Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1900-06-08
THE old DOMINION,
LATEST NEWS CLEANED FROM VAki-
GUS PARTS OF VIRGINIA.
A VERY CLOSE SHAVE.
Man Hunt with BIoodhou Near sur
folk, Val Nearly Caught The quarry
The Two Youths Whom The mounts
Were Following Took Refuge In sap
lings-Many Spectators.

The man hunt with bloodhounds, in Nan
semond county, came near resulting ia
tragedy instead OF polite comedy. bioou-
hounds generally mean business, and moss
engaged in the hunt declined to regard the
affair as merely friendly sporting event OF
as a harmless illustration OF their Keehness
OF scent. Two youths, Albert Wilson, "h'te,
10 years OF age, and John Ward, coioreu,
aged ST. were obliging enough to act as 'ne
quarry. Later In the day for a few moments
they were strongly inclined to wish they nad
not been go obliging. The hunt took place
under Off cial sanction, and was under 'ne
supervision OF Deputy Sheriff Nornee' anu
Hurricane Branch, q detective. liners "oio
three hounds In the pack, two large Georgia
hounds John and Tiger, weighing nearly
100 pounds each, and Lee. from the pack on
the State farm, weighing about 6o pounas.
The idea In the hunt was to test the lnsllhct
and training OF the dogs. The men were
given long start. and 1t was understood
that they were to continue running Until
they heard the baying OF the hounds. wheh
they were to climb convenient trees. The
latter part OF this program came near no.
being carried out. Among officials invited
TO attend the hunt were the Chiefs OF Ponce
OF Norfolk, Petersburg, Suffolk, Newport
and Portsmouth, and the Sheriffs OF Nanse-
mond. Isle OF Wight, Southampton ana
Greenvllle counties, Virginia, and Gates
county. North Carolina. To enable specta-
tors 10 hear and see the dogs the quarry
were instructed to cross highways accessible
to carriages. The men were given their
start and when 1t was time for the dogs 10
follow there was intense excitement.
heterogeneous mass of humanity was present
when the bloodhounds were loosened from
their iron letters. wavering, snakellke
stream of men and boys who were iate
stretched northward toward the Town Oh
Suffolk. Everybody was expected out. IL
was the flrst man hunt that had ever been
seen In this section As the letters dropped
from the big dogs necks they at once darted
swiftly away on the trail. Their deep voices
echoed through forest and field. The man
hunt had begun, An instant !ater there was
q movement of horsemen, footmen and car
riages. At one part of the road the quarry
had taken different course from the ore
outlined, and Detective Branch blew whis-
tie and tried to recall the hounds, thinking
the scent had been lost. The dogs would
not obey and statements from the quarry
proved later they were right 1t was a cru
cial test for the dogs. The ground was hot
and dry and stiff breeze was blowing.
| Those pursued varied their course by pene-
trating briars, brush and thick underground
and then running for a season through dry
sand, the most trying foil of all. The round
| up was six miles in an air line from the
starting place, but the pursued claim they
| covered ever ten miles in their circuitous
| journey. The hunt, as already said, came
near having tragic ending. Irritated by
long running and maddened by the hot scent.
| the dogs saved their breath and only barked
| at Intervals. The men bad sat down to rest
| In the shade and the dogs were almost upon
them before they knew It, They sought
small oak saplings and had just gotten clear
| OF the earth when the bloodhounds came up,
painting and charging like demons After
their masters arrived and chained the dogs
| they refused to be subdued. Bloodhounds
usually notice none but their quarry, but
| one of the dogs made dash for bystander
and was checked. The men declined to
| descend from their leafy pearches till the
hounds were we'll in the distance Wilson
says he would not have fallen from the little
tree for $4,000 Detective Branch, owner
Of the two largest dogs, said after the hunt
| he would not take 81 900 for the pair.