The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-03-04
Leaves Many Friends to Mourn
 for Him
AND GROW REMINISCENT
Was Fifteen Years Old and Was Landmark on One of Birmng- hams Most Prominent
 Corners.

No more will those friendly eyes warm your heart. No more can you talk to that always willing listener, nor tell him your inmost secrets.
 The confidant of Birmingham's sons the lover of the kind hearted, the patient old Sam of yesterday has fitted into the beyond. With him went the tears and signs of the multitude.
 Was he human? No, neither divine, but mention not the name, animal. in the presence of his friends Prepared for the little whole souled spirit they will tell you. there must be some heaven.
 Sam was dog. Smile. you simple minded, if you dare. and Birmingham will rise up against you. Your tongue will be lolling further out than ever did Sans when they get through with you.
 Love me, love my dog" and then through ears shed for her departed mas cot, Birmingham will smile upon you, and give you a hand grasp full of fel lowshlp, and will whisper to you some thing of the respect she held for him.
 Friends Cannot Describe Death.
 But twas the city that,lliled poor Sam, and twas a pitiful sight to those who witnessed it. Sam had just risen from his morning summing on the corner In front of the Peerless saloon, and was lazily crossing the street, Years which had scanned that brow had lessened the vitality of his step, and he was moving feebly.
 Pauslng a moment, he lifted his eyes to the motorman of a car which had drawn up at the corner. sam thought the fellow would dismount and throw the switch for the turn, but it SO happened that the thoughtess fellow was steering d North Ensley car. Sam started on across the rails.
 The thing was done in a moment. Those who saw it could not describe it, nor would they if they could. but when his friends rushed to him, the mead lay on one side of the rail and the body on the other. Sam passed away at 10 o'clock yesterday morning.
 Why all this talk about a dog? MT, DOOleN says lndl uoB A"N coS'S Y- while a bachelors costs $5.
 Landmark of We'll Known Corner.
 For fourteen long years the dog has been the landmark of Second avenue and Nineteenth street. He was born in Pratt City in 1892, and came to Birmingham the following year. He was first the property of John Staticus, who, in old times, ran tan Staticus his brother, cared for Sam dur ing this time, feeding and warming him when it was cold, but the dog had be- come so welded to the corner that when Nick went back to the old country, sam would not leave.
 Consequently he was turned over to J. H. Adams, and had since made Adams drug store his headquarters Here was his bed room in the rear of the store, box neatly dressed in warm clothes. Here, too. was his office, perched upon the magazines of the newsstand and here was his reception room, behind the stove near the prescription case, where he would sit in the laps of his friends kiss them-as many of them as were wlling-and con verse with them through his eyes.
 To think of the dog brings back many pleasant memories His appearance was not especially beautiful. He was black as the night and bow-legged. typical bench-legged flee.
 In his early years he was quite lively, frislxing around the city. and enjoying life as other dogs. Noted as the best rat terrier in the town he constantly feasted on the culprits. For blocks around rat traps were set for his benefit, and his friends would always carry them to Adams corner, where one by one he broke their necks.
 Played Trick on Friend
 He once made friends with another dog, smaller than himself, and if Is told that the stranger had a bad habit of scramb- ling head first into Sans rat holes. After watching a moment, tricky Sam would go bouncing out toward the front, barking with all his might, and when the curious flee had rushed out to join the fun, Sam would sneak around and make a dash for his rat hole.
 The animal had a strange feeling of fel- Iowship for newspaper men. Among his closest friends he numbered the late Lucien Julien Walker, one of Birming- hams brightest writers. Walker held many an hours consultation with old Sam and fed him all the dainties he could find. Sam was truly a mourner at his death
 Another of the dogs deceased comrades was Paul Gilardoni the proprietor of Paul's cafe. It was here that Sam us- ually took his meals. On his entrance the head waiter would politely show him to the rear and then run for Paul Whether in the kitchen or the pantry, no matter how busy, the good-hearted man would rush out gleefuliy and allow no other hand than his feed his canine friend.
 Patron of Restaurants.
 Recently Sam had patroniZed all of the old time restaurants. Today he would saunter around to the Metropolitan. to- morrow to the St. Nicholas then 10 Stones the Morris and back to Pauls. Everywhere he was q welcome visitor, and the most prominent customer never received more careful attention
 His was a peculiar appetite. Ice cream he dearly loved, and with sweet cakes he was in bliss. Having set him up to cream and cakes. if you would just scratch that back for half hour, from that minute you were sam's friend. The back had been rubbed so much that when he died all the