A BURGLAR AND A BLOODHOUND.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7296, 8 January 1902, Page 1

A BURGLAR AND A BLOODHOUND.

* An. extraordinary incident occurred on Christmas Day in connection with a burglary committed at the residence of Mr G. Eilenberg, rubber merchant, of Lansdowne Street, East Melbourne, during the early hours of the morning. Thieves entered the house while the family slept, and escaped with cash and. jewellery to the value of £30 — removed from the room in which Mr Eilenberg was sleeping. As the burglar escaped, he leffc the door opem, and when the family awoke on Christmas morning and found that they had been robbed, they found also that the ground floor of the house .was in the possession of a large and very formidable-looking bloodhound, who growled menacingly at everyone who attempted to descend the stairs. Many strategical movements to divert the attention of the dog and to* make him leave the premises were tried, but without avail, and at last the members of the family were forced to the device of hoisting signals of distress from the front balcony. After some minutes of fruitless cooee-ing to wondering pedestrians, one man crossed the road, and, learning the condition of affairs, carried a message to some neighbours in Albert Street. The result was that the arrival of an armed relieving force had its due moral effect, and the bloodhound retired, making audible comments upon being ejected from comfontable quarters, which he evidently regarded as his own by right of' conquest. At first it was thought that the dog, like that of Bill Sikes, might prove a clue to the identity of the robber, but inquiries showed that the animal was th© property of a wellknown resident of the locality.