The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1886-08-20
THE BLOODHOUND FROM MARSHALL.
It's Trial Trip After Jim Ravel Was a
Gratifying success.

It's Trial Trip After Jim Ravel Was q
Gratifying success.
The constable here, James Perkins,
has a bloodhound as an assistant which
he intends to keep, writes a Houston,
Tex, correspondent of The New York
San. 1t was sent to him from Mar
shall On the understanding that if he
did not maintain his reputation as the
best man-hunter in Texas he would be
taken back. To test the bruse's capac-
ity the constable and several friends
went out to the fairgrounds, taking
the Marshall dog and seyeral others
along. The others had been tried on
many occasions and found wanting,
but it was thought best TO give them a
chase along with the new dog. The
hounds were shut up in a building until
all the arrangements for the trial We're
perfected.
As soon as the party arrived at the
grounds Jim Ravel started off on foot
toward Bray's bayou. In this way he
made about two miles, travelling in
roundabout ways, sometimes crossing
his own path, and all the time improY-
ing every opportunity that presented
itself to cover his tracks. A pony had
been hitched near the bayou, and when
he came to the animal he mounted it
and rode rapidly toward the timber,
taking as difficult paths as possible.
AS soon as the hounds were turned out
and got the scent the Marshall dog was
off like a rifie-ball, the others following,
but apparently with no very keen in
telligence. What they lacked in knowf-
edge, however, they made up for with
their baying, which was something
frightful. The Marshall dog kept in
the lead, and wherever Ravel had cross
ed his tracks or zigzagged the brute
followed his trail with a precision and
speed that were wonderful. At the
point where the fugitive had mounted
the horse the new dog paused for a
moment and stood like a statue, while
the others circled around him as if I'M
able to decide what to do next. Then
the Marshall dog, with nose on the
ground and trembling like a leaf, made
a circuit of the place. and turning in
his tracks, went around the ring once
more, until with a snort of recognition
he was of, baying even louder than
the hounds hat followed him. After
this the pursuers could not keep up
with the pack. Some time later Rayel,
who was riding like mad, heard the
dogs coming nearer and nearer. and re-
cognizing his danger from them, he
hurriedly dismounted, ran q few yards,
and climbed a tree. He was not a
minute too soon, for the dogs, the
hound of Marshall in the lead, were on
his heels, and, having located him, they
began jumping in the air and nantes
ting in other ways an oyerpowering
desire to get hold of him. The pony,
in the meantime, almost had a fit, and
its owner says it has not ceased trem-
bling yet. When the pursuing party
came up they found Ravel in the tree,
and the dogs keeping up their internal
racket below. The constable told the
fugitive to come down, and stood ready
to defend him from the dogs should oc-
casion arise. AS to the old hounds, this
precaution was not necessary, but the
Marshall dog, in spite of it, seized
Ravel and would have injured him if
his trainers had not driven him of.
The test was deemed highly satisfac-
tory by all who witnessed it, and the
constable win keep the dog.