The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1915-01-07
ONE WORTHLESS DOG DEAD

A viciously inclined bull dog went
to his doom last night when Calixte
Simoneau, Summer street man, Dor
rowed Chief Sinclair's revolver and
sent his own canine on the way TO the
happy hunting grounds for dogs. Sim
oneau's dog is the same member who
made fcrocious attack on Leon
Thurber, Brooklyn street peddler Of
hulled corn, Monday afternoon. Other
people have been assailed by the dog
and it was when the police received
complaint from young Thurber that
they began TO press Mr.. Simoneau for
action The owner of the bull dog is
said to have demurred at the idea Of
putting his pet out of the way and also
objected to any move on the part OF
the officers When he learned that the
police were going higher up for
authority by calling on the city council
Mr.. Simoneau took the matter Of dis
patching the dog into his own hands.
Barre Times, Dec. 30.
The considerate Mr.. Simoneau is OF
a type too often encountered in the
wildering mazes Of the dog problem
That slight eccentricity Of pet dog,
which takes the form of savage and
unprovoked attacks on defcnseless
pedestrians, never appears quite suf-
ficient in the owners eyes, to merit
death.
"He never bites unless some one
annoys him." says the dog owner, even
when the annoyance takes the simple
form of daring to occupy the same
sidewalk with the vicious brute, and so
soft-hearted or timid people drop the
matter until some child is torn and
or some attack Of public and
ferocity is made for
which the owner cannot escape re-
sponsibility.
As a matter Of fact, the persons
worried by this Barre bulldog were
probably justified in killing him with
out further proceedings, under Section
$3.50 of the statutes
A person may kill dog that sud
denly assaults him while he is peace
ably walking or riding, without the
enclosure of its owner or keeper, or q
dog found worrying, wounding or kill
ing sheep; and no action shall be sus-
tained against such person for killing
such dog.
The difficulty is that thoroughly
.hewed up pedestrian is more inter
,sted in the hospital than in the dog,
md is almost never armed. There is
also the recourse contemplated by the
Barre police, as specified in Section
,651:
Three legal voters who consider a
log vicious or a menace TO travel in
he highway may so notify the select
men of town, aldermen Of city or
rustees of village, in writing; and
UGH officers shall, within three days,
investigate the case, and, if the com
,laint is sustained, shall order such
log to be kept chained or muzzled. A
,erson who refuses TO comply with
UGH order shall be fined not more
han s25 nor less than $40.
Thus is the life of the worthless dog
ffectually wound up in red tape and
he welfare of the mere human being
1ade subservient TO the whims Of
east.
The Herald does not advocate any
ew dog laws, but If the whole group
I statutes, 5639 TO 5652 inclusive, de-
igned to protect the dog against
heep and human beings, were abso-
itely wiped out, it would trust the
ommon law to settle the dog problem
! short order.
Less law, not more, is what we want
this problem Of the worthless dog.
reat him as predatory, dangerous
nimal, and dog damage would soon
,ase TO be vital issue. Rutland
erald.