Rensselaer Union, Volume 2, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 July 1870 — Terrific Combat with a Georgia Mastiff. [ARTICLE]

Terrific Combat with a Georgia Mastiff.

Mr. E. Docolass, Esq., of this city, was recently the owner of a mastiff, which he had rai-ed, and Which was about two years and a hell oid, and, no doubt, tfr; largest dog in the country. On Monday evening* Mr Douglass was at-empting to drive some chickens into his carnen, hut the Hog occupied the gate would not let them pasa him Mr D. ordered h.n» away, but the mastiff would not nitty until lus owner bad thrown sever®. rocks sr b in, when he took retain*', under the kitchen. In. a moment more Mr. D, saw his dog with lean steps and

glaring eyes advancing slowly towards him lor flvht. Our friend, seeing tbat ke could not stop the dog by words or gi fttires, at once prepared to defend bimwif. as flight was impossible. A* soon as the dog w*s near him he arose on ids hind lent and attempted to seize Sir. D.'by the throat. Then ensued a combat between the man and the dog of about ten minutes’ dura tion,and which for fierceness k arcely has a parallel in such encounters. Mr. D. first threw out his left arm, which the dog bit considerably near the wrist, and with his right hind caught the infuriated brute by the throat, and as soon as his left hand w*s n-h ased from the grip of the dog, he seized Ids under Jaw with It. Knowing from tiv< ry circumstance that the combat would he a lengthy one, as soon as the first excitement hail subsided, Mr. D. ordered his family to close every door of his d wetting hut one, toward which he gradually but slowly drew the dog. Before reaching the stops the dog had tor a short tune partially disengaged himself and bit Mr. D. severely on the left thigh. By this time our friend became calm and collected, and promptly re-seized the dog by the under Jaw and throat, and then began again to draw the brute toward the open door. Finally he had reached the door-steps, which were about five feet high, and began to walk up them backward, and when at the top, he, by summoning all his strength, and by one violent effort, threw the dog to the ground on his back. Before the animal could recover his feet and ascend the steps, Mr. D. had entered the house and closed the open door. The mastiff showed every disposition to renew the battle, and made frantic attempts to enter the windows. At last, finding ingress impossible, he took his position and watched the door closely for Mr. D., and manifested by his action that he would attack him again if he entered the yard. In the meantime the Rev. Mr. Hall, a neighbor, came to Mr. D’s rescue (the dog showing no disposition to molest any one but Mr. Douglass), and with his gun shot the dog twice and killed him, greatly to the relief and safety of our townsman, who was closely besieged in his own house. We may state, in conclusion, that Mr. Douglass owes his safety to his great strength, being a man of two hundred pounds weight, and of proportionate muscular power. Our friend was entirely unarmed ; and although duriDg the combat his servants brought him his gun, the encounter was so terrific that he was unable to use firearms. —Newman ( Oa.) Herald.