Evening journal., 1899-09-01
BRINDLE DOGS DYING OUT.
Only Nine Now Said TO BE Living In
nlinois--Their Peculiar
Trials.

News of the death of "Yelper," the
famous brihdle dog owned by James
ldler, of Calhoun county, calls to mind
the fact that the brindle dog which,
few years ago, was so plentiful in Amer
lea that he was the subject of satire of
all American humorists, is now almost
extinct. Col. George C. Gill, of Olym-
plan Springs. Ky, who has made life
time study of the "brindle" in animals.
is in the city, and when told of the
death of Yelper SAID
zone would hardly be justified in
placing it among the possibilities that
a man Of extensive general knowledge
and accomplishments should so far for
get himself or display such amazing
ignorance Of the subject, as to assert
as a certain author has lately done,
knowingly and willfully and publicly,
that the 'brindle steer is an extinct
animal, as much So, he says, as the
ichthyosaurus, the mastodon or the
hypothenuse.' New, the truth of tho
matter is that in the state Of Illinois,
the 1895 crop of brindle steers is the
largest ever known-reportst TO the state
commissioner showing q gain of 13
per cent. over the crop Of 1897, and IA
per cent. over that Of 1896, and the last
decade shows gain of a little over 21
per cent. A gain is shown for 1898, in
every state in the union, except Arkan-
sas, which shows slight falling Off.
"Now, while the brindle steer is on
the upgrade, it is lamentable fact that
the brindle dog is almost extinct. He
win soon be placed on the list with
the wild pigeon and the American BIZ
son. Scientists and biologists cannot
or have not as yet been able to offer any
explanation of this decadence, which
has been exceedingly rapid.
"The Illinois census shows that in
the year 1855 were 9,347 brindle dogs
in the state; in 1860, 9,O1s; 1865, 6,5l0i
1870, 1,726; 1880, col; 1890, 1877; 1895
AZ: 1898, 0. OF the nine now living
in the state, seven of these belong tC
the wealthy coon-hunters in Calhoun
county. One Of these named 'Chawm,
is owned by A. B. Hunter, and last fal
II the cutting Of coon tree he broke
the record by killing II coons in L
minutes. This can be easily verified
as Chawm is still alive and residing
with Mr.. Hunter.
"The other two noted in the censu
report are twins, and have taken VI
their residence with a prominent farm
or near Vienna, johnson county. From
nv own observation-aBd have alway
taken a lively interest in the matter
/ find that a strange fatality, or rnth
er one long continued streak Of ba'
luck, has been constantly and contin
ually with the brindle dog family 70
the past % years. These are some o
the things they had to contend with;
"An epidemic Of 'distemper' break
out in the neighborhood, it tackles tn
brindle dogs first and never deigns I
bother the others as long as there
: n brindle left. A flock Of sheepis chase
at night. The farmer starts out wit
p his shotgun the next morning. but
> careful not TO shoot a neighbor's do
without some evidence of his con
plfcity in the raid. but II he meets
brindle dog he shoots him on genera
principles. A coon tree is to be Gu
If there are a dozen dogs there, and
one dog is killed by the falling of th
tree, you may safely bet that il is
, brindle dog No brindle dog was eve
known to live in a town. Heis strictly
corntry dog. If he should by any chanC
visit the nearest town, it is absolutel
sure that he will be compelled to igi
/, the first town dog he meets. Heusuall
? gets whipped in the first round.
$50 many things of this kind seei
to be 'agin him that I think soml
times that often some bright memb'
of this family becomes 50 discourage
That he commits suicide."-Chicago Il
ter Ocean.