The evening times., 1900-03-21
PETITION OF DOG OWNERS
Commissioners Asked to ReScind
the Muzzle Order.
Citizens Hold n Lively Meeting, at
Which the Action of the District
Sex Well Represented mt the
Gathering-A Reply to MIR. Moss.

The meeting which was called for last
| night at the National Rifles Armory by
George w. Evans for the supporters OF
the movement for resembling the dog
muzzling order was well attended. or the
| sixty persons present ffty-fve were
| women. Mr.. Evans called the meeting to
order and stated its object. He said it
would be cruelty to continue this ordi-
| nance in force during the hot season, and
| he would like to hear opinions regarding
the most effective way of expunging the
! same from the order books OF the Dis
| trict.
| George A. Hill, OF the Naval Observa-
| tory, said there had been a society regu-
| larly organized for the same purpose
| which had full set of officers, and which
| already had taken steps toward the at
| tainment Of the end in view. The case
| is now in the courts" Mr.. Hill continued,
land it would be best TO get together
with this regular organization and work
with ii, and thus strengthen the move
ment. There is no way, however, by
which this order can be repealed unless
the unconstitutionality of the same be es-
tabiished''
To this Mr.. Evans replied that the
meeting had been called irrespective Of
any existing organization: that everybody
was welcome to ii, every citizen and
friend of the dog. He stated that a re-
spectful petition to the District Commits
sioners would be of more value and have
better results than the method of going
from one court to another to antagonize
the law and the authorities.
Dennis O'Connor, at this juncture, NOV
ed TO elect Mr.. Evans chairman of the
meeting, and the motion was carried.
The chairman then read a statement of
the sum of which the dog owners of the
District were being . mulcted." He said
that Congress appropriated the sum Of
s37, 300 for the "sustenance OF the Health
Officer, Poundmaster, and his brute
Catchers.' " Mr.. Evans alleged that dog
owners paid $4,000 tag money and $4,000
for redeeming impounded dogs, more than
half the amount appropriated by Congress
for the support of the Health Department
of the District" 4"
Mrs. O'Donahue, a member OF the HUI
name Society of the District. said that
Lord Pauncefote was responsible for the
special order; that he brought his infiu-
ence to bear on the Commissioners. She
sald that the dogs of the foreign repre-
cthidtlNtS hGIb HOI SuDJtCl 10 luS OIOeEs
which she styled "a colossal shame
Mr.. Hill of the Naval Observatory, OBJ
iected to this He claimed that the order
emanated from the Agricultural Depart
ment.
Mrs. Avery, of Massachusetts, moved that
a petition be inserted in The Times re-
questiHg the Commissioners to put out of
force the obnoxious order. this petition to
be signed by every individual dog owner
Id
This motion was carried.
Dennis O'Connor drew up the following
petition which was adopted:
We. the undersigned citizens of the {
District OF Columbia, most respectfully I
petition the Honorable Commissioners OF
the District of Columbia to rescind the in /
human and cruel order recently promul I
gated compelling the muzzling of all .
dogs"
The meeting adjourned TO reconYene al I
the call of the chair.
The District Commissioners sent yes
terday the following letter TO Joseph S.
Moss an emplOye of the White House. who
recently made complaint to the Commits
sioneTs regarding the capture of his dog
by the Poundmaster:
In reply to your letter of March 10
protesting against the capture of your dog
found .unmuzzled in the street and request
ing tnat uLueT the circumstances the
amount paid by you to redeem the animal T
from the pound. the Commissioners will !
state for your information that the infa- /
nous law of which you complain is an act
Of Congress which the Commissioners feel |
to enforce on account OF the en-
istence OF hydrophobia in the District as
certified to by the Secretary of Agriculture.
The Commissioners would also state
that where dogs have been found with
muzzle attached to them, although not in
the proper position but evidencing a will
ngness on the part of the owner to comply
with the law the Poundmaster has been in
structed 10 return the dogs to the owners
il possible. or at least not deal with the
cases as If the dogs had no muzze at
ached.
In the case of the dog that you own it
was evident that you were entirely willing
o comply with the law and bought muZ-
.le for that purpose, but the Commission
srs cannot be responsible for the fact that