Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1886-05-01
TRAITS OF THE MAN HUNTERS.
The Master Of the Bloodhounds and His
Wonderful Convict Catohers


Wonderful Convict Catehers.
"Wynton, allow me 10 introduce my
friend E. o. Crauswell, who is the keeper
Of the dogs at Pratt Mines, Ala, and
who has the only pack of genuine blood
hounds in the south"
The speaker was L. w. Johns, the min
ing engineer. Mr.. Crauswell advanced
and extended his hand to your corre-
spondent. He was heavily built, six feet
eight inches tall, offlorid complexion, and
wore wide brim SLOUGH hat. His feet
were encased in high-topped boots, in
which his pants were stuffed. His coat
was worn open in front, showing an inn
maoulate shirt Of snowy whiteness, on
the bosom of which, half hidden in the
ruffles, glistened large diamond. He
had the appearance of desperate, bur
he was genial and frank and an interest
ing talker, with voice as soft as a
woman's, and with actions as timid as a
girls.
In 1882 he came to this place and be-
gan TO train bloodhounds. He brought
to the mines five famous dogs that had
been owned by his father, among which
were Fannie and Bucker, the two famous
man hunters of the south. The dogs are
kept in kennel in the stockade enclos-
ure, and are nursed and fed by their
master as tenderly as children. Their
food consists of bread and raw beef.
The animals, when three months old,
are put through course of training. A
trusty convict is started off on run
with the dog at his heels, and runs q
short distance. A run of five minutes il
taken, and it is increased until the dog
can trail well at start of thirty hours
on him. The dogs are not difficult TO
train; the only difficulty is to keep them
from changing tracks, which is, in dog
parlance, to put dog on the track of
man and his sticking to it without chang
! ing even if other tracks cross it. Fannie
will never give her tongue to any other
but the first track she took, even if 100
persons We're to cross it. She will follow
he track to its end, and, if she does not
ind the man, she will stop and return
home.
When convict escapes, general
alarm is sounded, and the dogs are
ready. They are taken to the place
where the escaped convict was last seen.
Jrauswell mounts his fast horse, and the
logs are let loose. Each dog circles for
track and begins to hunt. Every one
goes to work for the trail, like as many
human detectives. When the trail is
ound the dog who discovers it makes g
signal and every other animal follows.
Fannie and Bucker always take the lead
rom any other dog. Crauswell and
horse follow at full speed, and the longer
he chase the more interesting it grows.
The longest trail this man and his man
hunters ever had was in March, 1884,
when negro escaped from from the
shaft prison. He had gone forty miles
md had been away about twenty-eight
hours. The dogs had trouble to catch
his scent after such time. The negro
look an astonishing run and went about
en miles through water. He was found
1t last on top of an old house on
ihe mountain near Warrior river. He
vas half starved when captured.
Crauswell was asked to speak of some
If the characteristics of his dogs. Il am
convinced" said he, beyond the shadow
If doubt, that bloodhound has more
han mere instinct. believe that they
link and reason like human beings. !
know that Fannie and Bucker do. The
logs are docile in camps and very vicious
IN trail. Their sense follows the move
nents of men. There is no trouble to
ret them to take the track when they
| ind it,
AFTER convict is captured the dogs
return satisfied, and as happy as if they
had caught rabbit. When they return
20 the prison they become perfectly do
,ile; when called out again they grow
very excited. The affection of the dogs
COR me is more like that of child to its
father than anything else can describe.
[ feed them myself and they have great
confidence in me. have five fine pup
pies, months old, that have fur on
them like sheep, which are now ready to
track man to the depths of hell, if he
could travel there, and as for hiding a
trail, it is an impossibility. 1 am raising
them for sale. and guarantee them to
find trail thirty-six hours cold. Mash
villa A poaripon