Graves Only Two Feet Deep.

New York, 1895

The town trustees of Flushing, who have been inquiring into the condition of the town cemetery have at last decided to put John Turner in charge. Mr. Turner was before the board and swore that he saw two dogs scampering about the cemetery. He watched them for a while and they commenced to dig. He saw them uncover a coffin, the lid of which had been broken, and eat the remains of a man who had been buried.

The coffin, Turner said, was only a few inches below the ground. Turner swore that he saw graves dug only two feet deep.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, July 5, 1895, p. 1.

Brush Bitten By Dog

New York, 1895

Jamaica Brevities.

Charles Brush of Union avenue was on Monday bitten several times on the left hand by his pet dog.

The Bailey property on Union avenue has been purchased by Mr. Hogan, of New York City, for $4,500.

The cellar has been dug for the house for Dr. Flynn on Hardenbrook avenue. Valentine Bangert has the contract.

James McNamara, for several years conductor on the Atlantic avenue division of the Long Island railroad has been appointed station master at Jamaica.

The room in the old trustees hall on Union avenue, now being fitted up for the use of the trustees will be ready for them July 5.

Michael Welsh was found Tuesday night sleeping on the porch of the Presbyterian chapel. Justice Hendrickson sent him to the county jail for 30 days.

Contractor George Marshall has completed the work of filling in the excavations on the Town Hall property and grading the ground and made a good job of it. The plot will be fenced and the ground laid out in lawns and flower beds.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, June 28, 1895, p. 8.

Alexander Trout Loses Two Fingers

New York, 1895

Woodhaven and Ozone Park News

While Alexender Trout was feeding wood to a buzz saw in Brown Bro.'s wood yard at Ozone Park on Tuesday, his hand slipped and struck the saw. Two of his fingers were cut off.

A bulldog owned by Leonard Rouff, of Ozone Park attacked Charles Marusack on Tuesday and severely bit the youth. The dog jumped at Marusack three times, and each time its teeth went deep into the youth's hand,

Paul Demperlein was fined $3 on Friday by Justice Lott for an assault upon Mrs. Pander, Demperlein's wife was also charged with assisting her husband to whip Mrs. Pander. She was discharged, there not being sufficient evidence to hold her.

Cyrus E. Smith, superintendent of schools embracing Union Free school No. 7, was reappointed for the ensuing year by the board of education at their meeting Friday night. The superintendent receives a salary of $1,600 a year. He celebrated his appointment by entertaining a number of his friends.

Scarlet fever prevails at Ozone Park. Several cases have been reported. The places infected are the flats of Mr. Tuttle, Mr. Kelly, and Mr. Upham, and the house of Thomas Riker. All of these cases are under close watch and the health officer is taking every precaution to check the spread of the disease.

George Van Brunt, an oyster planter, asked Justice Lott, of Woodhaven, for a warrant for the arrest of Alexander Craft, William H. Pearsall and Herbert Craft, who are also oystermen. Van Brunt charged them with malicious mischief. The three men went out for a good time. They wound up at the Stump, on Jamaica Bay, where Van Brunt has a small cottage. All three were armed with shot-guns. They amused themselves by shooting at Van Brunt's cottage. When they heard that a warrant for their arrest had been issued, they went to Van Brunt and said they were sorry for the amount of damage they had done and offered to settle for any amount agreeable to the owner of the building. Van Brunt accepted the offer, and discontinued the proceedings.

There are prospects for a road and fence war between the owners the Napier property and the highway commissioners. Recently Oakley avenue was declared a public highway, a commission having met and awarded damages to the owners of abutting property. The proposed line extended through a fence on the Napier estate that was apparently overlooked, and when the road was opened a week ago there stood the fence barring the way to the railroad depot. The fence was removed and the road opened. The owners of the property have since caused the fence to be replaced and also gave it a heavy coating of tar. It has not yet been removed, and when it is there is likely to be a stronger one put up and a guard placed over it. There is certain to be a lively squabble before the road to the depot is cleared.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, April 19, 1895, p. 8.

An Axe and Pistols in Play

New York, 1895

Two dogs were the bone of contention in a disturbance aired in Justice Hendrickson's court on Friday. The canines are owned by Truman Brown and Mrs. Christopher Stokey. The row was the result of the dogs getting into a fight. The Brown household turned out to help their canine.

When Mrs. Stokey saw her dog getting the worst of the battle she scramed and her husband appeared armed with an axe. Then the Browns ran into their house and came out with revolvers. A war of words followed. Finally Brown went to the village and swore out a warrant for the arrest of Stokey for threatening to kill him.

Stokey was discharged. The Browns questioned the Justice's decision and narrowly escaped being fined for contempt.


Poisoning Dogs at Dunton

The dog poisoner has been at work in the village of Dunton and dead canines have been visible all over the place. Strychnine was the poison used. Some valuable dogs were among those poisoned.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, April 19, 1895, p. 1.

A Dog's Bed

1895

We have seen a little dachshund which would not go to her basket until the blanket had been held to the hall stove. This she required to be done in summer as well as winter, though the stove was not lighted. A spaniel kept in stable used always to leave its kennel to sleep with the horse. Hounds make a joint bed on the bench after a long run, lying back to back, and so supporting one another. But sporting dogs should have proper beds, made like shallow boxes, with sloping sides. They are far more rested in the morning than if simply left to lie on straw. This was noted by a clever old Devonshire clergyman, a great sportsman, who observed that his best retrieving spaniel used always to get into an empty wheelbarrow to sleep when tired. The dog's bed should be a rough reproduction of the barrow without the wheel. — Spectator.


Letters and Language

Nothing better illustrates the ratio in which the different letters are used in our language than a set of figures on the proportionate number of types that are to be found in the printer's case, which are usually as follows: z 2, x and j 5, q 6, k 8, v 15, b and g 20, p 24, w and y 25, m and f 30, c 40, u 45, d and l 50, h 60, r 70, n, o and s 80, a and i 90, t 100 and e 140. — St. Louis Republic.

A Faithful Dog

1895

A dear dog I once had the pleasure of knowing belonged to my daughter, then a child about 13 years old. It had been her constant companion and playmate for years. Unfortunately the poor creature fell ill, and my daughter attended to him with most assiduous care for 12 days, but there seemed no signs of improvement. One day I followed her on one of her visits and could not help noticing how his eyes brightened and his tail wagged with pleasure at seeing her, but he was apparently too weak to rise.

My little girl was very downcast at seeing him thus, and whistling and snapping her fingers to him — the usual signal for a game of romps — the faithful creature made an effort, got up and raced with her as far as the stables, a distance of about 300 yards, where he fell down dead at her feet. To please her he had done all he could and had died in the effort! — Animals' Friend.


Starfish

Starfishes commit suicide. When one is caught in a net, it dissolve its corporation into a dozen or so of fragments, and the pieces escape through the meshes. In time each becomes a perfect animal. To preserve the starfish whole it must be plunged into a bucket of fresh water before it has time to take the alarm. Fresh water is instant death to it, and thus only can some varieties of the starfish be preserved.

Dogs and Consumption

1895

One of the questions discussed before the Paris Academy of Medicine was, Should consumptives and other persons be encouraged to keep dogs? Dr. Megnin, formerly a veterinary surgeon in the army, sent in a paper to show they should not. The dog is just as liable as his master to be infected by tuberculosis and to spread it. Dr. Megnin had under his care many canine consumptives. They were of the lapdog species, and it is said caught the malady from their masters or mistresses.

Dogs, said Dr. Megnin, were liable to many sorts of septicaemia and to scurvy. The dog, so teachable, was not given any education of the palate, but was allowed to eat infectious garbage and nameless filth. This alone would account for its liability to rabies. The dog, by intelligent care in its breeding, education and hygiene, might be made the paragon of four footed beings and the worthy friend and auxiliary of intelligent human beings. Dogs reflected the moral qualities and the vices of their masters. Wherever manners were mild dogs ceased to be ferocious. In conclusion, the author of the paper proposed the foundation of a chair for canine anatomy and diseases. — London News.

Reason In Animals

1895

A THEORY THAT IT COULD BE SUCCESSFULLY CULTIVATED.

Truly Wonderful Examples In the Dog Family—One Taught by the Kindergarten Method—A Black and Tan That Displayed Human Intelligence.

"Instead of trying to learn the speech of animals," said a gentleman interested in science recently, "there may come a time when what we now consider dumb brutes may be endowed through the efforts of man with an intelligence approximating the human intellect. In other words, the higher order of animals may be taught to reason and demonstrate their power of thought in a way that would indeed be marvelous considered in the light of the laws of nature as we now have them revealed to us. But we are forced to believe from the world's experience in the past that all things are possible, and that we have not by any means attained the climax of the knowledge which we are to obtain in this life. In regard to the education of animals I am not speaking from theory, for I have but recently had examples of the great development of animal intelligence which, as a starter in a new line of scientific teaching, is extraordinary. But recently there was exhibited at one of the theaters of the city a dog whose exhibition was so remarkable that every person attributed it to a trick. A wink of the eye or some movement of the hand by the owner signified to the dog when he came opposite the correct card. Now, this dog, the owner told me, really did not reason. His power was developed by the kindergarten system of instruction and was discovered by a small child, who for amusement was accustomed to have her constant playfellow pick out numbers and cards while she was at her kindergarten lesson. The dog was with the child continually and soon showed signs of reasoning and evidenced an intelligence which would seem unusual in a brute. The dog had had the advantage of all the kindergarten instruction given the small child and strangely had made use of it.

"It had learned by observation just as a child does in the kindergarten. It is nothing surprising either when you observe how rapidly the mind of a child develops under such teaching. Why, there are many instances of a child being deaf and dumb or not knowing the English language, yet making almost as fast progress in the kindergarten as the child more fortunate. To a person not knowing that children have reasoning powers an untutored deaf and dumb child would scarcely show more intelligence than a dog. So why should we assert that a dog has no intelligence that can be developed simply because we do not know anything about it? Who knows what results could be obtained in the education of dogs if the systematic teaching that is bestowed upon children was given to the canines? Whether the dog which was exhibited here was really educated as the man claimed or not is immaterial. But that such a possibility exists was proved to me by a personal experience I had with a dog in the east recently. I was in a small town in Jersey, and in walking down the street one day I saw an elderly man carrying a small black and tan dog wrapped in a sort of a blanket which had been made especially for it. I approached the man and ventured that he must think a great deal of the dog from the care he took of it. 'A great deal,' said the old fellow. 'Why, if he was may son I could not think more of him. He has actually a human intelligence.' I told him I had heard of such cases before, but had always attributed the show of intelligence to a well devised trick. 'Well,' continued the old man, 'my friend, I can prove to you that this dog really does reason. He will do anything you tell him to, discriminate between objects and men, and, in fact, show an intelligence which will surprise you.' By this time three or four men passing by, hearing the conversation, became interested and stopped. The owner of the dog then took a little square piece of black flannel from his pocket and spread it upon the pavement. He then placed the dog upon it and asked me to tell him to pick out any one in the crowd by the description I should give of him. I then spoke to the dog, 'Pick out the man who has the red mustache and red necktie and wearing the light checked trousers.'

"I referred to a man in the rear of the crowd. The little dog sat up, and raising his ears looked all about the crowd. Then, as soon as he spied the man, he ran to him and jumped up, putting his fore paws on the man's legs. I tried this several times on different people, and never once did the dog make a mistake. Then the dog was asked his age, and by a number of barks told it. he then did some addition and subtraction. I then told the man that I thought there was some trick about it, so he said he would convince me fully that the dog really reasoned. 'Now,' said he, 'tell him to go to any object you may see within two blocks of here and tell him to point it out by placing his feet upon it when he finds it. I will go into this store, out of his sight, so that there will be no chance of my giving a signal.' After the man had retired I noticed a bicycle leaning against a post about a block and a half up the road. I turned to the dog and said slowly, 'Go find a bicycle up the road, and when you come to it put your hind feet on the back wheel.' The dog started on a lazy walk, looking all about him in the direction of the bicycle, and when he saw it he broke into a little trot. He then set his foot on the hind wheel and stood in this position looking toward us until a shout of approbation told him he was correct, when he got down and ran toward us as fast as he could. When he reached us, he jumped up and down, seeming pleased with his accomplishment. Of course there was no room left for me to doubt. I had to believe that if I ever was to believe anything. After this the dog pointed out an open carriage from a number of vehicles; also a drug store and a grocery from a block of miscellaneous stores. His scope of tricks, if they could be so called, seemed unlimited. He was able to do anything that was told him. The man told me his education had been like a child's. At first he could tell but one object, and by degrees he was taught to know more until out of 36 various articles placed in a room he could pick out any one that would be mentioned." — Pittsburg Dispatch.


Utility Vases

A large vase, such as usually serves for a potted plant, makes a good umbrella stand, and these are found in every variety of color and style. One of the big, pot bellied Moorish or Spanish peasant pottery, in rough, quaint designs of blue and yellow on white or of a rich, dark green solid color, relieved only by gradations of color in the glaze, would be effective and substantial.

Forgot How to Walk on All Fours

1895

"Speaking of the force of habit," said S. B. Dayter, "reminds me of a pet dog belonging to a cousin of mine. They had taught the animal to walk on his hind feet and hold up his front legs like arms. There were a number of children in the family, and they kept the dog performing this trick until he began to do it of his own accord. It was not long before he went everywhere on his two feet, the others becoming practically useless to him, and for the last three years I have never seen him stand upon all fours, except for a very few minutes at a time. He could walk as rapidly as he could when four feet were used, and as he goes up the street every one stops to look at him." — Cincinnati Enquirer.

The Grateful Dog

1895

Two black and tan dogs were taken to the Queen's hospital, Birmingham the other day, by their youthful owners, the one suffering from a broken leg and the other from a dislocated shoulder. The dogs were kindly treated by the medical staff, were bandaged and walked away. Two days afterward the one with the broken leg walked into the institution alone. In the surgery it lay down while the doctor unfastened the splints and redressed the injured limb. After the operation had been performed the dog gratefully licked the doctors hand and departed. — Ladies' Kennel Journal.


It Depends

The Inquiring Boy — How long a time is a jiffy, father?
The Perspicacious Parent — It depends on whose jiffy it is, my son. When a woman is putting on her bonnet and says she'll be ready in a jiffy, it means from 15 minutes to two hours. A man's jiffy is from one to five minutes. — London Answers.

Wouldn't Be a Martyr

New York, 1895

Farmer Gustave Ritchenbach of West Hills, near Huntington, who was arrested Thursday on an attachment against his body for $5 dog tax and $8.25 costs, didn't go to jail after all. He refused to pay the tax, and when the town obtained judgment against him for the amount he still continued to ignore the proceedings. His lawyer informed him that the tax was unconstitutional, so Ritchenbach decided he would go to jail before paying it. While on his way to jail his nerve forsook him and he decided he didn't want to be a martyr after all, so reaching down in one of his boots he pulled out a greasy wad of bills and paid the tax and costs.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, Jan. 25, 1895, p. 4.

They All Come To See This

1920

Up in Hige River, Alberta, Canada, people are coming a long way to the farm of Mrs. J. A. Osborne to see one of the most curious nature freaks ever known. Out in the barnyard a large hen is mothering five black and white terrier puppies, taking care of them as maternally as if they were her own brood. It all came about when the mother dog stole the hen's eggs. Biddy, to get even, appropriated the pups. Since then the dog will have nothing to do with her offspring. But they don't seem to care, and appear to be just as happy with the hen. Biddy will fight furiously if anybody tries to take one of the puppies from her.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Aug. 7, 1920, p. 5.

In Jail for Dog Tax

New York, 1895

Gustave Ritchenbach, a farmer, living at West Hills, near Huntington, was taken to the county jail in Riverhead Wednesday morning in default of $5 dog tax and $8.25 costs. A tax is levied on dogs in the town of Huntington, but great difficulty has always been experienced in its collection. Recently the town authorities agreed to rigidly enforce the tax. The amount realized by this tax is used to reimburse farmers whose sheep get killed presumably by dogs.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, N.Y., Jan. 18, 1895, unknown page number.

Dog, Chasing Cat, Is Stranded In Tree

1920

MIDDLEBORO, Mass. — Alphonse Provost had missed his dog Fido for three days when Chester Amsden stopped to inform him his pet was stuck in a hollow tree near the John B. Savage farm.

Fido had presumably chased a cat not wisely but too utterly regardless of consequences, and got wedged in, with a knot hole sufficiently large to admit of sticking his head out and barking for aid.

An ax enlarged the knothole and Fido was liberated, little the worse for his experience except being a bit hungry.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Aug. 7, 1920, p. 3.

Shock of Near Beer Kills Inebriate Dog

1919

Booze-drinking Animal Succumbs After Losing Wet Rations.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa — "Booze" was a bulldog, owned by Cal Harris of this city. Until July 1, last, his daily fare included a small quantity of beer. He was a visitor at several barrooms during the day, and as he came under the swinging doors during the summer or scratched and whined at the door in winter, the bartenders in the thirst emporiums which he frequented would "draw" a small beer, which would be consumed by their friend. With a wag of his tail as a silent "thank you," Booze would continue on his rounds.

When the saloons of Council Bluffs, Iowa, which was Booze's home, were closed, the owner of this famous canine laid away a supply of beer, but a few weeks ago, following nation-wide prohibition. the supply ran out. Booze was then forced to live on near beer. He could not stand it for many meals and the sudden shock from the sublime to the ridiculous was too much for him. He died a martyr to the cause of beer.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Jan. 3, 1920, p. 11.

Invite Me, Invite My Dog

1901

Every fashionable woman has now a tiny toy dog, which she usually carries about everywhere with her under her arm. These small animals, says Lady Violet Greville in London Graphic, have taken the place of the dwarfs, monkeys and spaniels of the fine ladies of past centuries. They cost a great deal of money and are generally very ill tempered. One wonders what the ladies' maids and footmen, whose business it is to look after these little darlings when their owners cannot have them with them, think of the new craze. I know people who never visit in country houses where their dogs are not invited.

Cases of Queer Revenge

1901

In England, where men have more time for everything, including revenge, some queer methods of playing even have come into the courts.

Albert Bewdley of Leeds had a dog that howled at night. A naturalist next door did not like it, but had no legal recourse.

One day ants of the minute red variety began to overrun Bewdley's house. Nothing that could be done headed them off. They grew worse and worse. He had made up his mind to break his lease and move when one night he heard a noise in his dining room. Slipping down, he found the naturalist emptying a bag of ants on the floor. In court the naturalist paid damages, but he did it smilingly.

Rowley, the late English violinist, was hard to beat on his perseverance against one who had incurred his ill will.

Rowley had a quarrel with a horse dealer named Brant. It was a trivial matter, but Rowley took the next house to Brant, set up a piano, bought a cornet and proceeded to make insomnia for Brant.

After one or two assault cases in court Brant moved. Rowley bought out the next door neighbor and followed with piano and cornet. Brant went to law, but found he could do nothing. Failing, he took a detached house. Then Rowley hired brass bands and organs and assailed him. This was actionable, and Rowley paid £1,000 for his revenge. — Chicago Tribune.

Faithful Shepherd Dogs

1901

A cold spell in Montana killed a sheep herder in the Great Falls district. Two feet of snow covered the range in places, and the thermometer indicated 40 degrees below zero. The herder was frozen to death on the prairies while caring for the sheep, and it was three days before his fate was known to his employers.

Two shepherd dogs were with him when he died, and one of these stayed with his body while the other attended to the sheep, just as though the herder had been with him. The dog drove them out on the range in the morning and back again at night, guarding them from wolves and preventing them from straying off.

Neither dog had anything to eat during the three days' vigil, so far as could be ascertained, but the 2,500 sheep thrived as well apparently as though directed by human agency. The singular fact about the matter is that these faithful creatures would have starved to death rather than harm one of the sheep left in their charge. — Portland Oregonian.

Rats Lured Into Traps by Rodent Leader Who Acts as "Pied Piper"

1919

SHERMAN, Texas. — Sherman's Pied Piper, an aged, bewhiskered and tailless rodent, is no more. A frisky terrier, unaware of the importance of the tailless wonder, pounced upon him one day this week as he was leaving a trap where he had led hundreds of rats to their doom, and brought his useful career to an untimely end. And Sherman folks are sad. They feel like wearing mourning. Meanwhile rats which have infested the city have become "leery" of traps and are multiplying.

It was several weeks ago that the rat killing campaign was begun here. They were trapped by the hundreds. The killing was done by dogs assembled about the traps to pounce upon the captured rodents as they were turned out. One day what appeared to be the "daddy of all the rats" was found in one of the traps. One of the wise citizens suggested that this rodent's tail be amputated. He declared the old rat was the leader of the others and that his pride in leadership would make him leave the city. when his long tail was cropped off.

The operation was performed and the old rat turned loose, and admonished to leave the city.

But did he? Not much. The following morning the old rascal was found in one of the traps with forty others. The others were killed and the "leader" turned loose again. The following day he was back in the traps with more than a score of others. This continued from day to day. The people began to believe they would soon have the rats exterminated.

But the unusual happened. One morning this week in letting the captured rats out of a trap the "daddy" rat ran out with them. The terrier failed to recognize the "leader" and leaped upon him. Before any assistance could be given the old rat was killed. Since that time but few rats have been found in the big municipal rat trap.



Bullet Knocks His Hat Off

POTTSTOWN, Pa. — Only by the narrowest margin, John Stoudt, conductor on a trolley line, missed death when a bullet passed thru the number plate on his cap and knocked off his headgear. It is thought the bullet was fired by a would-be robber, who was scared off by the arrival of night-shift men.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Jan. 3, 1920, p. 5.

A Faithful Dog

1900

How He Saved The Lives Of Some Prospectors

Deeds of heroism have been enacted in Alaska which history will never chronicle. Truth prints a story of one party of prospectors who owe their lives to a dog.

Upon the desolate waste of that inhospitably glazier, the Valdes, which has proved a sepulchre to so many bright hopes and earnest aspirations, last winter a party of prospectors were camped. Day after day they had worked their way forward, death disputing every foot with them, until it was decided that the main party should remain in camp and two of their number accompanied only by a dog should endeavor to find a trail which would lead away from the glazier.

For days the two men wandered, until nature succumbed and they lay down, weary and exhausted. Their faithful companion clung to them and the warmth of his body was grateful as they crouched low with the bitter ice ladened wind howling about them.

Their scanty stock of provisions was well nigh exhausted, when one of them suggested sending the dog back to camp. This was a forlorn hope, but their only one. Quickly writing a few words on a leaf torn from a book they made it fast around the dog's neck and encouraged him to start back on the trail.

The sagacious animal did not appear to understand but after repeated efforts they persuaded him to start and he was soon swallowed up in the snow, the mist and the storm.

Two days and nights passed, during which the men suffered untold agonies. On the evening of the third day when all hope had gone and they were becoming resigned to their fate out of the blinding and drifting snow bounded the dog, and close behind him came ready hands to minister to their wants.

The remainder of the story is simple. The whole party returned having abandoned their useless quest and on the last Topeka going south were two grateful men and a very ordinary looking dog. "That dog will never want as long as we two live," said a grizzled and sunburnt man.

—The Hartford Republican, Hartford, KY, Jan. 19, 1900, p. 1.