An Italian who shot an Alsatian dog was sentenced by the lallan 'Court for China, on Saturday, to Imonths "and twenty days' imprison mani. Sentence was suspended for month, during which time he will have to pay the owner of the dog '$700, falling which he will go to gaol. [The automatic pistol he used was \Confiscated, as, although he had obtained a French police licence, he had failed to secure a permit from the Italian Consulate."
The Court consisted of Judge R. Rapex, Messrs. C. Fumagalil and Colombo, assessors, and Mr. G. Borea Regoli, registrar." M. d'Auxion de Rullé appeared for the complainant, 'Mrs. A. Hannen, and Dr. G, Costanuni for, the defendant, Mr. V. Collela. 'As various nationalities' were re-Presented by the witnesses, the evidence was heard in French, Italian, Russian, English, and Chinese, with frequent combinations of two or more.
The charges brought against the accused were that he - seriously. harmed a domestic animal, the Prop: erty of the complainant, and that he threatened Mrs, Hannen with his pistol. The larier charge, by com: mon consent, was dropped.
Mrs. Hannen said that she hod trouble about her dog with Mr, Collela on September 22. "At about G'clock on the evening of September 24, she was walking with her two dogs, both of which were muzzled, in Rue Cardinal Mercier. Mr. Coliela appeared with two small Pekinese dogs, whose appearance excited one of the larger dogs, and. it made " dash in their direction. Mr. Collela drew a pistol, and Mred at her dog, which fell to the ground.
Dr. F. G. Philipp, veterinary surgeon, said he had examined' complainant's dog, and it was his opinion that, although it was still alive, it would have to be destroyed. The bullet entered its left flank, and leochetted up its spine, lodging near the neck, paralysing it. He put the, value of the dog at between $700 and $1,000.
Messrs. George Martin and E. Jourdan both spoke to having seen the dog. lying on the ground, with Mrs. Hannen lying near it.
Mr. A. Peniguel said he was in his room when he heard a pistol shot. Running to the window, he saw Mr. Collela in the road, with a pistol in his hand. Witness telephoned to the Police. evening near the intersection of Rue Cardinal Mercier and Route Vallon, said he heard a shot, and saw a dog' jump into the air and fall down. Mrs. Hannen also fell down.
Called by the defence, Bajan Singh said he had a small dog which had been badly bitten by the Alsatisn on previous occasion. Asked by Judge Rapex if he had had any other trouble with the Alsatian, he said: "Yes, it always make walla-walla." His story was corroborated by Bara: man Singh and Mah Kung, both of whom spoke to seeing Bajan Singh's dog bitten by the Alsatian.
1M. de Ruffé said that the defendant had made no excuse for shooting the dog. If he had come forward and proved that the dog attacked him, that might have been come excuse for his attempting to Kill a very valuable animal, but he had not. The dog was noted for its gentleness, despite the story told by the witnesses for the defence, and had often played with ehildten." In any case, if INF. Colleta thought the dog was a dangerous animal, he should have notlfled the police, and not taken the law. into his own hands. His action had caused "Mrs. Hannen severe mental distress, and he asked the Court to give judgment for $500, with dam-Bes.
Dr. Costantini said his client was not an inhuman animal-hater, 'He loved dogs, and, in proof of this, It might be mentioned that one of the two Pekinese had only' three legs—no one wanted it, but Mr. Coliela adopted it three years ago, and had lavished care and kindness on it.
Unfortunately, Mr. Collela had been bitten twice by dogs, in 1933 and 1994, once in the ankle and once very badly in the face, and he still bore a sear on the side of his nose as a result of the latter. While a normal orson's reactions to the sight of a large dog approaching him might be. different, Mr. Collels, with the memory of the two other attacks still strong in his mind, was overcome: with "terror, and, whipping out his pistol, he fired at the Alsatian, Dr. Costantini asked the Court to dismiss the case, of, falling this, to bear in'mind the above facts, and to jinilict the minimum penalty.
Atter a brief adjournment, the Court passed sentence of two months and twenty days' imprisonment, adding that the sentence would be suspended for a period of one month, during which time Mr. Collela must pay Mrs, Hannen a sum of $700, together with Court costs, or serve the sentence. Every Italian in possession of arms should register with the Consulate, and, as Mr, Collels had neglected' to do this, his pistol: would be confiscated,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.