Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-07-28
DOG CATCHER
IS INDICATED
South Amboy Council Dis
misses Charges Against Him.
Special to the EVENING NEWS.

South Amboy, July 28:-The
special meeting of the council to
hear the matter of dog catcher was
held last evening in city hall. There
were present Mayor Welsh, Messrs.
Manhattan, O'Connor, Stanton and
Stuart, also Clerk Fulton. The
president stated the meeting was
open to hear my complaints that
anyone might care to make. After
waiting some time there was no re-
Spouse and Mr.. Stuart stated as fol-
lows:
There has been so much discus
sion and SO many complaints about
the dog warden l thought 1t advisa-
BILE to make a little investigation on
our part, 80 Mr.. O'Connor and my
self went up there today and exam
ined the pound. l could not see
anything wrong with it, the place
was all right. We cannot expect to
keep dogs in a parlor. In regard to
putting dogs to death, Mr.. Leonard
had two dogs there and he showed
us how he did 1t. 1t took just one
minute to kill one dog and one min
ute and twenty seconds to kill the
other one. l do not see where they
can have any complaint to make as
to putting them to death, they do
not suffer any; he just put this cya-
hide potassium in their mouth and
in a few seconds they drop right
down, not suffering at all. So l for
myself approve the method, I do not
know whether it complies with the
Jaw or not, but think 1t much better
than using gas. l know If l wanted
to die quick l would use cyanide
potassium"
Mr.. O'Connor then took the floor
and corroborated everything Mr..
Stuart had said. He stated the eel
lar in which they were kept was dry,
had a fairly good covering and was
in nothing like the bad condition
represented. He called attention to
the fact that one Of the dogs execut-
ed In his presence had a large lump
under the Jaw and a raw mouth,
showing the animal had been sub
1ected to more torment while run
ming at large than imposed by the
executioner. Mr.. O'Connor claimed
there were a great many people hid
ing dogs in their cellars because they
did not want to pay taxes and II any
one went into such cellars where
they are kept a worse state of affairs
would be found than existing at the
pound.
Dog Warden Leonard took the
floor and stated there were people
present who had signed the petition
and asked why they did not come
forward and make their complaint.
Councilman Stuart stated he had
made it his business to see a few of
the people who signed the petition
and when he spoke to them about 1t
they seemed to regard 1t as a joke;
aIse that a few told him the reason
they signed 1t was they wanted to
get rid of the party taking 1t around,
so hat he did not think one-half or
two-thirds of the people who signed
the petition have any idea of getting
rid of the dog warden, but merely
signed it as a Joke.
Mayor Welsh stated he had inter
viewed a number Of people who
thought we were going to do away
with the dog warden tonight and
they said if they were the council
they would not do away with him,
that we could not get anyone to take
his place; they said he was all right.
Some said they made mistakes them
selves; that If we put him out one
half would be licensed and the other
half would not. If he will not be so
hasty and keep a little still with his
tongue he would be all right.
MI. Stanton took the floor and
stated in regard to the petition 1t
was signed by the citizens of the
city and as such should receive pro-
per and due consideration. He, how
ever, objected to people signing petit
tions for a joke. The president ask
ed the dog warden how he put dogs
to death in Perth Amboy. He re-
piled with cyanide potassium, also in
Metuchen, and that the agent for
Prevention Of Cruelty to Animals in
Perth Amboy pronounced the
method all right. At this time Mr..
Thomas Quinlan entered the room
and the president stated he would
be heard If he had a complaint to
make. Mr.. Quinland stated his COM
plant was hat his dog had been
seized and he e~ndeavored to redeem
It, that he went up to the vicinity of
the pound and after considerable
trouble located it, but no one was
present who would release the dog.
He claimed the pound should be
more accessible and in charge of
someone who could release a dog
when called for. 1t was quite plain
ly explained to him that he should
Lave had the dog licensed and fail
Ing to do so should have gone to the
police Justice for a release. Mr..
Quinland did not seem to understand
the law and as a result the dog was
killed.
Charles Mason, although not a
signer of the petition and not an
owner of any dog, asked the presi-
dent If the council had taken into
consideration the statement made
by the city solicitor at the last meet
ing that the pound should be within
city limits and that the dogs should
be executed in a humane name as
provided by law, and that in con-
firming the actions of the dog catch
er they were accepting the RESPONSE
bility for his actions and thus laying
themsel~ liable to any actions that
might be brought.
He was asked If 1t were not better
to have the pound out of the city
than in the rear of the city hall
where the dogs were an annoyance
to the whole neighborhood. He re-