Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-09-11
CATCHING CONVICTS.
How They Are Run Down by
Hounds in Alabama
The Proverbial Conyict-Catching Blood
hound Is Nothing More Nor Less Than
Small Fox-Hound Trained with
Considerable Care.

Considerable Care.
Bloodhounds are inseparably asso-
ciated with slavery in the South.
''Uncle Toms Cabin and other stories
and dramas of that character would lose
half their interest without the horror
inspiring bloodhounds. Since the war
the bloodhounds in the South have been
trained to chase escaped convicts.
Every few days newspapers all over the
country publish kilograms from some
Southern city giving an account OF the
escape of convict and his capture by
the aid of blcodhounds.
Those convict-catching bloodhounds
are myth. There are no such dogs in this
section of the country. The dogs used
in trailing escaped prisoners are small
fox hounds, very insignificant and
harmless animal.
At Pratt Mines. five miles from this
city, there are twelve hundred convicts,
leased by the State to the Tennessee
Coal, Iron & Railroad Company, writes a
Birmingham (Ala-) correspondent OF
the St. Louis Globe-Democrat- The
company is responsible for the safe
keeping of the convicts, and is required
to pay the State a good round sum for
every long-term man who escapes
To capture those who escape the COM
pany keeps a large pack of hounds.
These dogs are small red fox hounds A
few of them are spotted, but the major
ity are a solid, dull red color They
are small, slender-limbeda animals, capa-
BILE of fair speed and endurance, and they
can without difficulty follow trail five
to eight hours old.
The dogs at Pratt Mines have for
| years been in charge of R. III. Crosswell.
| They are kept in large stockade q
| short distance from the prison, and
| never taken outside the inclosure ex-
| cept when wanted to trail escaped con-
| victs. In appearance these hounds are
as lazy and cowardly as any ''yaller
dog in existence, but when once they
strike the trail of a convict they become
| all life and animation From puppy
hood these dogs have been taught to
follow nothing but the trail of men.
They are never allowed to hunt game OF
any kind, and would pass over the trail
of fox or deer without notice
To get the dogs on the right trail
coat or hat belonging to the escaped
convict is obtained if possible and
held to the nose of each dog, while
Trainer Crosswell by signs make:
them understand that is the seem
they are expected to follow. They ART
then taken to the point where the con
vict made his escape from the mine ol
prison, or to the place where he wa!
last seen The moment they scent tht
trail they recognize it and give a sharl
yelp. Their lashes are then slipped on
they are told to go and the race begins
Guards on horses follow close behin(
Trainer Crosswell, who rides a fee
horse and keeps right with the dogs
As soon as the trail is struck the bayinl
of the hounds begins and the music the,
make would stir the blood in any Ole
hunters veins. The dogs follow closel,
at first. but as the trail grows warme
they increase their pace. The fleeing
convict may run through a crowded
street, double on his track, enter houses
and uingle with crowds of people, bu
he can not dodge the yelping pack O
ed dogs on his trail. There is only ont
chance to escape them, and that Is un
certain if they are close behind. B,
taking to water the dogs can be thrown
off the trail. If the convict can reach
small creek and wade through the wate
in the middle of the stream severa
scented pursuers. They can not follow
him in the water. If the dogs are Close
behind this plan will fail, because the
guards separate the dogs and follow
, both banks of the creek. often distancs
/, of several miles, in the hope of striking
the trail again
Trainer Crosswen is proud of his dogs
Once fairly started on trail they neve
lose it unless thrown off the scent by
hard rain or the convict taking to water
They have trailed men through th'
principal streets of this city wher'
thousands had passed over the trail ant
finally run the fugitive down The
2 never make a mistake. If they Ar
started on the right trail they follow
= to the end. When several convict
escape together and separate in th'
woods when pursued the dogs ar
divided and the separate trails all fol
s lowed
r The narrowing stories told in novel
, of men being torn to pieces by blood
n hounds have no foundation When tn
dogs overtalze an escaped prisoner the.
= make no effort to attack him, bu
q simply circle around while their deep
mouth-baying tells the guards the gam
i, has been run down. As soon as tn
: guards come up and secure the prisone
a the hounds Immediately relapse int
e that state of lazy Indifference whicl
+ characterized them before the openinl
: of the long chase
On several occasions these dogs hay
done good service in trailing down mul
derers and burglars Trainer Crosswel
q saws he can take any ordinary fox-houn
/ when young and teach 1t to trail meI
A 1t is entirely matter of education An
e not of breed
. How to Keep Ice