The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-08-23
EMPTlED THE POUND.
From the Washington star.

w washington the Otner nay NV -
very well-to-do business man now. and.
although he isn't ashamed OF having
served The murscipal government OF
Omaha In the capacity OF poundmasier.
or dog catcher. as he calls IL. he Is
willing that n lot OF Omaha folks who
don't know OF that phase OF his career
shouldn't hear about IL at this stage OF
the gaIre so his name isn't going TO
be mentioned here.
The cx-Gog catcher OF Omaha had n
story To tell about J. X. c'Fritz) En-
met. the late actor. singer n dancer.
who vas ut the zenith of hls yodling
fame whcn folks who are now portly
were considerably more slim-waistcd.
Thousands OF people all over u
country remember the huge ~. Eer-
ard dog that Fritz Emmett used To
carry around with him on all his the-
atrical travels" said the former pound
master OF Omaha. Fritz was what
you might call "A bug on dogs. and on
that dog la particular. as well he might
nave been. for the 81. Bernard was ac-
tually one OF the most valuable animals
OF his breed Ia the world.
Well. Fritz drifted along to Omaha
with his show ut a wrong time for his
dog-for his was way bac In the
eighties. l was Omaha's dog catcher
At the time. a week or 50 before 'FTitz
got along for a two nights engagement.
a dog belonging to AN acrcss visiting
Omaha had severely bitten the dauIh-
ter of the owner az the hotel at which
he actress stopped. n big fuss was
made about ~. and the city council OF
Omaha adopted "A resolution providing
that all dogs In transi, through Omaha
had to ave an Omaha license. ON pen
atty Of being nabbcd by the Omnha dog
catcher. II didn't make any difference
whether the dog VAS going To be In
Omaha for a week ar for only twenty
minutes. the dog had to have an Onfaha
license. Or stand FOR n pinch. The
council folks got after me with "A sharp
stick and old me hat Ia have to en-
force that resolution or they'd know the
reason why. I needed my little dog
catchcr's job mt that time. and No
told EN- Ia enforce the resolution all
right.
First chance I had TO enforce II was
when Fritz Emmett zephyrcd into
omaha with hts company and his deg.
Emmett WAS on one of the we'll knoWn
mammoth monoli;hic periodicals when
he struck Omaha. and he kept 'er going
good and plenty after he got there
stayed with IL 80 strong. la fact. that
his Omaha engagement had to be can
Ccled. Everywhere that k.mmet went
that ST. Bernard of his was sure Ia go.
The dog was "A sort of guard for the
nmiable singer and actor when Fritz
was on his big sprces. and never left
his side. trottiug along with him, no
matter how z~ig-zaggy Emmct's naviga-
ton happened to be. Isn't anything
~ "A gutter about a sure enough dog
when he cottons tn n fellow. and that's
n fact.
We'll. on the afternoon OF Emmct's
arrival h" was ~ busily engaged In
hitting the high places that for a mo-
mcnt he forgot about his dog. He
walked out OF "A cafe and stepped into
n caloosh FOR a drive. ignoring his dog.
which he generally carried along with
him even on his rides. The dog
watched this performance with "A
iuournful Countcuancc. He was plain
~ hurt. | hated Ia hurt him some
more. hut ! happened to be on the spot
Mt the time. AMI one of the city council
men was standing with me. The city
councilman ordered me To nab the dog
aud take him TO the pound. Emmct
not having taken out an Omaha license
for him. the actor. az course, being
ignorant ~ Omaha's city councils re-
cent resolution. My wagon wasn't far
away. I whistlcd for he driver. md.
with my assistant. we scoOpcd In the
huge dog. just as he was about TO
pick up his big feet and gallop after
the carriage into which his master had
stepped. the vehicle just then turning
a orncr down the street.
He sure was one mournful dog. that
~. Bernard. when we chucked him in
10 one Of the cages. along with "A lot
u other dogs. ut the pound. lie didn't
max my bother about the situation.
nor show the least inclination To- be
vicious or bite anybody. lie was just
sad. that's all. and more than half
broken hearted. Just lay away back
In the rear OF the cage. with hts head
between his paws. and thought and
thought and thought IL over. and like
to'vc busted with pure loncaomcness
and sadness. sent word To Emmet's
hotel that ! had his dog. and expected
Fritz To show up at the pound that
afternoon. But Fritz didn't return to-
his hotel I'LL late that night. and when
hc did get there b. wasn't Ia shape 10
understand the difference between u
dog md a pound OF sliced ~isinglass.
hut he showed up nj the pound the
next morning about 10 o'clock. Already
Ne had sort Z heightened out his left
over. and h was pretty much ON the
~cozc side whcu he made his appear
anrc, although spiCk and span and
groomed and shaved UP. and pink from
his shiny top hat 90 his shoccaps. I
recognized him ms soon IA he appeared
nobody IN the United States at that
day would have failed To- recognize
Fritz on the stage. II only by hts mar
Vicious teeth.
II conducted him To the cage In
which hts dog still lay. rcpIuinc. with
his head bctwecn his paws. The 81.
Bernard had got a whit OF his master.
and when he recognized him he fairly
rose n beat himself against the front
bars Of the Gag In an Intellectual cf-
fort To smother Fritz with dog ca
resses assurances OF loyalty. His
whines and whimpcrs OF hystericai de-
light At the sight OF Fritz were some
thing moving tn listen TO. The dog
fairly idolizcd the man.
AT the same time the twcnty-thrce
other captured dogs In the several
x snooped up To- the front bars
and. with their heads pressed through
and their tails a-wagging. pleaded TO
be taken out OF bondage. too. They
We're all mongrcls awaiting death that
day-it was Christmas eve and they
were TO have been disposed OF that
afternoon so's the poundmaster and
his assistants could have the entire
Christmas TO themselves. without any
canine charges TO worry about.
The poor NUTS just begged and
begged Fritz TO take 'em out. and I
could see that they got him going. all
right. He took his own dog out-and
the st. Bernard almost knocked the
actor down In his rapture over being
ed paid mS the "a camGu~