Grand Tales in History: DACHSHUNDS FLED AS THE COOK SWUNG

DACHSHUNDS FLED

AS THE COOK SWUNG

___________

Miss Kell Sat on Their Owner

After Knocking Him

Down.

__________

RIVERSIDE DRIVE ASTIR

__________

Lawyer Mansdach Attacked Mrs.

Drummond's Collies and Apolo-

gized in Police Court.

__________

Magistrate Corrigan in the Harlem Police Court yesterday was called upon to unravel a tangle among two Dachshunds, two Scotch Collies, Miss Catherine Kell, a cook, and Irvin E. Mansdach [huh?], a lawyer.  The result of the untangling was a fine of $2 imposed on Miss Kell for assaulting Mansdach.
At 9:30 A.M. Mr. Mansdach left his home at 460 Riverside Drive with his two Dachshunds on leash to give them their morning walk.  At about the same moment Miss Kell, who is cook for Mrs. Michael J. Drummond, wife of the former Commissioner of Charities, left the Drummond home at 435 Riverside Drive, accompanied by the family collies.  Mr. Mansdach is about five feet tall and wiry, and has a decided antipathy to collies; Miss Kell is six feet tall and formed proportionately.
Being unleashed, the collies ran over to the Dachshunds and made friendly overtures.  Mr. Mansdach resented this and kicked the first collie in the head, knocking it unconscious, and struck the other with his heavy cane.  The second collie yelped with pain and Mr. Mansdach resumed his promenade.  Miss Kell was petrified for a moment at the assault on her charges; then she started after the lawyer.
When she overtook him she demanded to know what he meant by it all, and as he opened his mouth to reply she swung her right fist to his jaw and knocked him down.  Mr. Mansdach attempted to arise, but the cook promptly sat on him.  With great effort he got his police whistle and Policeman Beatty of the West 125th Street station responded.  He found a lively battle, with first the cook on top and then the lawyer.  He escorted them to the police station, where Mr. Mansdach made a charge of assault against Miss Kell.
The combatants were then taken to the court, which was crowded with fashionably gowned women from Riverside Drive, anxious to see the outcome of the case.  Mrs. Drummond and her sister, Miss Bessie Blasett, stated that they had seen the attack on the dogs.  J. Gage, of 456 Riverside Drive, said the same and characterized it as "most brutal."
Magistrate Corrigan decided that Miss Kell was at fault and Mrs. Drummond paid her cook's fine.  The Magistrate advised a representative of the S.P.C.A., who was in court to investigate the case.  When Mrs. Drummond left court Mr. Mansdach offered profuse apologies and tried to reimburse her for the $2 fine, but she did not answer him and drove away.
After it was all over it developed that the collies were safe at home, but Mr. Mansdach's Dachshunds had run off and disappeared, taking their leashes with them, the moment the trouble started.

via The New York Times, April 2, 1914.
Unrelated image: early 1900s postcard.