Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1884-04-12
TRAINING BLOODhOUNDS,
practIcing the Puppies with D
"Trusty" Convict. -.SOmething More
Efficient Than Shotguns.

Hract1cin& the Puppies With u
"Trusty" Convict. -.ssOmething More
Efficient Than sshotguns.
A correspondent of The Houston
(Texas) Post, who has been visiting
the prison at Huntsville, in that state,
writes about the bloodhounds used
there as follows:
"And these are the bloodhounds
hear so much about?" I remarked to
my conductor.
Eyes, they are the famous blood
hounds; that is, rs much bloodhounds
as You will find in Texas. They are
simply foxhounds, trained to hunt
men" ...-.
DO you keep them shut up all the
time?"
yes, they would make it lively for
the boys if they got out "
How often do you have occasion to
use them during the year?'
"Not more than two Or three times
Convicts will not leave when they
know good hounds are on hand to
catch them
'tConltt you not dispense with the
hounds aud depend upon your guns?"
No, indeed; you can not hold con-
VETS with shot-guns. tits the fear OF the
hounds that keeps them quiet. Deser-
ton is useless when recapture is a
moral certainty, rs is the case when
goods hounds are employed"
30 You have diAIculty in properly
training your hounds p
"Oh, no; that is about the only sport
Sc I, ~
will give them run and Let YOU sec
how it is done"
A trusty was sent down the lane and
over the fence, through q large field,
on run for dear life. When
lie had accomplished about half
mile, or half his circuit,
.he puppies, three six-months-old
nounds, We're put on his track, and one
,tarted, nosiug the ground and yelping
rs they ran. On they kept. over
fences and through stubbles and bitches,
never ee-.sing their noise. Sometimes
Cley would run over the trail where
he trnsty had an abrupt turn, but soon
hey would return to the spot where
they lost the scent and cautiously feel
heir way until certain they had the
rail, when they would off again. The
rusty was q long distance runner, but
yhe soft ground made his impromptu
rock heavy, and he Jagged as he ap-
roached the end of his run, evidently
fatigued
The dogs gained on him rapidly and
were yelping close upon him. he was
ordered to run to q tree or fence and
get out OF their way, so they would have
to find him by the scent. He first tried
to climb q high gate-post, but the dogs,
with their noses to the ground, We're
upon him almost ana forced him to take
shelter in wagon standing in the yard,
where he hid himself in the bed just as
the dogs came in the gate. They looked
up the gate-post and smelled around
little, then without delay followed the
trail direct to the wagon and discovered
their prey, lying painting like q tug
boat. L looked at the persriring con-
Wet, and my heart smote me for being
the cause of his race, but soon found
out that it was g. great privilege, en-
joyed by but few, ans! giving the pup
pies race was considered by them the
very essence of pleasure The convict
took an old blanket in his hand and
alighted on the ground, where the dogs
fought him fierceiy,. making vicious
springs for him. He renulsed them by
butfeting them with the blanket, jump
ing away and thwarting them i'll any
manner without hurting them. Finally,
one of the dogs fastened his teeth in the
convict's coarse pants, at a point where
the most cloth was used in making,
and, holding on with unyic!ding ten
acity, was swung round and round with
vlgor, until tired. The dogs were then
taken by guard, and the convict went
away highly pleased with his sport,