Telegram-herald., 1890-07-07
CATCHING oONyIcTS.
How Thay Are Run Down by
Ho0ncs IN Alabama
The Pr0xerbiAl coBslet- C@teAing Bleed
ho4az IL Nothing more Ssr Less Thsz
sa&u Eox-Bouna Trziasd Sitb
COassderabte Care.

Blooahoands are inseparahly ssso-
eiared with slavery In the South.
.Uncle Ton's Cabin" aud other stories
and drauaas Of that eh2rzter would lose
half their interest without the horror
Inspiring blooiAcunds. Since the wsr
the b1ooaho2nas IN the South have been
trained 70 chase escaped oonylets.
Every few days newspapers al over the
country publish telegrams trom some
Southern city giving an account Of the
escape Of convict and his capture BY
the aid Of bloodhoands-
Those eonyiet-eatching bloodhounds
are amyth. There are no such dogs Ia this
section OF the country. The dogs used
In trailing escaped prisoners are small
fox hounds. q very Insignificant and
harmless animal.
Al Pratt Mines. FIVE miles from this
city. there are twelve hundred conyicts,
leased by the State % the Tennessee
Coal, Iron & Railroad Company, writes
Birmingham Ala correspondent Of
the ST. Louis Globe-Denlocrat The
company il responsible for the safo-
keeping OF the coavicts. and is required
20 pay the State "a good round sum for
every long-term man who escapes.
To capture those who escape the COM
pany keeps large pack OF hounds
These dogs are small red fox hounds. A
few OF them are spotted, but the major
ity are solid. duh red color. They
are small, slender-limbed animals, capa-
Bile of fair speed and endurance, and they
can without difficulty follow a trail five
to eight hours old.
The dogs at Pratt Mines have for
years been in charge of X. II. Crosswell.
They are kopt In a large stockade a
short distance from the prison, and
never taken outside tho inclosure ex-
cept when wanted 10 trail escaped con-
victs. In appearance these hounds arc
as lazy and cOwardly as any "yaller
dog" in existence, but when once they
strike the trail of convict they become
all life and animation From puppy
hood these dogs have been taught TO
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
q coat or hat belonging to the escaped
convict is obtained il possible and
held TO the nose of each dog, while
Trainer Crosswell by signs makes
them understand that Is the scent
they are expected TO follow. They arc
then taken 10 the point where the con-
vict made his escape from the mine or
prison, or to tho place where he was
last seen. The moment they scent the
trail they recognize it and give sharp
yelp. Their lashes are then slipped of,
they are told to 60 and the race begins.
Guards on horses follow close behind
Trainer Crosswell, who rides fleet
horse anu keeps right with the dogs.
AS soon as the trail is struck the baying
OF the hounds begins and the music they
make would stir the blood in any old
hunters veins. The dogs follow closely
at first, but as the trail grows warmer
they increase their pace. The fleeing
convict may run through crowded
street, double on his track, enter houses
and mingle with crowds of people, but
he can not dodge the yelping pack of
red dogs on his trail. There is only ose
chance TO escape them, and that is un-
certain if they are close behind. BY
taking TO water the dogs can be thrown
off the trail. If the convict can reach
small creek and wade through the water
in the middle of the stream several
miles he may be able 10 escape the keen
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 distance
of several miles, in the hope OF striking
the trail again.
Trainer Crosswell is proud of his dogs.
Once fairly started on a trail they never
lose IL unless thrown of the scent by
hard rain or the convict taking to water.
They have trailsd men through fhe
principal streets of this city where
thousands had passed over the trail and
finally run the fugitive down. They
never make a mistake. II they are
started on the right trail they follow it
TO the end When several convicts
escape together and separate in tho
woods when pursued the dogs arc
divided and the separate trails all fol-
lowed
The narrowing stories told in novels
of men being torn 10 pieces by blood
hounds have no foundation. When the
dogs overtakc an escaped prisoner they
make no effort to attack him, but
simply circle around while their deep
mouth-baying tells the guards the game
has been run down. As soon as the
guards como up and secure the prisoner
the hounds Immediately relapse into
that state OF lazy Indifference which
characterized them before tho opening
OF the long chase.
on several occasions these dogs have
dono good service in trailing down mur-
derers and burglars. Trainer Crosswell
SAYS no can take any ordinary fox-hound
when young and teach il 20 trail men.
j. is entirely matter Of education and
lot OF breed.
How 70 Keep Ice.
There are three or four things that