The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-10-10
PURSUED BY HOUNDS.

AN ILLUSTRATION OF HOW RUNAWAY SLAVES
WERE HUNTED DOWN BEFORE THE WAR
THRILLING SCENE IN FLEETWOOD DRIVING
PARK.
The way runaway negro slaves hunted down
by ferocious dogs and brought back to their masters
in the ante Jeii4m days received illustration at
Fleetwood Driving Park yesterday or course tho
illustration WIS only play; but the terror OF the
fugitive the rapacity of the bloodhounds that I'M
errngly followed upon his track. and the escape
from the dogs at the last moment by climbing be-
yond their reach portrayed SO wildly that it
required considerable stretch OF the Imagination
to believe the incidents real. This playing at
''nigger hunting however, had element Of
danger which needed further realism, and that
the certain tate OF the negro If he should be
caught.
The occasion was tho rehearsal Of a scene to be
witnessed to-day at Fleetwood when Thomas Butler,
of Hamburg. s. c.. will show all spectators just how
negroes were tracked in the days of bondage. Hav-
ing brought the pursuers-twelve well trained
dogs-he mas also brought the thing to DO pursued
negro black us coal, of great endurance and speed
who yesterday ran mile in just five minutes and a
half, and who years ago ran equal distance III
even quicker time-his life then depending Oh his
speed.
That is Mr.. Butler controls his dogs by the blasts
OF old COW horn. polished into decency and pos
sessed Of the tones and compass of hooting owl.
The negro was started from the stables back of
the club house on horseback. He rode down the
hill and partly around the track and then, spring
ing from the saddle. dashed at high rate OF speed
through the centre field. over stony ground and
ankle deep in the to the track on the Other
side. There he climbed on fence and made
his way on the top rail for thirty or forty yards
Anything once more on the track. he hed around 1t
three minutes. He was then more than a mile in
advance of the dogs. who We're held in check by
% The brutes ioS by Dsnnis white and black
spotted animal rushed pell- NEIL out of the stable
and following the track Of the horse ran rapidly
| and silently to where Sam had dismountcd and
taken to the field Then they gave cry and rushed
franticay after him. with noses close to the earth
and ears erect. Reaching the place where Sam had
climbed the fence. they separated aud the bowling
! was hushed. They had lost the scent. Presently
Dennis found the trail again. and. bowling like mad
resumed tho pursuit. The rest in full cry and close
upon his heels. BY this time Sam lad regained his
horse on the race track. and. camberng to the sad
die, he struck out ut wild gallop around the
course. The dogs were then coming on to the home
stretch of the and had not yet the
But their instinct did not fail them when they came
to the place where he remounted and they did not.
us might have been expected. take up the trail
followed in the footsteps of the fleeing
pony. The little horse the mile In 2:20. and
upon him that they could have almost jumped upon
his TANKS. gate with high stringer from post to
post is near there and to this place the negro rode
and. seizing the beam, swung himself out Of reach
OF the dogs aud TIE pony dashed on
Then began bowling to which all the
The dogs parked and yelped and jumped
high i'll in endeavor to reach the painting
man. stretched out in safety the beam above
Them and fought to get him. Mr. Butler came up
and with few blasts Of his horn silenced the pack.
and Sam descended among them in safety. sam
then took another run aud reached once more the
place Of safety where great limb Of tree had been
placed. With this he beat the dogs cruelty but
they would not relnquish their attempts. and their
ardor not abatod by blows that felled them to
the earth.
During the second pursuit the negro ran through
| q crowd of gentlemen who, by Mr.. Buffers assur-
ances Of safety. had been induced to come upon the
track. Tho hounds dashed through the party with
out apparently noticing that any one stood by. Some
OF them less swift than others in running around
the track. would cut lots and come out near
the leader To-day tho hounds will trail the negro
from three o'clock till dark Mr.. Butler proposes.
| he says, "to show that hunting down negroes with
hounds is not the cruel thing 1t is believed in the
North TO be- and also rho smiles) incidentally to
make little money"