Connecticut western news., 1880-09-15
A BLOODHOUND'S GRATITUDE.
A Strange Story Told of Anderson
 vile Prison.

There is now living in Eaton County, Michigan, says the Detroit Free Press, a farmer who, as a Federal soldier and a prisoner at Andersonville, was @ party to @ strange incident during the palmy days of that terrible prison pen. The pris- oners were allowed to go out in squads, strongly guarded, to collect firewood. One day it came to this mans turn to go, and for the first time since his impr1son- ment he caught sight of 'Col. Catchem, |" the big bloodhound who had run down more escaping prisoners than all the other dogs combined. In fact at that time he was the only hound at the post. He was @ monster dog, savage as tiger, and he had in several cases pulled down and killed the prisoners before the pllr- suers could come up. Such were the stories of hisiferocity, Whispered inside the stockade that more than one tunnel was abandoned just as it was ready to lead it's diggers under the posts and to liberty.
 The Michigander noticed that the dog hmped painfully on one of his fore feet, but gave the matter no special attention until after being out for half an hour, he sat down to rest near one of the guards The dog approached the guard as if to ask some favor, but was repulsed with an oath and threatened blow. He then skulked around and came near the prisoner, who saw that he had an old horseshoe nail run into his foot. With a little coaxing he got the dog near and finally pulled out the nail, and the ami nal ran away, seemingly well pleased. Twelve days after that, one night about midnight, tunnel was ready to pass out the few who had secretly dug it. The Wolverine went first, and in- l deed last. The others remembered the stories of the big bloodhound, and drew back at the last moment. The prisoner was a long time getting clear of the neighborhood, and weak and starved as he was he was not more than two miles from the stockade when day broke and "Colonel Catchem" was put on his track. When he heard the hound com ing he looked for asuitable tree to climb, but failed to find one. Armed with a club he took his stand and determined to make fight for it. The dog came along the trail with rush, stopped short at sight of the prisoner, and was about to spring when he recognized the man and began exhibiting every sign of friendship. After a few minutes the pursuers were heard in the distance. The dog at once trotted off in that direc- tion, and was shortly baying and leading them over a fictitious trail.
 The prisoner rushed ahead for half an hour, and was then rejoined by the dog, who kept either close to his heels or just ahead of him all day, and lay be- side him in the woods at night. This position of guardian or companion he maintained until towards night of the second day, when he returned to the stockade. The prisoner was then thirty miles away, but the roads were patrolled and the woods secuted, and on the fifth morning he was recaptured. When he was returned the hound met and caressed him, and for this was whipped by one of the guards. From that hour to the close of the war the dog would not take the trail of an escaping prisoner. He was tried time and again, but he would not follow the trail a single rod. Another bloodhound was procured, but as soon as he took up trail the other dog would follow and fight him. During the last three months of Andersonville not @ prisoner was run down by the dogs, al- though dozens tunneled out, and many were lying in the woods when the con- federacy went with crash.