The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-10-02
CANINE INTELLIGENCE
Has Helped TO Abolish Crime Even IN
Worst Quarters Of Ghent.


That policeman on night duty in a
great city would be more respected by
criminals if accompanied by powerful
and sagacIous dog, is o reasonable sup
position; yet it remained for lite Bel
gum 10 carry out this innovation in
Antwerp, Ghent, Mons, Bruges and
| Ostend-an innovation which has now
spread TO other parts OF Europe.
As Tune went on and the number of
dogs was increased, IL became apparent
| that night crimes, even in the worst
! quarters Of Ghent, almost disappeared.
Cunning rufhans had often contrived to
| outwlt the soldiery patrol, but these
big, swift, silent-tooted and sagacious
sheep"dogs inspired terror IN the most
desperate evil.doeTs.
The night service of the city is now
made by about one hundred and twenty
guards, assisted by fifty or sixty per.
fectly trained dog police. The city is
divided into a hundred and twenty sec
tlons, so arranged that man and dog
can always count on their neighbors
support II occasion should arise. Careful
check is kept upon the men, that they
visit every yard of their beat; but even
If the men are inclined to shirle their
work, the dogs will keep them up to it,
Ii the night guards are used by day,
they get extra pay, and correspond
ing number of hours is taken from their
next night watch.
Relating the achievements Of his
dogs, NJ. Van Wesemeal told of an ar
rest by one Of them named Beer. One
night Beer came upon FIVE drunken fell
| lows wrecklng a saloon on the out
skirts of the city. The men were max
ing a great uproar, and a resolute re-
sistance to the law was feared Beers
muzle was removed, and the fine animal
| sprang forward without a sound. When
the patrol reached the spot four OF
them had fed, and Beer was clutching
the fifth by the leg. The moment the
officer appeared Beer gave up his
prisoner, and was off like the wind on
the trail Of the fugitives. The patrol
followed with his prisoner, guided by
a series Of short, sharp barks. Present
! ly he came upon the other four, who
had turned at bay and were trying 20
keep the dauntless Beer from tearing
them 10 pieces. Thoroughly frightened
-sobered even-the men offered to give
themselves up il Beer were controlled
and muzzled. This was promptly done,
though not without a little protest from
Beer himself, and the procession started
Tor the central police bureau, with the
victorious Beer, now at liberty to give
vent TO his Joy, barking and racing
round has prisoners, exactly as If they
had been flock of sheep.
Tom is another dog no less alert. One
winter night N quiet street near the
docks he met a man with sack. Tom
was alone at the moment. but as both
sack and man seemed queer to him, he
gave the alarm, repudiating all attempts
at anxious. Cancellation In a minute
or two Tom g colleague cams along and
asked about the sack The explanation
being somewhat lame, the man was in
vited TO the police bureau. There he
confessed that he had stolen piece Of
beef and several dozen eggs from a
small store on the outskirts Of the city.
Tippo is another terror to burglars.
He is record racer Of great weight and
strength, long and lean of fang, fast
swimmer, high jumper, and SO daring
that rot even pojnt-blank revolver shots
VIII turn him from his duty. He has
been wounded more than once and has
narrowly escaped death.-William G.
Fit5.Gsrald in the Century.