Los Angeles herald., 1908-06-15
FIGHTS FOR LIFE
WITHSAvAGEDOG
TAILOR ATTACKED; MAN LOCKS
DOOR
COWARDLY ACTION NEARLY
CAUSES DEATH
Autoist Directed to Barn for Hammer,
and When Vicious Animal Jumps
at Him Spectator Closes
Entrance

Benjamin Metzner. a tailor living at
1928 West Twenty-fifth street, was at
tackled and terribly bitten by a savage
bulldog yesterday afternoon in the
horse barn of J.. L. McClelland at
Twenty-fourth and Main streets.
Metzner's right arm was virtually
stripped of flesh from the elbow to the
wrist and his left leg was torn and
lacerated below the thigh.
Metzner, who had gone into the sta
BILE to secure a hammer, is said to
have been fastened in by Dick Cow
ington, a hanger-on about the place,
and was compelled to fight the savage
brute for his life without having a
chance of escape.
Metzner, accompanied by his wife,
had been riding in an automobile. AT
Twenty-fourth street almost in front
of the stable the driving chain on his
machine broke and as he had left his
tool bag at home he went to the sta
BILE yard gate and asked Covington,
who was standing outside, II he could
borrow q hammer.
Covington replied there was one in
the barn and told him where to get it,
He did not tell Metzner, however, that
inside the stable were two savage
proach.
Dog Attacks Man
One of the dogs was chained but the
other was loose and Metzner did not
notice the animal until he reached for
the hammer Without warning the
brute jumped at him and buried its
fangs in his left leg.
Metzner gave a cry of pain and beat
the dog off and ran toward the stable
30 CnUinUf0n WAS
Just outside, Is said to have closed the
door in his face and locked 1t.
Fastened in the stable. unable to
get away, Metzner turned on the dog,
which was bounding at him.. and be-
gan to fight 1t off with his hands.
The brute seized him by the right
arm and, twisting, threw him to the
ground. where it repeatedly drove its
fangs into his arm, tearing through
clothing, flesh and muscle to the bone
Screaming for help, the man fought
as best he could and Mrs. Metzner
screamed to Covington to go to his as
sistance, that he was in trouble.
Covington replied there was a big
dog inside and he didn't care to get
bit himself. Mrs. Metzner then
screamed for help to some passersby
and William Storm and two other men
ran to the stable and threw open the
door and beat the dog off with wagon
stakes.
Savage Animal Escapes
The animal driven from Metzner ran
into the stable yard and then to the
street, getting away before 1t could be
killed.
The University police patrol was
called and Metzner placed in 1t and
started for the receiving hospital. Two
blocks up the street the stearing. gear
of the machine went wrong and the
car ran into the curb, dishing the
front wheel and breaking a fender.
Detective Dave Craig then took
Metzner on a street car to the hospi-
tai, where Drs. Quint and Wiley
cauterized and dressed his wounds,
after which he was sent to his home
The surgeons stated that the arm was
worse mangled than any they had ever
seen from like cause.
l.. L. McClelland, the owner of the
horse barn and of the bulldogs, stated
last night the animal would be killed
as soon as it was found and that Cow
ington was not an employe of the sta
BILE. having been discharged from en-
ployment there a week ago.
Mr.. McClelland regretted the occur
renee greatly and said that never be-
fore had any stranger been allowed IN
the stable while the dogs were loose.