, every one agreeing tina
I he had exercised excellent Judgment il
D choosing the position lie did in order Il
: shoot the dog, He went to u telephon
: after the killing and notified the Board o
e Health an officer of which took the dea
/. dog away, Then he started out on til
S hunt for some of the dogs that wer
+ bitten. He found one Of them at From
+ and Shipley streets and dispatched it witt
o blow of club. The others were kille
a yesterday morning,