Conan Doyle.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 24 June 1913, Page 4

Conan Doyle.

- f — ADVOCATE W POLICE COURT Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of "Sherlock Holmes," acted as his own counsel at Mark Cross Police Court, Tunbridge Wells, when he had to answer summonses, alleging that a collie dog he kept at his home at Crowborough had killed and worrieu sheep. Mr Arthur Hale, a farmer, the complainant, said that he had seen the dog at Sir Arthur's house, where he had an. interview with Sir Arthur on the matter. Sir Arthur (cross-examining): My suggestion was that in order to prove which dog it was you should fire- at it, from a distance of about 30 to 40 yards, into the tail part, 60 that wo should see a mark if it proved to he my dog?— Yes. , My dog is "between five and six years old. From your experience as a farmer, is it not strange for a collie to take to annoying sheep at this age?— Yes, but when they do they stick to it. You are aware that my dog has a good many sons aud daughters in the village?— Yes. You are aware that withing 200 or 300 yards of my house there is a fold of sheep at St. Quentin's.—Yes. Does it not strike your as being very strange that my dog should pass that fold of sheep and go to a farm another mile on to worry sheep?— 1 don't know. John Hornby, a farm boy. said that he got close to the dog while it was running among the sheep, and he was sure from the marks on its face that it was Sir Arthurs dog. Sir Arthur: How near did you get my boy?— About ten yards. It was running away as you approached ?—Yes. The point is that it is very difficul; to see a patch on a dog's nose it it is running away from you. You have seen my dog since and know that it has & white spot on its nose? —Yes. Have you seen the other collie dogs in.the village —No. , Then it is impossible for you to say for certain that mine was the ' dog worrying tho sheep. Sir Arthur, addressing the Bench, ■ said that his dog was physically incapable of annoying sheep. It had 1 some disease in the jaw, which he was told was a common defect in i collies, and it could not even eat a- < crust. They had to feed it on the 1 softest of food. J "Tho police—l think in a most un- < warranted way" (said Sir Arthur)- I "suggested that I should destroy the « dog. That suggestion, I understand, came from the chief constable < direct at a time when it was not pro- ' ved that the dog had touched a « sheep." The dog was of the gen- ' tlest type. It was a valuable and l beautiful collie, and the playfellow ' of his children. i Mr Hubert Victor Dale, a veteri- « nary surgeon, said the dog was suffering from faulty conformation of * the jawbones. It was physically in- 1 capable of killing a sheep. ] Tho chairman (Mr H. E. Sheppard) < said the Bench wore satisfied that it was a case of mistaken identity ! on the part of tho complainant, and the case would be dismissied. :