The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1896-12-21
Famous Canine Controversy
Aired In Court.
Mystery of Who Scalded the Dog
Still UnsOIved.
Dosohue-Ford Assault Case Is oiven Hear
Ing At This Mornings Session Other Cases.

Ibis morning was DuSy one III the O1b-
trict Court, Judge Blodgett was occupied
all the morning In the consideration Of
various cases of more or less importance.
After common drunkard had been SEN
fenced to six months In the State work
house and one of the ordinary variety had
been fined y and costs, the court adjourned
to the upper court room, and the already
famous "Hot water dog case" came up for
consideration. Readers of the daily pa
pers are already familiar with the cause Of
the trial, but briefly the facts arc as fol-
lows:
On the 28th OF September there was .
dog fight In Fairbrother's Court. This fact
was not disputed. The principals were .
bull terrier, aged three years, and shep-
herd dog not as distinctly described. Tho
events that happened after the scrimmage
are lost In the maize Of conflicting testi-
mony.
j. Osfield, Jr., appeared for Mrs. Sullivan
and Lycurgus Sayles, State Counsel for the
8. p. G. A., appeared for Jason =. Law
renee, the plaintiff In the case.
Mrs. Margaret Clingman Was the first
witness called. The dog who was in
jured belonged to her. In the cross ex-
animation Mrs. Clingman, in answer to
questions of the defendants attorney, said
she supposed all dogs had fieas and she
washed her dog with carbolic soap, but
never used hot water. During her testi-
mony she mis-spoke and said she would
not be guilty of "putting hot water on .
boiling dog" This wonld indicate that
the fight was hot one while it lasted.
Jason K. Lawrence then took the stand
and said he had called on every family In
the Court to obtain testimony regarding
the case. Mrs. Sullivan had confessed
that she threw water on the canine.
A small boy followed and spoke learned
ly of the condition of the dog and dogs In
general.
At this point Mr.. Lawrence returned
| from a still hunt for witnesses and report
| ed that one would not come until she 'had
| finished her wash" and the other, a French
woman, positively declined and said
''there was no law to make her."
Mr.. Lawrence considered discretion the
better part of valor In both cases and the
trial continued without these witnesses.
Mrs. Sullivan took the witness box and
positively denied ever having told Mr..
Lawrence she had thrown water OH the
dog. The fight did not occur In her yard.
Mr.. Lawrence again took the stand, and
said he ''thought he had spoken to Mrs.
Ballou." Mrs. Ballou "spoke out in meet
ing" and told him he had not. The case
occupied two hours and was very amusing,
and the court discharged Mrs. Sullivan
promptly after hearing the testimony.
Mr.. Jason f. Lawrence said he was sat
isfied, Mrs. Sullivan considers herself vim
dicated and Is satisfied and the dogs
wounds have healed ,iand he has probably
forgotten an episode that threatened TO
cause social complications in Fairbrother's
Court.
Mrs. John Wards testimony was favor
able to Mrs. Sullivan and the only import
ant part of Il was that she saw Mrs. Cling
man, the owner of the dog injured, with .
kettle of boiling water, on Mrs. Belcher's
doorstep. She had made no statement TO
Mr.. Lawrence regarding the matter.
Mrs. Sweet said she was "no pet of dogs
anyway" and apparently took little inter-
est In the matter.
Mrs. Ballou, q resident of the court ct
the time of the fight but now of Centre
menced."
The trial of John Donohue for assault ON
James Ford followed. j. Osfield, Jr., ap-
peared for the defendant and Thomas
Robinson for the plaintiff.
II appeared that on Dec. 9Th Donohue,
having heard that Ford had spoken In
rather q doubtful manner of his financial
reliability, went into Colwell's market
where Ford Is employed, and in the dis
cussion that followed Ford claims
''punched" him.
The testimony on both sides was dia-
metrically opposite.
After q brief review of the testimony
Judge Blodgett sentenced Donohue to pay
fine of 81 and costs.
The liquor case against Mary Lamoreaux
was continued until Wednesday.