The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1924-05-02
DOCSFEARED BY
MOST BURGLARS
CANNES Are Sometimes Poi
soned by Thieves.


for their bark than their bite. A bark
ing dog has proved the undoing of
more than one night marauder by
awakening household and giving an
alarm. Recently a thief was caught
red-handed when he unknowingly ven
tured into an apartment in which a
dog was on guard. Before the thief
could make his escape by way of a
stairway he was overtaken and cap
tured. When questioned at the station
house he remarked that he never had
had any luck with dogs or babies. Both,
he asserted, had made lot of trouble
for him at times.
Yet the best of watchdogs have not
always deferred thieves from entering
q house. When robberies in Westches-
ter and Long Island were investigated
recently it was discovered that the
thieves had made a careful survey Of
the premises before embarking on their
undertaking Their victims had felt
more or less secure because they were
protected by faithful watchdogs On
awakening q householder would learn
with surprise that while he slept his
home had been entered, turned topsy-
turvy and robbed of such valuables as
could easily be carried away. He would
be the more surprised since he had left
the house in charge of Brutus or
Rover, and he would blame the we'll
tried sentinel for sleeping on his post
Later he would learn that the faithful
animal had been killed by poison.
Most thieves hold life cheaply, but
not a few respect even the life of
dog, and would rather forego the pros
pect of booty than STAY dumb anil
NAL. But these thieves who preyed on
country estates were of particularly
base and sordid type. If they observed
that the place they had planned to rob
was protected by large, fierce dog,
which challenged every one who passed
its gates, they dipped tempting NOR
sci of meat in poison and threw It over
the wall and that was pretty certain
to silence the animal.
XIII Dogs With Poison.
These thieves learned that watch
dogs in some instances were permitted
to roam at will about the grounds of
the estate and In other instances were
left in the lower part of the house.
After forcing door or window, they
could ascertain in short time whether
the house harbored a dog or was left
unguarded. If there was dog, he was
pretty sure to reveal his presence by
low, warning growl, and that was a
signal to toss him the poisoned bait.
At any rate, when the household
awakened the following morning 1T
would find the burglars had left a dead
dog behind them.
Although a barking dog often af-
fords better protection to a house than
locks, bolts and pistols, some dogs
which have survived these nocturnal
visits have turned out to be the worst
sort of watchdogs.
As rule, the fiercest animals are to
be found In lonely country districts.
Farmers have the reputation of keep
Ing watchdogs calculated to scare off
the boldest intruders. Indeed, some of
these animals are so fierce by nature
that they are kept chained at the
threshold of farmhouses during the
daytime and not permitted to roam at
large until nightfall. They are kept
not so much as a protection against
burglars as against tramps and other
undesirables, who are liable to wander
into farmhouses when the farmers are
at work in distant fields and the wom-
en- folk are alone.
Favor Dog With Big Bark.
1t is the opinion of veteran police
who is something of dog
fancier, that the best kind of dog for
city folk to have for protection is a
small dog with bark bigger than that
of a Great Dane-a small dog-the
species Is nimportant-which banks /
at the first approach of strangers of all |
kinds. The records of the police de- |
partment show that In many cases |
these small animals have not only
frightened away burglars but have
been instrumental in apprehending
them, and that the average burglar
has the same feeling about small dog
as woman has about a mouse.
Some years ago an Italian who made
his home IN basement in Harlem's
Little Italy had as pet very fierce
animal, a mongrel bulldog. The dog
was so wild by nature that his master.
when venturlng out with him, which
was seldom, had to muzzle him and
pilot him on stout leash. No one
Jared approach the Italians abode be
,ause of the ferocity of the animal Or
are occasions when the Italian invited
friends to call he was careful to keep
he dog chained.
Dog and Master Slain.
The italian made some bitter enc
MES, and one day he was notified to be
N the watch-that his enemies meant
o take his life. After receiving the
warming he kept the animal in the
asement day and night, and his enc
1ies did not dare modest him on ac-
cunt of the dog. One day he ven
ured out on an errand. When he en-
cred his home he was slain before he