PIED PIPER?

NZ Truth, Issue 1152, 29 December 1927, Page 5

PIED PIPER?

Dogs Fell Under His Spell

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Auckland Rep.)

At present Claude Marmont is kennelled up in the confines of Mount Eden gaol and will not be off the chain until he has completed the 14 days' imprisonment imposed by Magistrate McKean

the other day. MARMONT was convicted for stealing *' A another man's dog.

When he is released no one will.be. the least bit surprised to see some of the City Council authorities waiting at the prison gate to receive him with open arms and the offer of. a job; for Marmont has a way with .dogs that should serve as a splendid Acquisition to the dbg collecting depot of any civic body having the same aversion from the canine as have the Auckland authorities. SVENGiALI? Marmont has a magnetic influence over stray poodles, which, exercised in the council's employ, would make the present system of picking up the "vags." of dogdom appear crude and extravagant. "He is fond of dogs, and dogs are fond of him," was the way Lawyer Les. Adams put it, when expounding the theory that his client, Marmont, had an unusual attraction for dogs, which at times brought about embarrassment. But, alas! Marmont'a love for dogs and canine reciprocity got the poor fellow into trouble — and gaol. As an illustration, counsel narrated an incident at Wellington, when Marmont had been followed by a stray hound that had come under his unusual spell.

Even when the accused had boarded a passing tramcar, doggie did the Rin-Tin-Tin act by nimbly springing to the footboard at the heels of his newly-found but fugitive friend.

The police story that the dog had been taken from its . chain and had been pledged for a sum of money by the accused, outweighed all the lawyer could say, and Marmont received his two weeks at Mount Eden.

On a further charge of false pretences,- accused was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence within 12 months, with a prohibition order to issue.