The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1897-10-23
A FAITHFUL FRIEND.
Farmer George Mertz Disembow-
eled by a Mad Bull
Saved from Instant Death by His DOG
Which Rushed to the Rescue and, TaS-
Ing the Bull by the Nose, Held Him
Until His Master WAS Rescued.

ST. LOUIS, Oct. 21.-The most re-
markable devotion of a dog to his mas
ter, and most desperate fight on record
of a dog to save the life of his mas
ter, George Mertz took place at Anthem,
st. Louis county.
Mertz and two of his hired men were
en~deavoring Tuesday to yoke a bull
which was not used to work and re-
sisted the restraints Of harness.
The bull was hard to catch, but was
finally penned in u corner of the pas
ture where the men thought they had
him at a disadvantage The heavy
yoke was near at hand and Mertz was
most active in laying hold of the big
beast to fasten it around it's neck.
A hired man lifted the yoke to the
bulls neck, when the unruly beast
gave a sudden toss of the head to
throw it off, and then d lunge for
liberty.
With bowed neck and a swing of the
head, he struck at Mertz, who stood
nearest, and the sharp tipped horn
ripped through the clothing into the
flesh and tore a cash in Mertz' abdo-
men as he was lifted from his feet and
thrown like a plaything fully ten feet
backward to the ground.
With blood dripping from the horn,
the bull, believing with rage, dashed
ut his PROSTATE victim and bored him
almost into the earth, as the great
weight of the mad beast drove the
horns again into the already torn and
bloody body.
Mertz' Newfoundland dog, which was
his constant companion, and hal
closely followed his footsteps IS he
chased the bull over the pasture. saw
hat his master was being killed, and
with bravery born of devotion jumped
to his rescue.
He fastened his teeth in the bulls
throat and tore through the thick hide
in 4 herculean effort to drag the mon.
ster off his victim.
So determined and vicious was the
dogs assault that the bull. in pain,
turned from the helpless man to the
animal hat had thrown itself into the
breach. The dog only loosened one
hold, to catch a better one, despite the
bulls frantic efforts to gore and paw
him.
The Newfoundland seemed well
aware that the most effective way u
dog Ear put the strongest, maddest
bull or Gov at its mercy is to plant its
teeth in the nostrils of the bovine, and
from the throat the dog snapped and
grabbed ut the bulls nose, regardless
of the deadly effort of horn and hoof
to crush him. Once the dog gained
the vital hold, the bull, in distress, had
to follow, as the plucky Newfoundland
held grimly on, though tossed and
jerked about in the air like q rag.
AS the dogs effective attack forced
the bull from Mectz the two men
rushed to his side and bore him out Of
reach of further danger.
The physician who was called thinks
Mertz a fatally hurt. His bowels
protruded from the frightful wound
made by the bulls horns.
The dog only released his grip upon
the bull when his master was well out
of the way.
After Mertz had beer taken into his
house and a doctor was ministering to
his suffering, the big Newfoundland,
his shaggy face and head saturated
and soaked with the bulls blood, came
whining into the wounded mans room
and sympathetically walked up to the
bed, and looked into his masters pain
drawn face.
Mertz was in great ~agony-dying it
was thought-but with grateful effort
he reached out his hand and strolSed
the brave and faithful dogs blood.
stained head.