Morning journal and courier., 1888-02-20
A GREAT FOX HUNT.
over Six Hundred Men and Many La,
 dies Run Down Two Reynards.

lTolona (IIl) Dispatch to the Chicago Herald1 The greatest fox drive ever known in Champaign county took place to-day at
 Lime Grove, eight miles southeast of here,
 in the presence of numerous throng of ladies and gentlemen. Between six hun dred and thousand men, including seve- ral well-known hunters from abroad, par- ticipated in the sport. The leaders previ- ously chosen were not all present, and oth- CTS were selected to take their places. When the lines were formed they were offered by the following experienced directors of the chase: J. R. Moore, of Philo, chief marshal; Sam Vanbrunt, captain of the north line; s. G. Lehman, of Sidney, east line; I. s. Ray- mond, of Raymond, south line; Anthony Keinhart, of Crittenden, west line. Each captain was ably seconded by two Heuten- ants. The officers were mounted on fine horses, all the others being on foot. Not a dog 8 gun on the ground Lime Grove is patch of native forest standing | like fair oasis in vast desert of prairie. It is part of fringe timber, and it branches | from the Wabash river far up into Illinois. | The underbrush at this particular spot has never been cut out, and in places forms 8 perfect thicket, making an admirable hiding place for foxes and other animals. When \ the lines were formed about the grove this morning there was no sign of life in the grove. The ground was covered with sheet | of ice, and when at ten o'clock the order to move sounded along the lines the men with \ difficulty made the advance, the entire march l being slow and tedious.
 It was nearly eleven o'clock when a shout l rang out from the southeast corner of the grove, and the next instant 8 red fox was | seen making straight shoot towards the
 line near Captain Raymond's position. The
 lines wavered for moment and the ladies | stood in breathless suspense. Then the men
 braced themselves for conflict, and Sir Key
 nard retreated in good order. Four times he \ made the circuit of the lines, stopping mo
 ! ment at his hiding place as he passed in each ! instance, and then resuming his course as ! before. At the end of twenty minutes he became desperate and made a frantic dash | for liberty As he rushed towards the line \ Joseph G. Lawrence. principal of the Philo public school, threw club, striking Sir Key nard fairly and knocking him unconscious Following up his advantage Lawrence se- ! cured his trophy, the brush, and will have it ! mounted and placed in his scbool-room.
 The original intention had been to have ! the round up in small clearing at the south ! west corner of the grove, but that was not ! reached before the first fox was captured, | and nasty movement was now made to at ! tain the desired position. Ten minutes had | scarcely elapsed when from the same place ! whence the hrsG appeared another FOX Jumpeo | forth The lines were now almost like a wall of men, and the second fox made no eff \ fort to break through Tde officers designed
 letting him run himself down, but the en- ! thusiasm became so intense that the men could not be controlled. They broke ranks
 and rushed pell-mell upon the flying animal. ! One man made a lunge headlong after it, | but missed his game. MT. Bartlett, of Syd- ney, stumbled over the man who had fal. | len and threw a club. The fox fell and | Bartlett bounced upon it. The men yelled | and the ladies cheered as he secured the prize. There being no other game within the ring the ! crowd dispersed, to meet agaiu at nine on the | following morning on another field to renew | the chase.