A DOG DETECTIVE.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 September 1924, Page 12

A DOG DETECTIVE.

THAT HANGED A MURDERER. A SENSATIONAL CRIME. 'Use of dogs 'by the police in. murder mysteries recalls one of the most sensational crimes of the last century, in which little Emily Holland, a Blackburn, school girl, was murdered -by a local barber named William Fish. A sagacious hound owned by Mr. Thomas Parkinson, of Preston, secured proof of Fisb’s guilt and sent him to the scaffold. The exploits of “Morgan,” the famous bloodhound detective, are given to the ■Sunday News by Miss A. Marx, of Clapham. daughter of his owner’s greatest friend. “Morgan” was the property of Mr. Thomas Parkinson, chemist, oil merchant, and tobacconist, of ’Preston. He was of mixed bloodhound and mastiff breed. From puppy days he displayed gieat sagacity, and constantly amazed his owner by his almost uncanny intuition and intelligence. Every morning when Mr. Parkinson rose, “Morgan’’ would bring up his daily paper and place it beside the bed. He would then leap up on a chair and carry to his master his garments, always bringing them in the proper order. He did these, and many other equally astonishing things, without any special training.

On Tuesday, March 25, 1876, a little girl of six, named Emily Mary Holland, left her parents’ house in Moss Street, Blackburn, to go to school, where she was due to receive a prize. She did not return. Her father searched for her, and, failing to find her, went to the police. She had been seen, after leaving school, in the company of a man. This man was thought to be William Fish, a barber. Fish, however, denied that he had seen or spoken to the child. Five days later the mangled body of a child Was found in a field near a cemetery. The head and arms were massing. The rest of the body was wrapped in newspaper, which had adhering to it pieces of hair of many colours.

Suspicion centred on Fish, but the police could get no further evidence to identify him with the crime. They had almost abandoned their quest, when Mr. Taylor, who had charge of “Morgan” for the time being, suggested that the dog should join in the search. The dog was taken to the field, where it sniffed about, 'but found nothing. Mr. Taylor, who firmly believed in the dog’s instinct, then suggested that “Morgan,” tail erect, ran round the shop. Fish and his wife were present. They gave permission freely. But Fish was seen to tremble and become pale. “Morgan,” tail erect, ran found the shop in circles sniffing with nose first high, then low to the ground. Then, while the group of police officers, Fish and his wife, and Mr. Taylor Watched with 'bated breath, the animal dashed into the back room.

“Morgan” was now keyed up to a pitch of intense excitement. His nostrils dilated, his ears standing erect, he seemed -oblivious of everything but the scent. All of a sudden “Morgan” paused, raised his head, and pelted upstairs. Detectives, owner and Fish and his wife followed. The hound ran into the front bedroom, a room bare of furniture, for Fish had moved his living quarters some time earlier further down the road. The hound circled the room, and then dashed for the fireplace. Here he inserted his head in the chimney and began scattering the soot with bis forepaws. He was dragged away by Mr. Taylor, who, after feeling about for some time in the chimney, made a grisly find—the head and arms of the child. Fish, who was in a state of collapse, was immediately arrested. He denied all knowledge of the crime, but before trial made a free confession. The result of ‘'Morgan’s” amazing part in this murder was a flood of offers to his owner. Mr. Parkinson was offered £6OO for the hound, but refused to part with him. Superintendent Potts presented the hound with a silver collar and he became a famous local figure. In his old age “Morgan” 'became savage, and scarcely approachable. But he never wavered in his devotion to his master, and, when quite a decrepit old hound, would fetch and carry with the same old cleverness. When “Morgan” died, Mr. Parkinson had the 'body stuffed and placed under a glass case in his Preston home.