The sun., 1896-10-05
COON HUNT IN NEW YORK.
LICK OF A MIDNIGHT CHASE IN
THE CI7Y'S TOODs.

----
The Metropolitan Coon Ciub-hnd hrcnH
of a Model Coon Dog aud the Mtsndven
.,... or ,b. huntcru-A Coon freed Too
weii-A Wiud-up with - Trolley Car
To tho Intelligent Briton whose ideas OF
American natural history include the fact that
Pufra,o ia named from the herds OF these ami
ma,s which infest tho front lawns in Its resi-
dence dlstrlcts and that one Of the duties OF the
chicago police force Is to keep grizzly bears
from breaking into the City Hall and devourinR
tbe ponrd of Aldermen, 1t would be no matter of
nurprise 20 learn that within the lmlts Oh
Americas greatest metropolis rnccooh huht
with all the accessories, Including the coon, can
be enjoyed at the present day. The average
Now Yorker doesn't know this, however, and
would perhaps find II hard to believe. But
then there are great many thihgs thet mo
average New Yorker doesn't know about MS
own city The facts In the case are that within
ave- Years one bnnd OF coon hunters have killed
more than 100 eoons in New York city's limits.
fl fell to the lot OF SuN reporter to he in
yited TO tho weekly hunt Of the Metropolitan
Conn club one night last week. This club has
amemhcrship varying from five to twenty, ac-
cording to the favorable or nnfavorabe aspects
of the night on which the club gathers. Its
members live In one of the upper regions OF tho
city where civilization lies In patches. The
rest is thick woodland. On this particular night
the club gathered in a road tavern some four
miles from the spot where the coons live. First
and foremost there was Spot. the most i'm
portant member of the club because the only
one who could not be spared from coon hunt.
Spot is a decp-chcsted, sturdy y-legGed cross be-
tween rabbit beagle and II foxhound,
with instincts that amount to intelligence.
and beautiful baritone voice. Also he
is that rarest OF the canine species.
n good coon dog. with qualifications
which neither race nor breeding nor education
will supply. Next in Importance to Spot comes
Sill Stickles. tho President OF the club " no 10
also the master tree climber OF the organization.
Then there were Hunny," who is a dead game
snort" and ms such is looked up to by all the
other members. whereby he occupies the post
of general oracle of the hunt; Fred and Lew
Pierson, whose knowle Of the woods makes
them invaluable trailsrs. and three or four
others. By the tims the club was fairly started
on the warpath there were ten members in
line. not including Spot who was endeavoring
to turn handsprings on in front by way OF an
outlet for his superfuous glee.
1t was a glorious night for coon hunt or any
thing else. Millions OF stars Glistened in q blue
black sky, and wind that came from no cloud
in all the expanse from horizon to horizon blow
cool and fresh froln the west
Couldn't be n better nights 1t wasn't for
the wind" remarked Sil Stickles. as he hoisted
his climbing irons little further up on his
shoulder and struck out at pace that made his
companions stretch their legs. For the most
part the march was made in Indian file. across
fields. through narrow paths. over stone walls
with an occasional detour to avoid a swamp or
brook. 1t was silent march, for progress in
single file does not conduce to conversation.
ms on he Dtern ~ ha
President, which bobbed on ahead like a will O.
the wisp.
After fifty minutes OF pretty rugged travel the !
party came out on the broad hard beaten West |
chester road aud scattered in alarm as four BIZ |
cyclists. with ba-rel-hoop spines, came tearing |
down the road at a tremendous clip shrieking !
like demons for a clear road. Had Spot been a |
very small fraction of q second slower in |
scrambling into the gutter there would un- |
doubtedly have been q painful accident. with |
consequences to the bicyclsts, for Spot WAS ex-
trenely popular in the club. and any injury to
him would be resented. particularly II 1t came
as the result Of Illegal practices. and those BIZ
cyclists were certainly scorching within the city
limits. Perhaps the errand that the club was
on was not strictly within the bounds of the
law. as there is city statute forbidding the use
OF firearms and several OF the party wore con-
cealed weapons about them. Doubts as to the
proceedings arose in the reporters mind when a
mounted policeman galloped up from behind
and refined in his horse with the question:
What are you fellows doing here? On the
hoof, chr"
Indeed, the crowd looked enough like hoboes
with their slouch hats. old clothes. and the
clubs which they carried; but the poceman's
mind was disabused OF this by Hunny, who
called him Barney" ana told him that the
he of
mosquito or two before morning.
oh. Is that you. Hunny?' said the cf!cer
eii; eon want to be around 70 see you tree
Morrow o snd box hs but III drop in
Ihen ne galloped up the road, and was soon
loet TO view beyond "A turn.
81, sil stlcklos. ITS light across from the West
Chester race track. l reckon by this time Spots
Spots voice raised in great excitement at the
side of the road not far ahead put q sudden
Started one already. by thunder" cried Lew
Pierson as he broke into run.
An, he's close onto him by the way he's
=, s,r.,cb.d ,hnIs shaGea huhny as the entire club
G Listen now Hes got him treed!" exclaimed
ries OF shrll yelps. and at the sound lew Pier.
so ton iet out peg or two. covering ground at a
pace ace ina .hst made conversation lmpracticable
fresehlly he pulled up, with the rest close be.
hind. turned OF the road. Jumped over vail
And ran To good-sized maple, under which
paniment @N''i-
THAT a cinch," remarked St!ckles ele.,uIIr
as he sized MP the tree ell get roast coon on;
d d thst a eSsE Coon couldn't have run any ways
like that" 'N '1' 'ree
As he spoke the President was lighting a bulrs.
eyo ss, ,iahtefn' after which he looked to his
won't even need the climbers on thu, =
lree; rec he continued and after | get un il
yy1Ght ynn fe fG DO ea1y to spot him with the light
ou le!Iows lo1k out when ! shoot. First iii
| =
~ oar OF ilxht from the bull's.eye CLEANED
Whoop. yelled the club unanimously os 8
.he coon" " N""N"' mere - b
=. Wow,wow- wow Yoop-yoo oo.oo.oon,, vo- I
'ierated spot. standing mp on his hind lrvs w. j
~ Nall him from here, stick said JInnthHn' u
, @ sies raised MS pistol and at that iuUm.nt /
mere fioatcd out from the branch upau 10 sn1
peal ""'' VI rear ana ap-
Mee-y yow- -w-w-w," Il
Mell. I'm blowed," said the club with y
prompt unariinitY. Wv ''u" win !
nunnS turned tercelv toward wbers sno, had !
'Vsu pfAc ne moment before ''' ''Au "a
S1E, u earn you To vase opr ti,n, o,o,, IL
Sobnnvt terr tme hids OF you; Where'd he gnY'; a
ranIsMo2 ,hh,W' The Intelligent beast 'L.d II
,srt ~, H. U.p Nearing that cry. II wasn't any /,
"a 'aIt OF ms plan 10 hray ana face whai hn any /,
''yeapeT.rLee would be pleasant consr"u.na m"w
iit-I Throwing a few stones inIm aonues, , b
y warning I" the cat not to interior. nc ree II
I. lnI |