The Portland daily press., 1888-11-09
A TALK WITH a DETECTIVE.
Mr.. Davis Shows a Press Man What
a Bloodhound Can DO.
Dogs That viii be the Terror of Bur-
glars and Criminals.

To keep abreast of the times nowadays, it
is necessary to be well up in whatever pro-
fesSion or business one chooses to follow.
Especially is this true in the detectives call
ing, and if a man expects to successfully
pursue lawbreakers and criminals, bringing
them to account for their misdongs, he must
be wide awake, and he cannot afford to be
without those things that materially aid in
his profession. Detective Robert Davis is
aware OF these facts, and his latest advance
step is the purchase of couple of English
thoroughbred bloodhounds. He has had
one OF the hounds, a pup between four and
five months old, in his possession for some
time, but the other will arrive here today.
The hound which Detective Davis has been
training, has very fine coat, and ears so
long that they almost touch the ground. He
is called King, and weighs 40 pounds. A
full grown English bloodhound weighs from
| 60 to so pounds, and they are said to be I'M
erring when once on the trail. No matter
how many people cross the trail, the well
trained hound keeps on the right SCENT and
| never gets confused.
rs your hound ferocious?" queried the
writer. as he walked into Mr.. Davis's com
Portable office in the First National Bank
building yesterday.
mot in the least" replied the detective,
ION the contrary he is as gentle as a dog can
be. great favorite with children and pet
with everybody"
But l thought bloodhounds were ugly
and altogether dangerous"
There's where you are mistaken; that is,
so far as thoroughbred English bloodhound
Is concerned. You have doubtless read of
the ferocious slaye-hunting dogs of the
South and formed from them your idea of
all others. The dogs used to hunt fugitive
negroes in the days of slavery were a cross
oetween the bloodhound and the mastiff, and
were made ferocious by various means, for
instance by tying pieces of wood about their
necks aud requiring the dogs to drag them.
The object was to get dog that would be
ugly. Perhaps you would like to see my dog
perform?''
The PRESS reporter answering that it
would give him great pleasure to see the
bloodhound follow trail, it was agreed to
take the 3 p. M boat for South Portland and
from thence proceed to the woods at Cape
Elizabeth. Upon arriving at a growth Of
FIR and pine trees boy some u or IA years
old was sent off on the run into the woods.
and told when he had gone a considerable
distance, to conceal himself as best he could
In the thick brush. The bloodhound was
given the scent from the boys hat, and when
the young fellow had long disappeared from
sight, the hound which had been whining
with impatience to be off on the scent. was
released by Detective Davis, and away he
went, baying occasionally to signify that lie
had the scent" Among bushes, over stone
walls a,ross swamps and lodges he went.
never losing the trail until he brought up in
dense growth of dwarf frs in which the boy
was concealed. A joyous bark announced
that he had found the runaway, and Mr..
Davis ana the PREss man soon arrived at
the spot, and again the boy was sent out
Ihls time he took a very difficult route
through very dense ground juniper growth.
and over ledge of loose rocks on a side hin
But the unerring and faithful hound followed
tne Scent, losing the trail but once, until he
found the boy. Twice more in woods and
neids the boy tried to outwit the bloodhound
but all in vain.
Il have had at least % cases in my expert
ence,' said the detective, Sin which only
bloodhound could furnish the clue to the
criminal. l expect to make my dogs very
useful In hunting lost people, wheth-
er In the woods or elsewhere.
In tne country or In villages where burglar
les have been committed they will follow the
scent OF the burglars, and should he flee to
the woods would have him in a very short
time. In the Stacks murder case at Cumber-
land Mills, had the people been kept away
from the house so that the bioodhounds
could have been put on the right scent they
would have followed it until the criminal
was found in his hiding place. While / was
In Texas last summer six prisoners escaped
from prison there and all of them were CAP
tnred again by the aid of bloodhounds. The
Whitechapel murderer could have been run
down If the bloodhounds could have been put
on the right scent and managed by expert
enced trainers. Had the murderer left some
part of his clothing behind the dogs could
have taken the scent from it and then the
trail would have been easy for them. As it
was. the hounds were put in the hands of
policemen who were afraid of them and who
lacked experience in handling bloodhounds,
and SO Understand the dogs did no good.
Il shall run my dogs under leash, that is.
In following trail l shall hold a rope which
is fastened to their collars and thus keep up
with them in close pursuit of the person
wanted. After little more training nv
bloodhounds will be of great assistance to
me-"