The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-10-18
xENTuCKY,s B11Np HuNTER.
Wonderful Feuts OF a Man who has been
sIghtIess Twenty Years.

SightleaS twenty Years
Chicago Times Herald: A dispatch
from Nicholasville, Ky, contains the fol-
lowing remarkable story:
Tom Johnson, who has been blind in
both eyes for twenty years, has been the
talk of the county for the past ten days.
johnson Is fox hunter. He keeps a
pack of hounds. Mag, one OF his favor
tie dogs, went mad. Johnson's wife and
children and neighbor, 10 Harvey
BrHmaeld. were out In the yard when
Mag came running through the orchard
foamlng at the mouth and swapping
right and left, 1t was genuine case Of
hydrophobia.
The people in the yard frantlcally
rushed into the house, locked the doors
and told johnson Of the condition Of his
favorlte dog In the meantime Mag had
dashed by the house and started OFF in
the direction OF neighbours. When
johnson was told Of the dogs hyhropho-
ba he arose and despite the efforts OF his
family and Mr.. Brumfeld. walked out
into the yard. Directly Mag came back
and seemed TO be In o more violent state
or madness than before. Those In the
house called 10 Johnson and plteuusly
begged him TO return. The old blind
man needed not the appeals of his fam
fly, but stood like n statue listening to
the snarlng of the dog. Mag sped him
and came straight to him.
There she comes" yelled Brumiield
from inside of the house. Within ten
feet Of him Mag stopped then slowly ap-
preached him, still swapping and snarl-
ing. Right to the blind mans feet came
the dog, and as she was about to seize
his leg he reached down and, with an in
stinct which seemed superhuman grasp
ed her around the neck in Il vlce-like
grip,
The dog struggled In vain to free her
self, hut Mr.. johnson started toward the
woodshed, dragging her. Brumtield
came and opened the door Of the shed,
and Johnson approached and hurled the
dog inside, Brumfield quickly closed the
door and Mag was left to her rawlings
til shotgun was procured and she was
killed
This feat OF Mr.. Johnson's is only one
Of many in hts remarkable career. He Is
nifty years of age, and the story OF his
deeds sounds more like fiction than fact
Twenty years ago he was a man OF aftlu-
ence, but he lost his eycsight, and, hav-
Ing large family, his fortune dWindfed
until to-day he has only house and a
few acres OF land All his life he has
haen passiOnatcly fond OF fox hunting,
and has always kept fine pack OF dogs
When he became blind Il was thought
his hunting days were over bit such
was not the case. He became
even more devoted 20 the sport
Strange as II may SEEM he has never re-
qulred guide to aid him In riding over
the cliffs OF the Kentucky River In his
chase. Mounted on hts Old blind mule
this blind man may be seen one or two
nights every week riding along the rug
ged cliff. while his dogs are. searching
for the trail Of fox After the trail Us
found he stops, and all night long listens
10 the baying Of the dogs az they follow
the trail, moving only when ReSnard
leads the dogs to more distant parts.
TYPICAL fox hunter that he Us, he knows
the "mouth" VI his every dog. DID q
stranger meet him on a dark night he
would never know the man was blind
Many are the tendcrfeet he has led on
THESE night hunts His ability to find
hls way on these chaHes In accounted for
by him in that he u perfectly familiar
with the scope Of the country over which
no hunts. but when II Is remembered That
this scope extends for many miles along
The rugged cllfrB OF the Kentucky river
and TINT he rides a mule ~ blind as nm
solf. II can be considered no less remark-
able.