The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-05-19
FIGHTS IN DARK
WITH BULL DOG
Health Commissioner Wilcox
Struggles for His Life.
BATTLES FIFTEEN MINUTES
PHOSPHATE, BE BEATS BACK
ANIMAL WITH HIS CANE.

E or fully quarter of an hour Or.
C. f. WucoS, the health commits
sioner.fought len The dark for his life
with white bun dos Every moment
Iduriug the encounter the doctor thought
he would be killed rs hen he finally
succeeded in driN ing of the animal ne
vas so thoroughly exhausted and his
nerves So unstrung. that he was unable
% care for the patient he was going to
see. The fight took place Saturday
night bat the story did not come out
( until yesterday.
d. @ilcoT did not recover his compo-
sure until after the next day. his nerves
were in such Q condition that he did not
dare attempt 90 perform an operation
for appendicitis on a young woman he
was about 10 visit at the time Of the
fight with She dog
Battle in the Dark.
The encounter took place on Jordan
avenue, between Seventh and Eighth
( West streets. The short thoroughfare
Is dark at night, there being no lights
OF d. As Dr. WiicoS was walking
/ along the sidewalk with his heavy
walking stick in his hand he ap-
/ preached beam Of light thrown across
his path from a lamp shining through
an unobstructed window standing next
1 20 the home he was TO visit
just as he reached the gate OF the
/ house from which the light came. Dr.
( Wilcox says he saw something white
. fash across the beam OF light. Before
/ ne could comprehend what the object
/ was he felt dog grab him boy the
: right leg, midway between the foot and
knee The attack was so sudden. and
/ the blow so great that ne was bOWled
/ over, as he expressed it. BIKE ten pin.
Dr. Wilcox saw that he had been at
! tackled by bull dog, which had not
warned MN Of his approach 10y even
9 bark or a Erowl- Knowing that a
I bun dog faVorite hold is at the throat.
the physician instantly threw up his
: iett arm TO protect his throat. expecting
+ an attack al that point BE had not
+ thrown mp his heavily coated arm an
instant too soon. for the dog. true TO
ms characteristics, made a grab at his
/ throat ripping the doctors overcoat
/ from the elbow 20 The wrist.
Fight For Life.
I Then began "a hght which meant
death to the health commissioner once
the Infatuated animal overpowered
him. Or. Wilcox still retained his hold
upon MS walking stick. as he lay fiat
upon the ground with the dog on top of
doctor IS powerful man. he struck
the animal over the head.
Apparently it did not stagger the dog
( for he rushed at the PROSTATE man a
second time. Again the doctor welded
. his cane, this time with sufficient sue
cess % beat the dog off long enough
Co permit him to rise TO his feet
The dog saw the physicians attempt
20 rise and NE rushed at the doctor
again, I'm his kneeIIng position DR..
Wilcox had better chance against
the brute and took advantage of it 10
strike the dog repeatedly on the head
and body with his cane
Brute Comes On With Rush.
Several times the doctor attempted to
rise to his feet, but each time the dog
rushed at him, preventing him from do
ing it. After a struggle lasting more
than five minutes, during which the
Dog rushed at the doctor. trying TO
get death grip. DR.. Wilcox lost his
balance and fell over on his back a
second. Instantly the dog was upon
the PROSTATE man trying to get
grip on his throat
BY this time Dr. Wilcox was thor
oughly exhausted. while the dog
seemed to be as determined as ever.
Realizing that he must make one more
attempt, and a successful one at that
II ne hoped TO escape from the ami
maL DR.. Wilcox used his cane with re-
newed visOr. AS fast as be could and
with an the strength in his tired and
bruised arms, the commissioner pound /
ed the dog over the head.
Dog Beats Retreat.
The blows had the desired effect.
Bleeding from a number of bad cuts /
made with the cane and his head all
most crushed I'm the bull dog finally /.
gave up the fight ana reTeated into the /
darkness.
When DT. Wilcox reached the home 3
of his patient he presented a sorVy !.
sight His heavy 0verc0aL was torn .
iu several places the left sleeves be- +
ing ripped from elbow 20 wrist. He 4
was covered with dirt ana mud where .
he had rolled on the ground with The
dos. The right trouser lee Eas almost .
torn on where the brute had first at f.
tackled him. The lett arm was bruised
from the imprints of the animals teeth .
when he attempted 10 throttle the doc
tor. The physician right leg was lac
Grated where the dog had bitten him.
The thumb nail on the left and had
teen turned back until the blood ran
All over his body were bIaCk and blue
spots. showing the severity Of the
struggle.
Unable to Visit Patients.