Los Angeles herald., 1908-08-08
DOG CATCHERS
WHO ASSAULTED
OLD MAN FINED
DEPUTY POUND KEEPERS ARE
FOUND GUILTY
CONVICTED OF BRUTALLY BEAT
ING AGED ExPREssMAN
Witnesses Go on Stand and Describe
How Women Were Insulted and
Men Attacked by Britt
and Companions

Dog Catchers e. Britt, J. Christopher
and Mike Catalina, accused of having
bruta1ly beaten A. Coplan, an aged ex-
pressman, when the latter demonstrated
with the canine chasers for using pro-
fame language in the presence of
women, were found guilty by Police
Justice Chambers yesterday of disturb
ing the peace, and Britt was fined SAC
or forty days; Christopher, $25 OF
twenty-five days, and Mike Catalina,
SIS or fifteen days. Catalina paid his
fine and was released, while Britt and
Christopher were taken back to the
tanks in the city Jail, where they will
remain unless their fines are paid.
Many complaints have been made re-
garding the manner in which these dog
chasers have been abusing the citizens
of Los Angeles. On a number of occa-
sions the dog catchers have insulted
women, and even offered personal v1o-
lence. These overbearing methods were
continued until July 81, when their
fragrant disregard for the rights of citi-
zens, whom they brutally attacked, re-
suited in their being arrested on charges
of disturbing the peace and battery.
The circumstances leading up to the
trouble which proved to be the canine
snatchers Waterloo is said to be a
good illustration of the arbitrary tao
tics adopted by these hirelingS of the
city pound keeper when they wish tc
capture the dumb brutes.
InsuIted Women
According to the testimony of wit
nesses the beating of Coplan was due
to his asking the dog catchers to stop
swearing in the presence of women
The men, it seems, We're swearing at
Sam Hallner, an eXpressman, because
he would not drive fast and allow the
dog chasers to get near the curbing SO
they could catch a dog that was near
by, The disturbance occurred on East
First street near the Santa Fe station.
When Hallner did not get out of
their way Catalina struck him across
the shoulders with whip. Then they
began swearing at him, and after driV-
ing up near him two of the dog catch
ers iumped out of their wagon and
grabbed Hallner's horse and the other
man offered to fight him. At this juno
ture, says Miss May Robinson, pretty
telephone operator living at 12lS East
First street, who was an eye witness to
the affair, Coplan stepped up and asked
the three dog catchers to stop using
profane language in the presence oil
women. Christopher was using vile
language and Coplan asked him to de-
sist.
"This seemed to anger the dog
catcher" said Miss Robinson, and he
struck the old man terrific blow and
felled him to the pavement. The dog
catchers climbed on their wagon and
drove across the bridge. Then doctor
drove after them and brought Chris
topher back and an ice man licked the
dog catcher"
Used Vile Language
DoA eai 10 ro 90 JISa6
by the dog catchers was the vilest kind
and was not fit to be repeated. She
was asked to give the exact words
used by the men, but she would not dc
so until told by the court that she
would be obliged to do so, then she
whispered the words to the justice. She
declared that Christopher did most of
the swearing and Britt Clipped in with
his share.
Coplan, the brave old expressman
who was so brutally beaten because he
was chivalrous enough to protest
against vile language being used in
the presence of women, appeared in
court with his head swathed in band
ages. He stated that he was crossing
the street to go to a barber shop when
he heard Christopher call Miss Robin
son a liar, prefixed with an adjective.
"I walked over to him and asked him
not to use that kind of language to a
LADY or IN n6f preSeuCe. Llke udSn
he turned on me and struck me a
vicious blow, telling me to the ground.
My head was severely cut from coming
in contact with the pavement and my
body was bruised. | am still compelled
to wear bandages about the wound on
my head"
Hallner declared that the canine
rustlers drove up behind him and one
of them hit him with whip, while he
was near First and Vignes streets.
Then they continued along First street
until they reached Santa Fe avenue,
where they stopped.
1.-TWO of them grabbed my horse and
wanted to fight me-" said Hallner. A
crowd soon gathered and then Chris
topher struck Coplan, then Britt struck
Harris and Catalina hit me-"
Testifies Against Britt
1. J. Harris, 219 North Anderson
street, declared he saw Britt trying to
make Hallner alight from his wagon so
that the dog catcher could fight him.
He said the city pound hirelings were
using profane language and conducting
themselves in a boisterous manner.
II approached the men and address,
ing the canine chasers, said: Don't say
those things Thereupon Britt hit me-"
said Harris
After the trouble at First and Santa
Fe the dog catchers drove across the