The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-06
THE BLOODHOUND nose
Wonderful Sense of Smell of the
Southern Man Chaser.
Many of Them Imported During the
Days of slavery TO Track Rum
ways Their Trail Once Taken
Nothing Could Divert Them From
It--Instnnces of Rare Sagncity.

1t was recently reported that Governor
Tyler, of Virginia, was entertained on a
visit to a convict camp by a man hunt
with bloodhounds, the man being given
climb a tree. Such exhibitions are quite
common on the South Carolina farms,
where bloodhounds are kept. The same
kind of animals are kept by the :'herins
of many counties in South Carolina. and
they always do we'll on such show ocea-
sions, but have never been known to run
down a criminal.
II very much doubt" said an old slave
owner, whether there is a genuine blood
hound in the South or one with the nose
of the old runaway slave catcher in the
country Any breed of dogs that Jun by
scent can be trained from puppies to run
man and man alone. Ordinary deer or
fox hounds take to this quite naturally
and If crossed with a half or quarter fox
terrier they become vicious and persistent
in the chase. But these are not blood
hounds, nor should those now owned by
the State or counties in South Carolina lie
so classed.
nose and his ferocity was the product
of the institution of slavery. The Guest
strains came from Cuba; large, powerful
beasts, tawny or black with white points,
and so fierce that when not in service
they were chained and only their master
could feed or touch them. II they es-
capped they chased the first person they
saw and their desire was to eat his
flesh
Many of the dogs were imported to
the South by the men who made their
living catching runaway slaves. they
were crossed on the deer hound. and the
product was good man hunter-ferce
enough but not so dangerous as the
Cuban Several packs of such dogs were
owned in South Carolina and their pres
ence in county kept many slave at
home who would have otherwise sought
the shelter of the forest, where, unless
followed by such hounds, he could live
for years. paying weekly or monthly
visits to the negro settlements.
1.-THE alleged bloodhounds of this day
cannot run man if the trail is over three
hours old, if it goes in water or is crossed
by other trails. The slave catcher's
hounds. bred for their cold nose for more
than a century. could carry trail thirty
six hours old. The common definition that
used to be given for the name Of this spe-
u II
fell on the track he would never leave IL.
They were like wolves in that they hunted
for meat and were eager to devour man
run to a tree or cornered. There are many
authenticated stories showing the remark
able qualities of scent and sagacity. 1t
was practically impossible to battle an old
dog, and when his nose was once put by
his master in the footprints of man the
pariieula scent OF that person was the
only one he would entertain in his nostrils,
and that track he would pick out OF hun
dred Ordinary hounds of chase are puz
zled when the quarry takes TO a running
stream and goes up or down. The MAJ
hunter. acute and wise as man, would
systematically hunt the banks up and
down for miles until the trail was recov-
cred.
There is a case of particular note on
record where the services of profess
sional slave catcher were called in to
catch murderer. The crime had been
committed more than tyenty-four hours
when the boss of. the pack arrived with
his dogs on the scene of the murder.
One naked footprint was found. retreat
ing from the spot, and into this the
muzzle of the prize trailer of the pack
was pressed and she was given the word
to 90, the other dogs being held in re-
serve Miles through swamps. across
ponds of water and into the woods the
dog trailed, finally coming out on cul-
tivated plantation. her nose close to the
ground and occasionally giving utterance
to the fierce, yet musical, long-drawn
bay that carried terror always to the
hearts of the runaway. Into the street
of the negro village went the dog, carry
ing the trail where it had been crossed
by dozens OF men, women, and children,
and then into house. Here she made
circle of the room, came out of the
same door, trailed to another house,
scratched at the barred door and when
1t was opened caught the murderer under
the bed He belonged to another plan
tation and had come there for shelter
and protection and had used every device
to throw off pursuit.
1T was, of course. important and reces-
sary that the owner of such pack OF dogs
should be responsible and vlgilant. He had
to be fine horseman and ride horses that
could go almost anywhere for he must be
up to the leading dog when the slave was
brought to bay. If the fugitive was too
hard pressed to climb a tree or, as they
sometimes did, attempted to shoot the
dogs he would be torn to pieces If the
master was not promptly on hand. Laws
governing the abuse OF slaves were strict
and enforced. The most noted case of
their violation is one of the best known
criminal cases in our lawbooks, although
it occurred sixty years ago. captured
slave had incurred the enmity of the hunt
ers and he was killed and his flesh fed to
the dogs. The two whites implicated were
tried, convicted, and hanged at Walter
boro. the militia of Charleston being
marched sixty miles to prevent their res
cue by friends on the day of the execu-
ton.
With the passing Of slavery the neces-
sity for cold-nosed man-chasers no longer
existed. and the breed at least in this
part of the country. is no longer pre-
served. st Louis Globe Democrat.