BS: A tribute to a dog!

Subject: BS: A tribute to a dog!
From: 3refs
Date: 25 Oct 09 - 06:30 PM

I'm quite sure that most of you have heard Walter Brennan's version of "A tribute to a dog". Anyone who can get through that song and not end up with a tear in their eye may not like dogs very much!

I was trying to find it the other day on "youtube" and discovered that all his versions have been removed. While on a search I found out that the song is actually a lawyers summation to a jury. I found the story almost too incredible to believe!

I figure just posting it is easier than putting in a link!

George Vest's tribute to a dog

"It is from a speech made in 1870, when the man's dog, a foxhound named Drum was shot. His owner sued the man who shot Drum. There was no evidence even, but after he finished his speech, the jury was in tears. They fined the man $500, even though the maximum fine was $150.

It is claimed that George Vest was a 19th century lawyer defending a client.

Gentlemen of the jury, the best friend a man has in this world may turn against him and become his enemy. His son and daughter that he has reared with loving care may become ungrateful. Those who are nearest and dearest to us, those whom we trust with our happiness and our good name, may become traitors to their faith. The money that a man has he may lose. It flies away from him when he may need it most. Man's reputation may be sacrificed in a moment of ill considered action. The people who are prone to fall on their knees and do us honor when success is with us may be the first to throw the stone of malice when failure settles its cloud upon our head.

The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is his DOG. A man's dog stands by him in prosperity and in poverty, in health and in sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground,where the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely, if only he may be near his master's side. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer, he will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounter with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince. When all other friends desert, he remains. When riches take wing and reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavens. If fortune drives the master forth an outcast into the cold, friendless and homeless, the faithful dog asks no higher privilege than that of accompanying him to guard him against danger, and to fight against his enemies. When the last scene of all comes, and death takes his master in its embrace and his body is laid away in the cold ground, no matter if all other friends pursue their way, there by his graveside will the noble dog be found, his head between his paws and his eyes sad, but open in alert watchfulness, faithful and true even to death".

-Senator George Vest, 1870.

Subject: RE: BS: A tribute to a dog!
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 25 Oct 09 - 06:52 PM

It sounds more like the argument of the lawyer of the owner of the dog, prosecuting the wrongful killer thereof, rather than a lawyer defending a client. I don't see where that line of oratory would do any good whatever to the defending party.   You gave it both ways. Which was it?

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: BS: A tribute to a dog!
From: Rapparee
Date: 25 Oct 09 - 08:57 PM

From Wikipedia:

After the [US Civil] war he [George Graham Vest] returned to Pettis County moving to Sedalia, Missouri and resumed his law practice. It was at this time in 1869 that Vest was asked to represent Burden and Old Drum in the case that would make him famous.

Vest took the case tried on September 23, 1870 in which he represented a client whose hunting dog, a foxhound named Drum (or Old Drum), had been killed by a sheep farmer. The farmer had previously announced his intentions to kill any dog found on his property; the dog's owner was suing for damages in the amount of $150, the maximum allowed by law.

During the trial, Vest stated that he would "win the case or apologize to every dog in Missouri." Vest's closing argument to the jury made no reference to any of the testimony offered during the trial, and instead offered a eulogy of sorts. Vest's "Eulogy on the Dog" is one of the most enduring passages of purple prose in American courtroom history (only a partial transcript has survived).

Subject: RE: BS: A tribute to a dog!
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 Oct 09 - 10:37 PM

My dog Ralph read this and gave his bark of approval.

I, on the other hand, went to snopes.com to see if this might be fraudulent. Snopes offers no opinion, so I'll agree with Ralph.

-Joe-

3refs, is 'Old Shep' (click) the Walter Brennan dog tribute you were seeking?

-Joe

Subject: RE: BS: A tribute to a dog!
From: GREEN WELLIES
Date: 26 Oct 09 - 09:05 AM

Something has gone seriously wrong here !

Our dog bears absolutely no relation to the one described in the final paragraph.

She's always where she shouldn't be. Turn you back for a second and your sandwiches are gone. She rips the post and papers to pieces. If you tell her off - she barks back at you. We bought her a flashing collar so we (and the horses) could see her in the dark (across the fields when we're getting the horses in), she managed to get it off, and I spent 10 mins calling to an empty collar (she was in the car). And she growls and wags her tail at the same time - very confusing.

However, she is the most beautiful border collie, who knows wellies from shoes and car keys from house keys, and because of her I have absolutely no fear of being at the stables at 5.00am on a pitch black winter morning, because I know she will hear anyone before I do and will not let anyone near me when its dark.

Her name's Fly and she's the best dog in the world. (in my opinion!)

Subject: RE: BS: A tribute to a dog!
From: SharonA
Date: 26 Oct 09 - 03:49 PM

Couldn't find anything about Drum the dog, but I found this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhL06u2uO2E&feature=related

Subject: RE: BS: A tribute to a dog!
From: SharonA
Date: 26 Oct 09 - 03:58 PM

Just kidding about not finding any references to the case 3refs ref-ferred to. There are many websites about it. Here's the Wikipedia story:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Graham_Vest

Here is a Psychology Today article on Vest and the trial:

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/canine-corner/200910/man-s-best-friend-is-his-dog-the-senator-the-dog-and-the-trial

Subject: RE: BS: A tribute to a dog!
From: 3refs
Date: 27 Oct 09 - 09:40 AM

I can't make a link work, but if you type in Walter Brennan, A tribute to a dog!-to your search engine, imeem might let you play the song.

Subject: RE: BS: A tribute to a dog!
From: keberoxu
Date: 12 May 17 - 05:20 PM

I wonder about this one.

I know it isn't a song lyric.
It's more like The Gettysburg Address or something.

But maybe....it qualifies for above the line?

Anyway, here is the Death Valley Days version.

Tribute to the Dog 1964

Anybody else remember sitting in front of the television for Death Valley Days, and that trumpet fanfare recording would open the show,
and the darned recording was warped? The poor trumpet tones would wo-o-o-o-obble in and out of tune...

Subject: RE: BS: A tribute to a dog!
From: Senoufou
Date: 13 May 17 - 04:32 AM

That tribute is so moving. It really does bring a tear to the eye.
When I lived in Edinburgh, I was enchanted by the story of Greyfriars Bobby, a little Skye terrier that allegedly stayed faithfully near his master's grave for years. There's a lovely bronze statue to him in Greyfriars. But I recently read that it's all a hum, and was merely cooked up by nearby tradesmen to boost the numbers of potential customers to their part of Edinburgh!

Subject: RE: BS: A tribute to a dog!
From: Mr Red
Date: 13 May 17 - 07:16 AM

There is a plaque to a dog who stayed by his farmer-master who had died out on the moor for 6 weeks (ish) in the snows of 1963/64. May have been Saddleworth Moor or Wessenden Moor, I remember it as being near one of the reservoirs around there.

Subject: RE: BS: A tribute to a dog!
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 14 May 17 - 04:21 AM

https://soundcloud.com/denise_whittle/buster-the-line-dancing-dawg