The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-02-10

The BIOOd-HOubd Question.
HELENA, Arkansas, Jan. %, 1864.
The bloodhound question has been
often discussed in the North, and Mrs.
Stoves narrative Of the barbarous Gus
tom Of hunting men with hounds has
frequently been denied. High-tOned
SOutherners have eOlored with piOus in
dignation at the idea, and feeling women
have denied the imputatiOn as sn "AbOl-
ition falsehOOd." The fact is, the bar
barisms of Slavery have been studiOusly
concealed by the representatives Of
Southern Chivalry, aud the North has
only been allowed to take . look now
and then behind the curtain. Then tie
happy Sambos CD have been arranged 10
telling tableaux, and the Northern audi
ence has gone away astOnished at the ben
efcent institution.
Recently circumstances have happened
aud facts have been disclosed in CoahOma
County, Mississippi, opposite Helena,
which | have determined TO send you,
and forever settle the bloodhound ques-
ton. The stauneh old veteran Buford
commands at Helena. He is known as
an elegant gentleman, = philosopher
among white men, and terror TO Ssees-
sionists-an iron hand concealed beneath
the silk glove. General, Judge, Jury,
Mayor and Governor of the city, and
through bis strategy many Sseessionsts,
guerrillss, and Rebel offers are brought
to justice. Every law, order, and proc
lamasion Is carried out, in letter and spiF-
it, in bis department. Notwithstanding
the Presidents proclamation, James Sta
cey, citizen of COahOmA County, con-
iinued his only legitimate business Of
hunting runaway slaves with blood
hounds.
Gen. Buford heard the hounds bayiBg
over the hills, and thinking blood hounds
and slaves were antsgOnisiic to the spirit
of the Proclamation, he determined to
break it up. Capt. 7. O. Meatyardsr was
sent with q squad Of soldiers, snd James
Stacey Wss caught and brought 10 The
military prison. Mrs. James Stacey, III
at ease that James should be interrupted
in an honest and respectable calling, came
TO see the General in regard 10 releasing
her husband. In answer TO the questions
of Gen. Buford she said, in the presence
of your correspondent Capt. Meatyarder,
Lieut.. Chandler, and several other gem
tlemen, that her husbands occupation
was to hunt negrOes-that be kept from
five TO ten hounds all the time for this
purpose-that be hunted slaves for q
hundred different men in Mississippi,
and that slaves were sometimes bitten
bV the dogs. She said James rec iyed
SO per day, or 500 per head for
each negro caught, for the use Of his
pack of hounds The following ia .
correct list Of prominent citizsns in Mis-
sissippi, fer whom James Stacey hes
hunted negroes DR.. Pease, Col. Fowler,
Frank Irving, John Clarke, DR.. Wander
WORT. DR., Gates, NJ. II. Mcneil, General
Aleorn, DE-. ROusselle, P. Dickinson, L.
Dickerson, Lieut.. Col. Chambers, Frank
Wood, Col. Saunders.
james Stacey acknowledged in the
presence Of Gen. 4. and your CORES
pondent. that be had hunted negroes for
these prominent and respectable citizens,
and made the following statement;
STATEMENT or M. JAMES STACEY, MICRO
HUNTER.
MILITARY Prison, HELENA, AK.
January 10. 1864.
I have been for twelve years catching
negroes, and continued II until they
killed my best dog. Since that have
done none oft, and never intend 10 do IL
any more. was employed by the citi-
zens-no one in particular, but any enc
who wanted me 70 do il for them, and
would pay me. The scout who took Mr.
II. Beard aud sOn Capt. 7. G. Meat
yarder) killed my best dog, and brought
one Of my others to town with them Ny
price for catching negroes was one hundred
dollars (S100) per head. l never was in
the Confederate army; have lived ia
CoshOma County, Miss, for sixteen years.
Ny reasons for quitting the business was
because thought it had about played
out. Il was too dangerous business
these times.
JAMES STACEY.
ATTEST:
Z S. RoGGzRs, 1t. in charge Of prison.
VIZ. CHANDLER, First II. and A. d. G.
This ends the bloodhound ques tion.
The hounds Of James Stacey are now
scattered and killed with the exception
CT one which Gen. Baford keeps At bis
headquarters to illustrate the facts Of
this letter. M. d. l.