The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1896-01-15
Swift Footed Lank Childers.


me by an official of this county-a
man who, in every respect, is worthy
of belief, and who not very long since
made trip to Fort Payne, in Ala.
bama, near which place, in small
mountain cabin, resides the remarkable
nah of whom / write.
Lank Childcrs is the name of the
subject of this sketch, who is, per-
haps, one of the most wonderful men,
in his way, living in that matter
wonderful because of his swift foot
cdncss. 1t was during session of
Fort Payne Superior Court, when the
county official above referred to was
in the Alabama town. An unusally
large number of people were attend
ing Court, and among them was Lank
Childers. One day, during the noon
recess of the Court, a number of
Childcrs's friends and admirers begged
him to give an exhibition of what he
could do, there being large number
of people present whom it would de-
light to see him perform that which
but few living men were able to do.
Finally, after much persuasion on
the part of his friends, Childers
agreed to give an exhibition of his
skill as sprinter by allowing pack
of hounds owned by citizen of the
town to chase him. The dogs. half
dozen of them, we'll trained, and said
to be the swiftest and most valuable
in all that country, were brought out,
and the runner was told to get his
distance for the start. 'Twenty-6ve
yards is all I want" said tie noun
taineer and he stepped off the dis
tance and announced ready.
Childers was barefooted, and, as he
stood there ready to be chased by the
hounds, the onlookcrs who did not
know the man, nor what he could do,
imagined him lunatic of the first
water. When the runner gave the
word, the hounds we're loosed and the
race began-and such race
The man bounded away swiftly,
leaping deer-like, and the hounds with
deep voice speed after him.
Down the little valley, in which
Fort Payne is situated, Childers led
in full view of the Judge and solici-
tor and all the Court people-leaping
high, the hounds giving swift chase.
They were no closer, but even futher
behind the deer-footed man, when two
miles had been covered than when the
race begun. Childers turned from
the valley and went bounding up the
side of the mountain, gradually cir
cling on the homeward stretch, the
hounds in the mean time doing their
best, but losing ground.
The race, for great portion of the
way, was in full view of those back at
the Court ground, and to them it was
scene of amazement. The very
idea of blooded, swift-footed
hounds unable to cope with man in
speed But such was the case the
fact was there before their eyes.
Swifter than the hounds, the man was
certainly as tireless.
Presently Childers came loping-
apparently slowly, but in reality very
very swiftly-back to the crowd, hav-
ing run FIVE or six mile heat, while
the lead hound, when Childers arriv-
ed, was fully four hundred yards in
the rear, yelpiug and coming on the
homework stretch at it's best rate.
The other dogs were still further be-
hind.
1t was a victory for Childers, and
the on-lookers in their enthusiasm
cheered him on, tossing hats high in
the air. The sprinter was the hero OF
the hour. Praises were bestowed
upon him by all-even the Judge and
solicitor did not fail to offer congratu-
lations and pronounce him the swift
est runner of the age.
But this man has been known to ac-
complish races equally as great as, if
not greater than, one above told. He
often puts his speed against that of
fast moving freight and passenger
trains. On several occasions he has
been known to start with swift-going
through freight train at Fort Payne
and keep even pace with it to Brinlee,
small station five miles distant, on
the Alabama Great Southern Road,
and more than once he has raced for
a short distance with passenger trains
that were running their regular
twenty or twenty-five miles per hour
schedule, giving them an exceedingly
clever race.
Several times Childer has made the
trip afoot from Fort Payne to Chat
tanooga and return in single day,
the entire distance being 12O miles.
The task, he always declared, was an
easy one.
Probably the crowning feat which
Childers is able to preform is that OF
catching, on dead run, wild, grown,
and unhurt deer. 1t is claimed that
during his residence in the mountains
around Fort Payne he has actually
captured in this manner three or four
such animals. The manner in which
he does this is that whenever he
hears dogs giving chase to deer ne
goes and takes his stand behind tree
and rarely fails to over take the ami
mal-the dogs arriving later.
Lank Childers is credited with be-
ing able to climb tree with the agility
of cat. In Fort Payne, where grow
a number of tall red oaks, which for
many feet are limbless, Childers has
given exhibitions Of his skill as a
climber. He ascends tree as quick
ly as squirrel, and when reaching
that point where limbs grew out in.
vcrts himself and comes down head
foremost as rapidly as he ascended.
Invariably, and while the spectators
are looking on in perfect astonishment,
Childers, during his descent, pauses
second about eight feet above the
ground, then suddenly, like some wild
animal, springs distance of ten OR
twelve feet from the tree, aiightlng
gracefully on his feet.
Of all the mountain bullics who
reside in Childers' district there are
none so rash as to tackle this man IN
fight, for it is with lightning,llkes
ragidity that he "walks the log OF
ali those who care to cross his path.
He has never been whipped in a
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