The sun., 1888-05-06
FLEEING BEroRr sLooDnoUsDs
TIE stsry or a Texas Convict whe Msae .
Break for Liberty.

In as nearly bis own language rs can
remember II. this Is the story. and have no
doubt the true story, that Peter Lands, clerk
at the East st. Louis stock yards. told to me.
People who picture n bloodhound as mastlff
magnined about two diameters, tawny -colored
with muzsle like q keg, and paws tho size Of
small hams have derived their idea from
Uncle Toms Cabin troupos, and know nothing
about the real article. Bloodhounds are used
In the penal institutions OF all the Southern
States. but nowhere as extensively as In Texas.
where the raising OF them and their sale to
Sheriffs and Wardens forms quite an industry.
l happen to know good deal about the beasts.
although l was never n dog fancicr or On
officer. Tho truth is, was convict.
| look back on II with sorrow. but without
shame, for was convicted for something | do
not consider " crime. / had been employed as
n cow puncher on ranch south OF Fort Worth,
on the Rio Grande, and we were taking bunch
Of cattle north to the Panhandle district. At q
little town called Hayman Junction SheriG's
posso stopped us to search for some stolen
horses and one OF the deputies claimed my
pony. I had raised the animal from a colt. but
the deputy was obstinate; so We had words,
and he finally snntched UP Winchester. l
protest / had no wish to hurt the man. but I
beloved was in danger. and. to mnkn long
story short. l shot him In tho shoulder. was
arrested, tried. and, in spite. OF 4l my friends
could DO. sentenced to the Northern ,Pcniten-
tinry for two years. The Charge was assault
with intent to DO great bodily hnrm," and thcre
,wEas G0nsiderable prejudice against cowboys in
had never been bnd young fellow, and
this was hea,threaking to me- but still had
sentence patiently. The penitentiary was at
Huntsville, 400 miles away by rail. aud there
in TRANSFORMING us Is the M method sill! in vosss
in Texas, and J. challenge penal history. with
collars weighing at least five pounds were
std ans round and Our nei We're .sJ IN
to long chain that ran down the
centre Imagine .ycrtebra with eighteen ribs,
and one has fair idea of the arrangement, but
no words can convey the sense OF degradation.
the brutnlizing horror and shame that even the
most callons. feel upon becoming part OF this
snapped On each man. and. bending and STUN
bling PHI under our chains we We're driven thronigh
1t was n terrible one. The central chain was
long enough TO stretch from seat to seat as wo
man moved his head he would jerk the necks
Of those before and behind him him and a culver
last % two ONE men ', were v chained up 50 short that
they could barely sit on the extreme. edge OF
their seat by craninS their neeks as far front
ton. and when one moved the whole elanking.
got some bread and meat once on the trip,
which lasted exactly twenty-six hours.
When we finally Esached sSaas
were running down my fnce. and tried as best
l could with my manacled hands to hold the
ehafed raw a%k TIE rest o ns the en we're 81 % IN
scarcely better shape and our joints were 80
s 1ha nssph eond %tk Gy
As we were getting out of the car l stumbled
and pulled over another man. half strangling
cn1t ha fly fhn
guard rained down a shower Of kicks upoE me.
~ I've noticed you shammng.", , he shouted.
III. Was was you the IN 'hG snne for the
prison, and this little episode .hxed my status:
was reported as sly; cunning rascal, fond
was viewed, and all my little mistakes and fail
ures were prejudged. 1t was not long before
cry cry % sentiment except = a dull discrimination to
ESCAPE at the first opportunityi
| tory at Huntsville, but rs tho summer opened
work in a wood cam, about tif,y miles away;
| deputies. pointing me out to the contractor
hes a slick conniver and apt to make you
ri bore a hole through him If he does" re-
so So With this RECOMMENDATION I was intro.
thick belt OF woods. and was guarded by a cor.
don of sentries; exactly as a military post
consisted altogether OF choppine and cording
| The tasks were severe the punishments excss-
eS the ao ooa n6
shncklss were dispensed with there were nc
escapes, for not only wore the guards instruct
| but in one corner Of the camp was kennel
containing twenty bloodhounds. None OF the
fe Become familiar With them on te pain Of ashns
! but often saw them and they looked very
much like setters, dead liver.eolored. small in
pointed noses. There was nothing at, all lor;
midable about their appearance. but dreadful
stories were circulated Of their ferocity.
Fall was coming on and it was getting cold.
when ono evening | ESCAPED. 1t was unex-
rected., had Grayitated into water,carrler
| and had gone, Just about dusk, to spring neaI
guard at that point passed me and said rs he
ssae SHIP Thon Il ahsd ore me yf ha
mistook me in the Gloam for the relief guard
i was ehancP an, TINT might neyer s3 come agan
in strange; thipiy settled country that | did
not know. mad convict's stripes OH my back
and not cent or weapon in my pocket, and
knew that my absence was sure to bo discoy:
II sss Tban 9o1 Wien the r
ias $ Sssas
tbs camp before the alarm. and plungec
aheai taking a soptheastery direction from
than the open. for from the time l passed tn,
guard the bloodhounds mad never been out o
| MY mind an instant, and knew that the trco!
would seriously embarrass the riders who follow
the pack. 1t is generally supposed that blood
| hounds track and tree iugitives for hours be
fore the pursuing party comes up but as mat
ter of fact, the riders always aim to be right oil
the TANKS of the dogs There was Il good doa
of underbruSh and 1t =. hard progress. but
excitement kept me =, and | never pauSe'
until rsachGd u clearing good siT miles
away. where / threw myself down and listened
The wind was still yet the night WAS full o
the interminaels stir OF the woods the hutte
OF leaves, the snapping OF twlgs; and the seam
per oil some belnted sIuirreland in eyory sount
l iancied could hear the faint. Jar buying o
the hounds. Stories had heard IN camp o.
the. savage beasts swarming oyer poor wretchel
and tearing them open rs they fought. came
into horrid picturing in my mind until m,
scalp began to creep and sweat started out n!
oysr, mo ike water, II had grown very dark
hands in front Of me to keep the branches ou
Kept on pretty eIsadily all night. and wher
morning dGwnoi IL found me on tho iringes o
the wood bolt. with n spGrsey grown, undu
| lnt OF m ipr mn mi