April 1, 1916 ~ WON'T LET HER DOG BE SHOT; FINED $100

April 1, 1916
FINED $100

Miss Bertha Johnson, Whose Terrier Bit Boy, Is Made "Example."

Rather than disclose the hiding place of her Boston terrier pup, which had bitten Burlyn McCoy, 10 years old, in play, Miss Bertha Johnson, 1017 Troost avenue, took a fine of $100 in the North Side municipal court yestrday on a charge of maintaining a vicious animal.  The dog had been in the habit of jumping to take off a boy's cap, and so as Burlyn was playing with him he jumped for the cap.  The boy dodged and one of the dog's sharp teeth scratched his upper lip.  Judge Kennedy ruled that the animal should be shot, if found.  Miss Johnson says the dog has been taken out of the state.

This is not the first misfortune to cross the path of Miss Johnson, who supports her aged mother.  Recently she broke her arm and so lost her employment.  Last Wednesday the parent of Burlyn McCoy caused her arrest on the charge of harboring a vicious dog. Her bond was fixed at $26, she could  not pay it and she could not pay th $10 commission of a professional bondsman. All that afternoon and all that night she was  locked up at the station.  Meanwhile gamblers, saloon brawlers and women vagrants were picked up by the police and released on recognizance or cash deposits of friends. Thursday morning Judge Kennedy continued the case one day and raised the bond to $60. Then someone was found to pay a professional bondsman and she was released in the afternoon.  Yesterday morning Miss Johnson, whose father, now dead, was a pioneer physician in this city, was brought up in court with the scourings of the underworld and made an "example." She was fined $100.

The same night that Miss Johnson was detained detectives arrested O. D. Norton, owner of a saloon at 809 Main street, on the charge that he "flim-flammed" a laborer out of $35 in a bet on the Roller-Steelier wrestling match.  Norton had often been in trouble with the police, but he was released without the humiliation of being taken into court, although he admitted making the bet and placing the stakes in the hands of a bystander, who afterwards disappeared with the money.  He admitted introducing the stakeholder to the laborer as "a banker."  None of the many officers at police headquarters asked about the release of Norton yesterday could tell the reason.  The records only show the word "release" opposite the saloon keeper's name. Who wrote it there and why is a mystery.