The San Francisco call., 1896-09-27
An Organization of Sportsmen
Formed to Punish the
MiScreant.
WILL BE GIVEN SHORT sHRIFT
Donald Ross Loses His Valuable
Black Pointer Bruce - Other
CANNES Killed.

A fend in human form has, within the
past week, poisoned at least ten valuable
hunting dogs in the Mission, and so in
censed are the owners of the dead ami
mails that they have organized for pro-
lection and revenge, and should the perpe-
traitor of the outrages be caught lynch
ing bee, or at the very least a tar-and-
feather soiree, will be the result rather
than call on the police.
The fiend has invariably done his work
in the night, when the CANNES were wan
dering about back yards and ready to de-
YOUR meat thrown over fences, and for
that reason has never been seen distinctly,
but the men who have lost their favorite
dogs through his dastardly acts have
shrewd suspicion as to his identity, and
lit will go hard with him if the case is
proven to their satisfaction.
The loss of their trained and favorite
hunting dogs has fallen particularly hard
on the sportsmen just now, as the quail
and duck season opens soon, and there is
no time left to train new four-footed
servants.
One of the first to suffer the loss of his
dog was Enos I. Flieger, secretary of the
Retail Grocers' Association, who lives at
3l47 Sixteenth street. His setter was
found dead in the yard one morning a
few days ago. showing all the evidences
of poisoning.
Then two handsome pointers belonging
to Duncan Mckay, who lives IN the same
neighborhood, Gied in agony after linger-
ing a full day with the poison in their
veins, and the owners of hunting dogs in
the Mission began to lock up their pets at
night.
In spite of their efforts the fiend contin-
ued his work, and Henry Pein saw his
four fine retrievers die almost simultane-
. ously, the poison being administered dur
ing the hours of darkness, when the
scoundrel could prowl unperceived.
Angus McLeod's pointer next went to
join the other dead dogs in the canine
happy hunting g-grounds, and then the
thoroughly exasperated sportsmen deter
mined TO find the miscreant if money and
time could do the work. They held a
meeting and talked the matter over, ex-
changing ideas and suspicious until they
had slmmered the number of men who
would be capable of such iendish deeds
. down to one, and to him they are now
devoting their attention. Should he be
proven guilty by the detective who is now
on the trail he will have occasion to re-
mem ber their vengeance for the rest of his
life.
The latest and most lamentable loss
came yesterday when Donald Ross OF the
well-known firm OF Ross & Hewlett and
lAOIOuSn hpOIISiHdHi Witnessed the death
struggle OF Bruce, his magnificent black
pointer, descendant of famous Old Black
Joe, the father of the black pointer stock
on this coast and one of the best-knoWn
dogs in California.
Bruce suffered twenty-four hours after
taking the deadly poison into his system
and died yesterday morning just as the
sun was rising over the hills where he
loved to roam in search of the gamy quail,
Mr.. Ross could not keep back the tears
when he spoke Of his loss yesterday, but
deep-seated anger soon dried them up and
the glitter in his eye boded no good to the
poison hend should he come within his
grasp.
1.-TWO hundred dollars would not have
bought Bruce from me-" he said, "and
shall spend five times that sum If neces-
Sary to find the villain who fed him the
poison that took his life.
''The low cur who woul6 take dogs life
in that manner, particularly a sports
mans dog to whom his owner has be-
come attached, would pollute a prison
cell and the petty thieves and vagrants
with whom he would be confined.
HE should be branded on the forehead
as a warning to others of his ilk. We will
not trouble the police to punish him
should he be caught"