The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-12
DOG BIT IA BICYCLISTS.
0NLH WHEELMEN ATTACKED BF
THE

Fsur Of Its vietirss 1t the Prstesr Rnstttute,
the others On Their way Here rrsn Ontario
The Animal BtnnIiy shot Firy Miies from
where n Began Its RAID en- Cyclists.
Four OF fourteen bicyclists who were bitten
by q dog while cycling in Oxford county, On
tario, on June 81, went to the Pasteur Insti-
tute on Saturday to be treated for hydropho-
bin- They are Delbert Mayberry OF IngersoD,
Ontario, who was bitten on the right leg;
George Spencer OF Ingerson, Ontario, who was
bitten on the left leg; James Mooney Of North
Dorchester, Ontario, who was bitten four
times on the left leg. and John Merrill Of Dere-
ham, Ontario, bitten on the right wrist and
right leg. The patients were accompanied by
DR.. George of Stafford. Ontario.
The dog, which was a large black Newfound-
land. was owned. by a farmer OF Summerville,
Ontario. named Harris. He had owned the
dog for many years, but owing to the animals
bad temper he had always kept it chained to a
stake in tho rear OF the farmhouse. When
Harris went to feed the dog on June 20 the
animal snapped ut him and Harris noticed
that it was frothing at the mouth. The farmer
went to his house to get n gun to shoot the
dog with. but before he returned the animal
broke. his chain and ran out into tho highway.
Realizing what harm the dog would do II it
was not killed Immediately, Harris informed
hS SAN VI vim u OCCuTENu.
A posse was formed and the farmers, arming
themselves, with guns and pitchtorks, started
Ali that afternoon and fur into the night
they searched In vain for the animal. They
beat the woods and fields for miles around.
and finally, as they were returning home, the-
heard that the dog had been seen about twenty
miles from Sumnerville.
That night several chickens were killed by
the dog, ard nobody ventured out on the road
for fear of encountertnS 1t. AT daybreak on
the following day the farmers started out again
AFTER the animal. w ord soon reached them
that DelDert May berry of lngersoil, while rid
ing to the village on his bicycle, had been at;
awaited. hidden In a bush, until May berry was
near, and had then sprung at him and bitten
The posse. started toward Ingersoll, but be-
fore they got, there, word reached them that
another bicyclist had fallen a victim to the ami
NAL at North Dorchester, several miles away
from the nrst town. Al day long the farmers
h hiSnsed ono nor ,i tne , f9s s,,s News rot that , the dog had
idly, until there were fourteen victims. The
country for fifty miles around was terrorized.
II seemed impossible to capture or shoot the
dog. The animal apparently attacked only BIZ
cycle riders, May persons on foot had passed
the animal saw u bicyclist he became infuriated
and attacked him. In the course of time hun.
dreds Of pursuers were looking Tor the dog. and
finally 1t was seen near Salford, nearly fifty
miles from where 1t started. Then the farmers
surrounded it and it was at last shot. The head
ronto, but wnen 1t reached its destination it was
too much decomposed to be OF any use in deter
mining the COuulIlOn OF the animal.
The dogs actions when attacking the BIZ
cyclists had been apparently 80 Enthusiastically
those OF a rabId beast that the bitten bicyclists
finally determined to come to this city Tor
reatment- The remaining ten are expected at
the Pasteur Institute this week. John Mer-
rill, in talking about the dog. said yesterday:
Il had heard that Farmer Harris's dog had
gone mad AM that all the men in The nelghbor-
hood were looking for him, but the 2lst being
jubilee day, l wanted TO go TO town 10 help cele-
brate. l was warned by a friend OF mine not
to go on my wheel, as the dog mad bitten only
wheelmen up to that time, and had not at
tackled other passer5-oy. | laughed at him and
started out TOR Durham on my wheel.
The road was crowded by people on their
way TO the village, and 1t never occurred to
ME that l would be attacked by the dog. |
kept on my way toward the village and several
people called out TO me to look out for Farmer
Harris dog. l had gone a short distance when
l noticed the people in front OF Inc scatter. a
large black newfoundland dog had lcaped the
hedge at the side OF the road and stood facing
in the direction that l was going. He did not
appear to be mad, and seemed surprised at
the actions OF the people who had all scattered
right and left. shouting Mad dog Mad dog
ing. 1t all happened so quickly that l did not
have time even TO stop my wheel. suddenly
the dog saw me. My appearance appeared
To- infnriate e. him n. He srept forward the foam
stop and get Off my wheel, but l could not.
My eyes seemed riveted on the animal, who con-
tinued to advance slowly. Suddenly he leaped
forward, and knocking me off my wheel buried
his teeth in my wrist. / grabbed him by the
throat, but he wren,hed him ,elf free and bit
me on the right leg. | was lying on my back
in the middle OF the road, and | thought that
the dog would surely kill me. But after biting
me the second time be seemed satisfied. and,
turning away slowly. trottei down the road
until he reached an opening in the hedge,
through which he vanished. The moment he
had gone l mounted my wheel and returned
| homo"