Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1900-10-18
THE SLAVE CHASERS.
FIERCE BLOODHOUNDS THAT WERE
USED IN THE SOUTH.
When Not In Service They Were
Chained, and Only Their Masters
Could Feed or Touch Them-The
Strain Probably Extinct Now.


Could Feed or Touch Them-The
StrnIn Probably Extinct Now.
1t was recently reported that an Off
cial of another state was entertained on
Il visit tC a convict camp by man hunt
with bloodhounds, the man being given
an hours start and plenty of time to
climb tree. Such exhibitions are not
rare on the South Carolina state farms
where bloodhounds are kept. The same
kind Of animals are kept by the sheriffs
OF many counties in this state. and they
always do well on such show occasions,
but have never been known to run down
a criminal.
Il very much doubt" said an old slave
owner. whether there is 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 run by
scent can be trained from puppies to run
man and man alone. Ordinary deer or
foxhounds take to this quite naturally,
and if crossed with half or quarter fox
terrier they become vicious and persist
ent in the chase. But these are not
bloodhounds, nor should those now own
ed by the state or counties in South Car
olina be so classed.
"The bloodhound in his perfection OF
nose and his ferocity was the product
of the institution of slavery. The finest
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 them or touch them. If they
escaped, 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 deerhound, and the
product was a good man hunter, fierce
enough, but not so dangerous as the Gu
ban Several packs of such dogs were
owned in this state, and their presence in
a 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, pay
ing weekly or monthly visits to the negro
settlements.
',rhe 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 catch
ers' hounds bred for their cold nose for
more than a century, could carry tralP
36 hours old. The common definition
that used to be given for the name of this
species of dog was that if a drop of blood
fell on the track he would never leave it.
They were like wolves, in that they hunt
ed for meat and were eager to devour a
man run to tree or cornered There
are many authentic stories showing their
remarkable qualities of scent and Sagac-
ity. 1t was practically impossible to
battle an old dog, and when his nose was
once put by his master in the footprints
Of a man the particular scent of that per-
son was the only one he would entertain
in his nostrils. and that track he would
pick out of 100. Ordinary hounds Of
chase are puzzled when the quarry takes
TO n running stream and goes up or down.
The man hunter acute and wise as
man, would Systematically hunt the
banks I'D and down for miles until the
trail was recovered.
There is Il case of particular note ON
record in this state where the services OF
professional slave catcher were called
in to catch n murderer. The crime had
been committed more than "A hours when
the boss of the pack arrived with his
dogs upon the scene Of the murder. One
naked footprint was found retreating
from the spot and into this the muzzle
of the prize trailer of the pack was press
ed. and she was given the word to go, the
other dogs being held in reserve.
"Milcs through swamps, across ponds OF
water and into the woods the dog trailed,
finally coming out on a cultivated planta-
ton. her nose close to the ground and oc-
i,.in ntt fierce
but musical long drawn 'bau' that car
ricd terror always to the hearts of the
runaway. Into the street of the negro
village went the dog, carrying the trail
where il had been crossed by dozens of
men, women and children, and then into
a 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 it was opened caught the
murderer under the bed He belonged to
another plantation and had come there
for shelter and protection and had used
every device to throw off pursuit.
at was, of course, important and nee
essary that the owner of such pack OF
dogs should be responsible and vigilant
He had to he fine horseman and ride
horses that could go almost anywhere,
Tor ne must De up 10 iue ledulHS Jug
when the slave was brought to bay. IL
the fugitive was too hard pressed to
climb 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 law books, although it occurred
years ago. A captured slave had incurred
the enmity of the hunters, and he was
killed and his flesh fed to the dogs. The
two whites implicated were tried, con-
victed and hanged at Walterboro, the
militia Of Charleston being marched 60
miles to prevent their rescue by friends
on the day of execution.
with the passing of slavery the neces-
sity for cold nosed man chasers no longer
exists and the breed, at least in this part
of the country, is no longer preserved -
Atlanta Constitution.
-.