Mad Dog Tears Child Fatally; Bites Mother
The Sun (New York)
November 14, 1912
Library of Congress
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Animal Waits Until Young Master, Ill, Is Alone and Attacks Him
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Woman Tackles Brute
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Battles to Save Children Though Wounded–Policemen End Fight
In spite of his mother’s heroic efforts to save him, Harry Pecher, 11 years old, is dying in the Harlem Hospital, following an attack by his pet bulldog Boy yesterday.
Harry lives in the basement of a large flat building at 8 West 119th street, where his mother, Mar. Mary Pecher, is the janitress. Mrs. Pecher is suffering from several bites on the body.
Harry has been ill fro several weeks and when went out to buy some things for luncheon yesterday she took with her four-year-old Anthony, leaving Harry propped up in a chair, with the bulldog for company.
Mrs. Pecher had scarcely reached the street when she heard the barking of the dog and shrill cries of “Mamma, mamma!”
She ran back and found Harry screaming on the floor, with Boy savagely attacking the little fellow’s face … As Mrs. Pecher went to the prostrate boy the dog released his hold on the boy’s face and began to tear his arms. Attack after attack followed as the woman tried to save her child, but the dog would not be beaten off…
Accordingly [police] all open fired on the dog, shooting through the glass of the windows, but failed to hit him.
Then the policemen pulled down one of the upper sashes and took closer aim. Thirty more shots were fired before McMahon and Callum hit the dog and wounded him. They then entered the basement and killed him… – The Sun