The Strange Case of 'Danger' the Dog at Justice Coomb's Court

There was arraigned before Justice Coombs on Friday morning a specimen of the animal kingdom—for he was utterly unworthy of any higher classification—on a charge of being a vagrant, by wandering the streets day and night without any visible means of support, and sleeping in private places without having first obtained the consent of the owners thereof, to wit: a dry goods box belonging to Messrs. Hall & Paulson. The prisoner, after being brought into court, was granted a continuance to secure witnesses. Three subpoenas were issued for E. H. Reynolds, A. Coulter, and Mark Norton; the latter, it was claimed, was in duty bound to support him. This, however, he signally failed to do, and the Court adjudged him guilty and fined him $5 and costs. This decision rather surprised Mr. Norton, whose large Newfoundland dog, Danger, was the defendant. After some hesitation, he made a move to pay the fine, when the Court suggested that the witnesses might considerately waive their fees. This was done, and the Court then remitted the fine and costs, provided Mr. Norton would treat all hands. He did so, and then struck for his room with Danger following behind, waving his tail triumphantly. It seems that officers Brunn and McCowan found the dog asleep in a dry goods box and, for a joke on the Chief, locked him up in the jail; Mr. Woolery then brought him into court with the result stated.