Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-04-06
CANINE TELEPHONY.
Ingenious Method Employed by a Mer'
chant to Catch Burglar.

perS OF a certain western county SECT
briefly chronicled few days since
the conviction of one Red" Mallers on
a charge of burglary, but as to the
means by which he was apprehended
they said nothing, probably for the
reason that no testimony bearing up
on the point was introduced at the
trial. and thereby missed very good
little story.
Your correspondent CHANGED to be
visiting in the home of the county
sheriff at the time Mr.. Mallers was
brought in from the remote village
where the burglary had been attempt
ed, and as time was hanging bit
heavy on his hands, and as Mr.. NAL
lers impressed him as being of a good
natured and interesting sort, he re-
quested permission to interview him,
which permission was granted.
"Mr. Mallers," he began, you were,
I believe, caught in the very act of
burglarizing the store Of one James
Whitney at Yellow Falls last night. Is
this correct?"
'Tt is correct" he grunted.
"You must have neglected to OBJ
serve the ordinary precautions, Mr..
Mallers."
II didn't"
Have you any objections to telling
me how it happened?"
mo" He lighted cigar and
straightway drilled into the story. Il
knew Whitney kept pup In his store
nights to bark an alarm whenever
some misguided miscreant like me
tried to get next the cash in the strong
box, but that didn't worry me any.
Dogs never do; understand EN-.
Never saw dog yet 1 couldn't get on
the good side of. This particular dog
was fox terrier, and a fox terrier
had rather be a good fellow than kick
up a fuss any day. l was fixed for
him; had bag of candy and a lovely
bone, and l entertained no doubt as to
my ability to get onto his curves when
the game was called. And did. OF
course he parked little at first. but
'twasn't two minutes until we were on
lege chums. Spot says for / had
taken the trouble to learn his name
you're sure one of the best pups ever
met Red says he, with his stub of a
tail, you're a genuine gentleman. Go
on with your safe cracking old man,
and may heaven bless you went on
and he lay there on the floor with the
candy and bone between his front feet
until he went to sleep. Then all of a
sudden, when l had the steel plate
about half drilled thru the front door
opened slap, bang, the electric lights
flashed UP, and I made bolt for the
back window, where I'd got in, and
jumped kerslap into the arms of six
men-and here l am"
You made no fight?" asked the COR
respondent, supposedly.
"No. That's my weakness. I'd ratll-
err serve forty years than kill man.
l let 'em chain me up to suit their
fancy, and then 1 says to Whitney, who
was holding the pup I'M his arms and
talking to him like a baby, you've
caught me for fair, SIR says /, but l
wish you'd tell me how you did it,
Sure, I WILL says Whitney, always
glad to accommodate, as my ad says:
twas the dog Go on says 1; that
pup hasn't made sound since got
in here, barring one or two small barks
that couldn't be noticed outside No.
says Whitney, rubbing his cheek
against the pups head; he's too smart
to make much of hullabaloo, Spotty
is; you made the noise You're liar,
SIR says 1 respectfully But you
did, says Whitney; you talked a blue
streak to the pup; I heard YOU And
then tumbled some and looked around
and sure enough there was a telephone
on the wall with the circuit open, but
that didn't explain everything. Yes,
says /; but how in blazes do you know
when to listen at your end of the line?
You don't sit up all night with the
phone at your ear, do you? I do
not says Whitney, but Spotty's
brother sleeps in box which has a
place in the side Of it for holding a
telephone receiver, and every night be-
fore I go to bed put the receiver into
it, listen end in. Spotty has a very
sharp voice. One or two yips from
him here in the store and the other
pup wakes up and yips down at the
house. Then / get up and listen Now
wasn't that nice and simple? Maybe
Pm what's called passay, but on my
life 1 never heard or even dreamed of
such a thing before"
Mr.. Mallers settled himself down in
to his collar, staring gloomily at a
bolthead in the wall, and refused abb
solutely, even by a grunt, to respond
to further questioning.
The GrinneII News.