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The Judge Who Determined A Dog’s Owner By Threatening To Have It Killed
Over a century ago, a clever Chicago Judge determined the outcome of a contested case by his quick thinking
Judges often have impossible tasks before them, having to determine guilt and innocence, and who is telling the truth and lying. They can rely on gut, but the best of these magistrates also have the skill to ferret out the facts by using their guile. This was personified by the quick thinking of Judge Oscar M. Torrison from Chicago, who was able to determine between two parties who was the rightful owner of a dog they each claimed by threatening to have the animal killed.
The June 12, 1907 issue of the Chicago Tribune carried the story of the nearly impossible task before Judge Torrison. The ownership of a dog was being decided by his court. The family of Mrs. Alexander Watson said the dog’s name was Bill and that he belonged to them. Meanwhile, Mrs. Jeremiah Folsom indicated the canine’s name was Pete and that he was her pet.
Hoping to get to the bottom of the competing stories, Torrison tried all manner of things. The dog was called by a multitude of different names, including those the two supposed owners provided, and also names that were made up on the spot. Unfortunately, the animal…
