Reported in the Globe newspaper on Friday 13 April 1888.
A Dog to the rescue
Madame Brunot, an elderly Parisian bourgeoise, has good reason to be grateful to her Newfoundland dog Phoebus. She was preparing soup when she suddenly felt herself seized from behind, and five fingers were planted on her throat. She had been attacked by the son of her concierge, a big hulking scoundrel who had deserted from the army after robbing his officer. Just as the would-be murderer, who was on the lookout for plunder, pulled out his pocket handkerchief for the purpose of gagging his victim, the dog Phoebus sprang at him, freeing his mistress. Scared by the devoted animal the scoundrel ran off but was captured by police outside. He was sentenced at the Assizes to eight years’ penal servitude.