New Britain herald., 1927-01-12

to play the University of Dartmouth. the past football season, Jiggs block | ed traffic on Seventh avenue when blase New Workers stopped to have look at him. He revelled in atten- l ton. He not only got 1t, but de- manded it. His marine companions saw that Jiggs was accorded all hon. ors. He Is the only dog who ever went in through .the front door of old Madison Square Garden-and the only one who came out the same way In telling of this. Major J. C.. Fegan. who for five years travelled with Jiggs, covering more than 1oo.- 900 miles. by airplane, trains and trucks. said: "A hard boiled old doorkeeper at Madison Square Gar den. when he wanted to take Jiggs in to hear one of John Phillip Sousa's band concerts-for Jiggs was a great lover of music-shouted at big Jim Balls: who usually took care of Jiggs: Where are you going with that dog?' Balls told him: Into the garden
 oh. no, you're not yelled the old man, for % years I've been on guard here and no dog has ever come through this front door-not even for a dog show
 We'll said big Jim Balls, here's where a novelty greets your eyes. This is Sergeant Major Jiggs Of the l United States marines and where he wants to go, he goes!
 And Jiggs went in, with about 200 marines escorting him."
 Music seems to hurt the ears Of dogs; but old Jiggs simply revelled in the strains of a brass band or the tones of an organ. In a parade, | he was always five or six paces ahead of the drum major, keeping step to the rhythmic beat of the drum. The calisthenics of the slide trombone were mystifying to him and out of the corner of his eye he always watched the slip-horn artist in the band. The piercing notes of the cornet-even when they were sometimes sour-were music to his ear. Down at Quantico there is an old organ that some of the men play of nights. Always Jiggs was there to hear the soothing strains of the staid old instrument. He was, too. a movie fan, going with the boys into the darkened hall every night !, to watch the flickerings on the screen. Especially, he loved to watch the acting of his only rival in public popularity RinTin- Tin. l Once in a while, when there were pictures of lesser canine celebrities, old Jiggs regarded them disdain- fully from the corner of his eye.
 Victor In Fight With Bear Most bull dogs are fighters. Though Jiggs was member of the fighting marines, he was in only one fight in all his career with the mili- tary organization. He was born too late to see service in the World War and thus was never In active com bat save on memorable occasion when the marines went out to St. Louis to play a football game. There Of the state university, who was la ter sent scurrying to his dugout by the old top sergeant. This was his only scurry and he came out victori- ous. He paid no attention whatso- ever to the army mule or the navy goat. Though both topped him In height. he seemed to consider them
 beneath him. He was a top ser geant In the marines and they, well, they were just a goat and mule.
 Jiggs had two official caretakers. One of them was sergeant who has spent 20 years of his life fol- lowing the flag. He is Sergeant John Nicholas, trooper who has seen service wherever the marines | landed. He was with them in the Boxer uprising and has followed the flag over the seven seas, around the world and back again. Old Sergeant Nick, they say. cried like a baby when Jiggs answered his last call to duty. The second caretaker was Big Jim Balls, corporal, the out standing star pitcher of the marines Last year he pitched two no hit games and the best rooter he had on the sidelines was Sergeant Major Jiggs who, at the close of every in- ming, ran out to carry in the veter- ans glove.
 Jiggs came by his moniker natur- ally. There was cast in his coun- tenance closely resembling that Of q celebrated character in the comic strips. Though Jiggs was quite man with the ladies, petted and rampered by them on all his visits away from the army post, neverthc- | less, there was in his life no Maggie. | A bachelor born, bachelor he re- mained.
 Jiggs was sick only a day. As soon as his symptoms become ser- ous, his buddies rushed him by air plane to Washington where he was placed in the care of the best veterinarians in the city He had q l trained nurse in attendance upon his in his last hours and when death | finally visited the old boy his com rades in arms had one of the lead- ing undertakers in the nations capi- tai take Jiggs' old kennel and make of 1t casket. An airplane squad ron flew with his remains fr1l Washington to Quantico. Virginia, where the night before his burial the old sergeant major lay In state. Past the little casket, like those used for little children, 800 men in green uniforms filed to have a last look at their old friend. The next morning, Sergeant Major Jiggs was buried with military honors. his casket covered with the emblem I the marine corps and the silken colors-gold and scarlet. They bur jed him where he spent most of his life with the marines, on the field of athletics. A simple little mound marks the grave, but soon there will be erected fitting monument to