Daily Alta California, Volume 42, Number 13772, 16 May 1887 — MORE THAN INSTICT. [ARTICLE]

MORE THAN INSTICT.

Xev> York Christian Advocate.

Howard Dollner, a native of Denmark, and for many years Consnl-General of Denmark in this city, and a portion of the time acting Minister for that kingdom, and well-known to business men as the head of the firm of Dollner, Potter & Co., of New York, for many years resided in Brooklyn in a mansion of the old style, situated on Washington avenue, in the midst of what, for a city, are large grounds. He alwa;B took a great interest in his flowers, trees and vegetables, and in tha heart of the city raised the very finest kind of pumpkins. He also kept two or three dogs — one a housa dog, another of the spaniel variety, and the third a powerful mastiff. . The mastiff was always chained near the stable, and not far from the rear entrance to the premises. - In a certain autumn the pumpkins which were produced in Mr. Dollner'e garden were of each extraordinary bize and beauty, that they excited tbe cupidity of a person, who stole two of the largest of them and took them to the horticultural exhibition, where he entered them as his own, and actually took the premium for them. This so raised Mr. Dollner's indignation that' he instructed his gardener to take off the largest of those which remained and deposit them in the cellar, lest they also should be stolen. At the same time he told him to Bet the mastiff loose, so that it anybody else came in at night to steal the pumpkins the . dog would attack him. Pursuant to this order the gardener worked all the afternoon taking off the finest of the pumpkins, which he carried up one by one, piling them near the cellar door, until he had finished, wben he conveyed them into the cellar. About sunset he unchained the mastiff. The dog bad watched the performance of the gardener, and during the night he gnawed off the largest of the remaining pumpkins and carried them one by one to the cellar door, where he piled them up and stood guard over them nntil the next morning, when, as the cook aroee and opened the kitchtn door, with an expreesion of great delight the animal wagged his tail, looked np for approbation, and went away. The next night he gnawed off everything from tha size of a hazel nut upward and carried them to the cellar door as before. A few days afterward, when the person suspected of having stolen tha pumpkins, who had always been friendly with him, entered, the mastiff sprang upon him with the utmost rage. Mr. Dollner was living when we wrote tbe above. . It was then sent to him with the request that be woo Id certify to its truth if he could, or alter it till he could conscientiously attest it. A few weeks before his destb was received our last communication frQm him : ' 25:» Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, ) July 12, 1886. } 1 certify that the account Riven by Dr. Buckley of my pumpkins ana my aog In tru* in every particular, - Harold Djllnkb. It is plain that the mastiff had never, seen such an operation before. He, therefore, must have comprehended it by an effort of the mind, held it through the entire night, worked upon ir, contemplated it as a completed act, and surrendered the pumpkins to the family when they aroee. Yet, of course, he failed to comprehend the reason, or to distinguish the value of the ripe from -that of the green pumpkins. He also obviously connected the man, who bad in his sight stolen the pumpkins, with the deed. At the time this was told to tbe writer there were six witnesses living — the gardener, two servants in tbe bouse, and the owner of the establishment, his wife, and their son.