Attacked by Mastiffs.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 250, 28 March 1888, Page 4

Attacked by Mastiffs.

A despatch from Philadelphia says: — Thomas H. French, a lawyer, his wife, and Jennie Young, the eight-year-old daughte r of a neighbour, have been frightfully torn by two mastiffs belonging; to Mr French. Mr French has owned them for the past two years, and prized them highly. The children in the neighbourhood played with them freely, and they nevdr before manifested a desire to harm anyOne. Little Jennie Young was playing with the mastiffs in the kitchen of Mr French's house. Mrs French was in the sitting-room and her husband was upstairs. Mrs French heard the little girl and the big dogs romping about ihe kitchen. Suddenly there -\yeie eeveral savage growls in quick succession, and then a piercing scream from the child. Running into the Kitchen, Mrs French found the beasts savagely attacking the child, who had been thrown to the floor, and was vainly endeavouring to shield her face from the brutes. Mrs French tried to pull the dogs off, but they turned on her and bore her to the floor. Mr French, who camo running downstairs at this moment, beat the dogs with his fists and kioked them as^ hard as he could, He succeeded in drawing their attention from his wife, and then they attacked him. The dogs, mad with rage, sprang for his face and throat, and would undoubtedly have killed him had not Mrs French come to his assistance with a large iron poker, with which he pounded the beasts and finally succeeded in getting them out of the kitchen. Mr and Mrs French were in a pitiful condition. - Half ,of one of Mrs French's ears was torn away , and her neck. was frightfully torn. , A part of Mr French's nose was, bitten off. „ The sudden outbreak of the dogß cannot be i accounted for. They were shot.