Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-26
A CANINE DETECTIVE.
The Shanghai Police Dog and Some of
His Work.

From the Pail Mall Gazette.
There has just died in the central police
station in Shanghai perhaps one Of the most
faithful sQd intelligent animals of the dumb
creation, and one which was truly regard
ed by the Shanghai police as the police
mems dog" a mute but sagacious com
panion, whose death has been regretted by
the whole of the force. Niger at his death
was twenty-five years old, eleven of which
he has served in the Shanghai police force
His record in the service shows that he has
actually been in both the public and the Sc
cret departments of the police and had been
the means of effecting the arrest of many a
notorious criminal Niger, remarks the
China Gazette, was personality in the
force, petted as much by the superintendent
as he was by the constables, both Europe
an and native. He was, moreover, part and
parcel of them, for he visited them on their
usual beats, was patted, and, with a gentle
tail wag, travelled onward TO meet the next
officer The dog, too, became a general
favorite, because he used to remain out on
might duty" and never considered that his
patrol was up till the morning round was
finished. When he was on night duty he
used TO enter the station at ) o'clock to get
his coffee After that Niger would trot
out again and continue his round till morn
ing. An inspector of the police force,
speaking of the death of this dog, states
that he was as good as a detective, and
that on many occasions Niger had been
the means of arresting lawbreakers in cases
where the police had failed.
Several notable instances are recorded. 1t
is well known that Niger secured the ar
lest of a criminal who escaped from the
| Hong Kew police station. The convict was
| in for a term of years, and his escape from
the station was apparently unperceIyed I'M
| I'll Niger took up the chase. The dog Iur-
sued the man for two miles, the while
biting him on the heels. The runaway Drop
| ped and the police came upon him. One OF
! the most remarkable instances of canine
| fidelity perhaps in modern times was this
| About three months ago two European po-
| lice officers were going up the Marking
| road at about midnight. Niger who had
been with them, was missed a few min
| utes afterward the animal made it's reap
| pearance, when it began paving at the legs
| of its master, Sergt. Madsen, who knew
| then there was something wrong. Both Of
| ficers proceeded to a certain spot, piloted
| by Niger, who at once put his front paws
| against the door of a house, and returned
| TO scratch his master. The dog again went
to the door and actually by his front paws
| burst 1t open, and then it was that the Of
! fcers discovered a criminal who was on
| private property for the supposed purpose
! of committing a felony, and who was Sub
| sequently convicted and sentenced to three
months hard labor.
These are among the many acts which
made NiRger's name famous in Shanghai
not only among the members of the police
| force, but among many private residents
\ who knew him by his reputation The
| Shanghai police force is inconsolabIe The
! funeral was attended by six constables and
| a sergeant.