National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1874-02-20
American Field Sports.


American Field Sports.
isrtY l4l1I- N7f tl H' .
A Tremendous Esx WnAt IN Butisr Coun'
ptf f-,,,,i.yld ~, Ohio. ll ri +sti-
The people OF Ross Township, Ohio
lately indulged in one OF those grand
fox hunts for which Butler county ID
now becoming famous. Many residents
OF Hamilton and the township surround.
ing had been looking forward to the
affair with interest, and in Ross Town.
ship the day was set apart by citizens Of
all ages as holiday. - -. -'..
Saturday morning, sun and wind rose
together, and after a brisk race the sun
was screened behind the wintry' clouds,
and the wind pursued the race indie.
pendently all the day through, reducing
the temperature to such point that
circulation could be kept comfortably
active only by means OF uncomfortably
active exertion. Small parties, in car
riages aud light wagons, commenced to
leave the Butler House, Hamilton, for
the meeting ground as early as half.past
eight.
A brisk trot of half an hour, over 4
smooth turnpike through fine coun.
try, brought the visitor to Millville, on
the bank of Indian Greek. Down the
Cole rain pike, . mile and half below
the Twenty-three Mile House, the juno.
ton Of the east and north boundaries OF
the hunting was struck. Scattered
down the pike, over q distance of two
miles or more, small knots of men and
boys were seen, waiting for the signal
to start; and larger groups stood around
rail fires, and mongrel dogs Of varied
hue squatted close to their masters
heels, and shivered on the green grass
or frozen gravel. And in the same man.
ner the north line crossed the bottom
land, and wound up the hill past the
Indian Greek House. ldr H7'r.A.., I
l7 Luke Bradley, Chief Marshal, on
heavy bottomed gray horse, galloped
up to the group of mounted assistants,
among whom were Jehn Owens, Sam.
Gillespie, VIM. Morris, John Dick,
John Knox, and Ralph Brown, who in
turn galloped Ia nsititaire east and
north along the lines, carrying the
word to other marshals. The right of
the pike was lined with long, low corn
fields, which ended quarter of mile
at the foot of heavily. wooded hills.
Back of the hill, the lines extended
distance of three miles or more, while
the ends wore from mile and a half |
to two miles in width. For q centre
pole, on the Morris farm, tall hick-
ory, flying the stars and stripes, had
hoso s,@k
good portion of the line was visible. |
Down in the bottom, as the signal to
start was given, men and boys de-
ployed, and in skirmish line order
crossed the corn-fields to the foot of the
hill, keeping up, as they moved, an in
din from drums, sleigh and COW
bells, iingling cans, and horns, mingled
with their own hideous yelling. As
the volume of sound grew stronger, and
the armies approached the centre pole,
three foxes were discovered. Some
where near the McCue Indian mound
two of them escaped, and the remain
ing animal sped forward from one side,
only to be driven back by the crowd of
men and their hideous music. More
frightened by far, however, were the
cattle and horses in the neighborhood,
and at one time general stampede of
The visitors horses, along with the cat.
lie on Morris's farm, seemed imminent.
Piling over fences, through the ravines,
Yards, and fields came the men, while
;he noise from the drums and throats
became tremendous roar. -i:,. |.
hands as they encircled the pole, and
,losed 30 deep as to form circle of
bout q hundred feet in diameter. The
OK, tired and worn, took refuge and
.ested in q lot of loose brush piled for
he purpose at the foot of the pole. He
the crowd with the most per.
ect compcsure, and when his vision
lad taken in the personnel of one Sec
ion of the ring, he as quietly turned
nd surveyed another portion. ..,.
A necessary little preliminary in the
hape Of collection to defray expenses
or printing, &C., was shrewdly brought
n at this time by Mr.. Bradley, and
vhen the amount equalled the demand,
he work of bagging the fox was CON-
inued. Four strapping young fellows
7ere selected, one from each line, to
apture the fox with their hands and
8 they threw off cumbersome clothing {
n preparation, Reynard wasn't slow in i
citing his own side ready. The inter- 9
st grew intense. The fox trottcd care
essly Around the ring within two, or
hree feet of the lines. Boys squatted G
ow to the ground to prevont egress be- 8
ween the feet; girls spread their 9
resses, and men stood as rigid as !
tatues. !!
Just as the representatives were pre-. .
airing with whoop to pounce upon
heir game, to the establishment and =
of every person present, !
ingle bound from the ring between the !
ow legs of a fat boy named Gilmore !
arried the fox away TO the outside, and =
efore the crowd had expressed half =
leir wonderment hc crossed ravine,
nd was seen scampering up the wooded II
i'll three or four hundred yards away, ;,
nd the days sport of nearly thousand !,
eople was thus brought to an unex- y
ected termination. And as a portion l
the crowd sought consolation for y
leir disappointment in q bountiful y
,read at Mr. Captain Dicks, and 9th =
3 at the hotel, the animal was in .
'rmally nominated as the next candi- Y
ate for County Auditor. y
.. A STRANGE VisitOr. ....H