New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-11-11
RLOODHOUNDS As TRUCKERS.

The attempt TO make use OF bloodhoundS IN
tracking the Whitechapel murderer has been
conspicuous failure. The dogs employed seem
20 have come from private kennel those with
which Sir Charles Warren has been expert
menting having proved worthless in all
the preliminary tests. The idea OF using blood
hounds as trackers in the heart Of densely
populated district was so preposterous that it is
amazing that it should have been seriously en-
tertained by the chief of the metropolitan
police. The best-nosed dog ever known could
not have followed the trail of his master over
the streets Of London with stale scent crossed
Mt every pace by fresher one. How any ex-
perienced official could have imagined that a
bloodhound could succeed in tracking stranger
over ground where confused and unfamiliar
scents were numerous passes comprehension
II is not probable that Sir Charles Warren ever
believed that his desperate expedlent was
practicable. His idea must have been to i'm
pose upon the credulity Of the people OF Lon
don by encouraging them to think that the
chief at Scotland Yard was an official OF extraor-
binary resources and original power
The fact has been established by experiments
In the field that the scent which good-nosed
dog ordinarily follows ia an emanahon from
shoe leather. An investigator, who made
number Of striking tests with settlers
and hounds at a Scotch shooting-box,
discovered that he could invariably
throw his dogs off the scent by changing
his boots for pair belonging to a companion on
by running in stockings or barefoot. The
Whtechapel monster could undoubtedly elude
pursuit by changing his shoes after he had gone
| q short distance from the scene Of the murder
| As for the theory that bloodhOunds could track
him with the adventtious aid of the smell OF
blood on his clothes, it is uncnable in this in
stance since he apparently is remarkably sue
cessful in escaping blood stains, which, indeed
would inevitably lead to his detection in the
streets. If such murder were committed in
| the country, and the body were dragged any
| distance and concealed or buried, the dogs
would easily succeed, ferret it out, and pos
sibly in the open fields or roads be able to fol
low the murderer. In overcrowded London nc
such result could be hoped for with reason
The facility with which the murderer could
throw the hounds off the track, and gain upon
| them even if the scent were hot, would inevi-
tably battle them. BY taking cab or the I'M
derground railway he could break the trail and
in short time place miles between him and hi:
pursuerS
The only species Of bloodhound that can be
employed successfully in hunting down the
Whitechapel fiend is one that is apparently un
known in London. This is class of real de-
tectives, with good eyes between their noses
and brains back Of both. Superintendent Muir
ray. Of the New Y orl1 force, remarks that il
such series of crimes should be committed
here, he would put every man under his com
mand in plain clothes and constitute ever,
policeman special detective until the murdcre
were found. That the same tactics would sue
coed in London. if there were a police fore,
competent to deal with the case, there can b,
little room to doubt Crafty and ingenious a
this murderer undoubtedly is, there must b.
suspici )lls circumstances connected with hi
daily life and habits which would put detective
on his track if anything like house to- h GUS
inspection OF London were Systematically I'm
dertaken. Probably English law, with il
spirit of conservatism and its methods Of CD
struction, does not permit such radical meas