The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-05
MAN-HUNTING BLOODHOUNDs.
The Use Of Dogs I'm Trailing Criminals
I'm the Far West.

San Francisco Examiner.
The use Of bloodhounds as an adjunct OF
the police department is becoming more ana
more common in various sections of the
Union This is particularly the case in the
far West.
During the days. of slavery dogs were
used throughout the. South to run down
fugitive slaves, but for many years after
the war man-hunting with hounds was al
most unheard of. Now and again IL was
tried, but lack Of training in the dogs and
perhaps want OF patience in their owners
brought about so many failures that the
practice was almost forgotten. Ten years
ago, when two desperate men held up
Southwest, and secured many thousands of
dollars in booty, a ranchman In Arizona
offered to trace the highwaymen If a suffi-
him and reward for his trouble offered.
These prellminaries being settled, he ap-
peared on the scene twenty-four hours after
pie of not very dangerous-looking dogs and
a Winchester rifle. He was ragged In cos
tune, and apparently. ragged mentally, but
as the result proved knew what he was
about. Keep your eye on them dogs, and
your hands on your 'weepons-there's
going to be more or less fun" was all he
Three days later. after a weary chase of
many miles over one of the toughest trails
In the world, the dogs came up with and
S SPrnsre I'd the nighwaymen; The latter
could escape the pursuing posse was upon
them and they surrendered They after
w be batH @ Their guilt and tod where
recovered. The amount of money involved
and satisfactory work of the bloodhounds
revived the old practice OF trailing men with
dogs, and there are now hundreds of the
useful animals in the possession of the
peace officers OF the West They are care
iu III nrea and trained for the police duties.
In California the sheriffs of a dozen coun-
TIES nave these four-legged deputies and not
lnIrequentiy they prove more faithful and
sTni . than their two-legged associates.
The best hounds in California have been
taken there from other States where their
breeding is made business Some of fha
a ann nave long pedigrees. The Examiner
Iutu recenty or valuable addition to the
sherif's force at Nevada CITY. II is a Ave
months-old pup christened "Jims Budd."
a ATE the Governor Of California. Young
Jim Budd was born amid the green nonn7
tains of old Vermont at the Kennels Of 7
L. Winchell. at Fair Haven. His sire's Of
ncial name on the record book of the En-
s ..r5a r DLood Mound Club of American is
ancestors designation on the same archives
Is Champion Judith, 1850" There's a
duchess In his family tree, Premier and a
Nestor, showing union OF nobility end
brains not far back on the record In color
Jim is black and tan, and he has a mouth
mat alone Is worth an arsenal OF rifles at
any Jail "A natural born man trailer Is
the cheering character given Jim by the
sheriff W
Fresno has six bloodhounds and the genial
for months past is seriously considering a
cnange. one or the Fresno dogs is by the
famous Leader" who has captured more
train robbers than any dog living. In one
Instance Leader took the trail of one train
roober four days after he had left the house
IN which he stayed all night The dog fol-
lowed the trail six days and freed his man.
Sheriff Jack Jones. OF Stockton, has the
reputation OF being one OF the greatest
criminal catchers in the West He uses six
dogs and is on the go with them all the
time. Leader. the pet. Is by Old Romulus.
owned by the State. of Arkansas and i'm
ported from Cuba. All the dogs owned by
Mr.. Jones are either imported Cubans or
from imported stock.
Monterey county Is one of such vast d.
mansions, and at the same time so sparsely
populated, that since the days OF Vasquez,
the desperate, its rolling hills. densely
covered with chaparral, and its tule lands
have always proven a refuge for criminals
Owing TO these almost inaccessible districts
In the county Sheriff j. l.. Matthews saw
the necessity OF securing bloodhounds TO
help him i'm trailing refugees. In 1898 he
sent TO Krutchfield, the overseer of the
convict farm at Carrots Prairie, Tex, for
some bloodhounds. He soon had cause to
their arrival the desnredations took place
at Seaside and Pacific Grove, for which
Amos Virgin is now serving a life sentence
in san Quentin. few months ago the
hounds did the county a valuable service in
trailing the murderer Of conductor Haines.
who was shot and killed below Soledad.
miles until they found the criminal. For
the most part these counties and others
find the dogs so useful that the animals
bring very large prices now.
There is considerable literature on blood
hounds. One OF the best short treatiSes is
by Edwin Brough, of Scarborough. England.
He tells how pups should be be fed on oat-
meal porridge. stewed sleeps heads and
ships biscuits. and gives minute directions
as 10 training the youngsters Ito hunt the
clean boot" He discourages the practice
of rubbing blood on the boot OF the man
who is being experimently chased for train
ing purposes, and favors the clean boot"
every time.
Mr. Brough Is quite an enthusiast in the
bloodhound man-chaSing business, and 10
him il has as much fascination as tennis
or football TO the sporting man of quieter
tastes. He says among other things:
ANY one who is fond of seeing hounds
work. but who has only limited amount
mense amount OF pleasure in hunting a man
with one or two couples OF bloodhounds.
In such circumstances IL Is a great con-
venience to be able TO select the exact
course which could not be done IL hunting
some animal. and a great variety OF differ
ent runs can be contrived over limited
ground.
Il know nothing more delightful than 10
see bloodhounds wording out a scent care
fully under varying circumstances. and TO
hear their sonorous. deep, bell--ike note.
There is not. of course, the slightest danger
to the runner, even II the hounds had never
seen him before. When they have come up
ard shifted him ove~ they manifest no
further interest in him.
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