Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-06-01
MAN HUNT A SUCCESS
The Bloodhounds Tracked Quarry
Ten Miles Through Country.
"Hurricane" Branch and Deputy Sheriff
Norncet Proud Of Their Dogs-Dummy
Criminals Almost Caught by the Hounds
-Commencement Exercises.
Especial Cor. virginian-Pilos.y

Especial Cor. Virginian-PiIot.)
Suffolk. Va. May s1.-The blood
hound man hunt was pulled off this
morning with unqualified success. The
pursued were freed like coons in the
night time, and they chung to their
trees as tenaciously.
Followed by officials business and
professional men in carriages and on
horse back. coatless men, small boys
and negroes on foot, vicious blood
hounds trained to run human prey, fol-
lowed their quarry ten miles. and forced
Them to climb to save their limbs and
lives
The end OF the chase was six miles
cir line from the point OF starting. but
the men whose lives were in jeopardy
say. their circuitous route led them
through ten miles OF brush and briars.
The men who ran from the blood hounds
were Albert Wilson. white. aged nine
teen years, and John Ward, a negro,
aged 81.
ALMOST CAUGHT THEM.
The men were in fifty yards of dam
ger when 6hey embraced small oaks.
They had just reached the limbs and
gotten out of harms way when the
maddened beasts, painting, bowling and
bfoodthirsty came uD and tried to
reach them by Jumping. but couldn't.
The men did not mean to put them
selves In such 5eopardy. Tired of the
long chase and maddened by heat and
the freshness OF the trail the dogs did
not bay frequently. but saved their
breaths for endurance. That's why the
hunt came so near having a tragic end
ing.
Wet with Precipitation, gasping for
breath and wellnigh exhausted, Wilson
and Ward had sit down in the shade.
believing the hounds were several miles
behind. The negro looked down the
open road. and saw the dogs coming.
He warned his white colleagu and
both men scrambled for trees. They
selected the nearest, for they had not
time to pick the big ones.
THEY JUST HAD TIME.
Ward and Wilson had hardly gotten
out of the dogs reach when they came
up like the wind. snarling, swapping
and barking loudly. They would not be
pacified even when their masters ar
rived. Hurricane Branch, who owned
two of the largest. John and Tiger,
chained them together. and tried to pull
them away. AS they lunged at their
prey one strong man could not hold
them, and he was several times dragged
backward. Deputy Sheriff Robert L.
Norleet looked after Lee, leader of the
pack on the State farm near Richmond.
The men refused to descend from their
perches till the blooded hounds were
we'll in the distance. The dogs made n
break at Henry Eley, n by-stander, but
were held before harm was done.
Hurricane Branch and Deputy Nor
fleet, owners of the dogs, say they did
all that could have been expected
Branch said he wouldn't take 81 900 for
John and Tiger.
Sheriff Baker. of Nansemond, and
Sheriff Williams, of Southampton. who
rode together. say the dogs work was
almost phenomenal. They are ex-
perienced fox hunters.
John and Tiger weigh nearly 100
pounds each, and Lee Weighs about 70
pounds.
Wilson said the dogs knew him. but
when put on his trail they meant to
harm.
A heterogeneous mass of humanity
was present when the blood-hounds
were loosened from their iron letters.
1t was the first warm hunt they had
ever seen.
AT one fork of the roads the quarry
had taken a different course from the
one outlined by Hurricane Branch, who
blew whistle 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.
Many persons viewed the man hunt
as dangerous and brutal. Others re-
garded 1t as sport and q. test of canine
fagaclty. Bloodhounds are more and
more becoming important factors in the
prevention and detection of crime De-
spite the fact that the quarry had mar
row escapes to-day's Is said to be one
OF the most successful man hunts ever
conducted anywhere. The quarry had
over two hours start
HOLLAND POLICE NEWS.
Sam p. Holland and luther Latter
had words last night at Holland and
Mayor Luke had Police Court case
to-day. Juter was put under a PEACE
bond and fined. The whole thing came
to s11.S0.
CLOSING EXERCISES.
The commencement exercises of Suf-
folk College will take place next Mon
day, June 4th. The art exhibition will ice
held at the College Hall from 10 n. m.
to b p. M. The graduating exercises
and closing concert will take place at
the City Hall on Monday night, be-
ginning at O'clock.
FROM NEARBY POINTS.
Mrs. l.. II. Stephenson. a well-known
lady OF Iuni. died last evening