The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-15
MAN.HUNTING HOUNDS.
Not Many of Pure Strain Left ir
South.

6O0tAs
The use of what are called blood
hounds in the southern part of the Uni
ted States for catching criminals is a
common practice. For over so years
dogs have been trained in the south for
this purpose. Before the civil war near
ly all of the larger plantations had one
or more pure bloodhounds, trained to
pursue runaway slaves. In some cases
the plantation owners would club to-
gether and purchase pack, each having
the use of it when needed to catch the
fleeing negro. In those days some white
men in the south made it a business 10
train dogs especially for the purpose and
accompanied them when they were
needed for a chase" as it was termed.
Very few were ever used for bird or ami
NAL hunting, as it affected their scent
for men. The planters fond of hunting
kept other breeds of dogs almost entire
ly for sport Since the war the value
of the hound is so well known in follow
ing escaped criminals that today the
half-breeds are almost as numerous as
the others were 80 years ago, although
many were killed by the union soldiers
and the negroes themselves during the
war
| Dog fanciers say that there are proba-
bly, not rs pure blooded dogs of this
breed in the United States at present.
The first of the kind came from the
north of England near the Scotch boun-
dairy line. When not in service they are
often kept about the house, more as
/ pets, probably because of their courage
and docility, for the real bloodhound is
anything but the savage and vicious
/ brute depicted by artists and described
by novelists in his ordinary condition.
When not aroused he is as gentle and as
tractable as a lap dog. Let him be pro-
voked, however and he will attack man
or beast. with ferocity which is equaled
by no other breed of CANNES. He never
gives up as long as life lasts and 1t rs
death to either himself or the object or
! his attack. The savage side of the dog
| is aroused by resistance and he Will sell
dom bite anyone who does not offer it
unless influenced by the scene of blood.
This trait is proved by numerous illus
trations where the animal has been used
4 in the southern states.
The hounds of the pure species have
an unusually long and narrow fore
head, with eyes very large and SOFT
while in color they are dark. tan or
fawn. They stand about two feet above
the ground. Their legs are short but
powerful. and they are not swift run
ming dogs, although they have as much
endurance as any OF the hunting breed.
Their scent, however, is wonderful and
probably surpasses that of any other
variety. This is shown after they are
broken in" to hunt criminals. The
manner of breaking them in the south
ern states is to select stretch of
country ABOUT u mile 1OHB WIFI OilC VI
two small thickets on the course" as
it is termed. The ground may be pas
ture or perhaps an old cotton Held
| where the earth Is loose. A negro boy
duced in some other way to take the
part of the runaway. He puts on pair
| of shoes or "brogans," the soles of
which are rubbed with blood from some
animal or chicken. and is given a
start of about twenty minutes. This
will enable him easily to cover the
course, at the end of which is a tree or
some other refuge into which he can
climb and thus avoid any possibility
of being injured by the dog. When the
animal Is loosed the trainer puts his
nose to the spot where the runner
started and as a rule he is ION the
scent" in a second, going at full speed
across the stretch of country. In the
thicket he may be puzzled a few mo-
ments, but generally he strikes the
trail again and in a few moments is
baying, which indicates that he has
found the scene where the fugitive is
located. The scent is best early in the
morning before the sun has dried the
dew on the ground, as the moisture
tseems to hold the odor.
| Even to this day the OdOr by which the
dog follows a man is subject of discus
sion among the veteran trainers. Some ar
que that it comes from the soles of the
feet and some say it is the natural odor OF
the body. Others claim. however, that the
leather is especially adhesive and attempt
to prove this theory by showing that where
a fugitive has taken off his shoes the dogs
have frequently been delayed considerably
in tracing. AS under such conditions the
man is liable to bruise his feet and as his
blood offers the best scent it is merely
choosing the worse of two evils in most
instances to follow this plan.
Occasionally hounds are used to trace
criminals in the western states, but the
practice is confined almost exclusively to
the south Efforts have been made to train
ordinary breeds of dogs such as settlers,
for this purpose, but, as far as known, the
plan has been a failure. While a mixed
breed of dog can be used isfactorily for
criminal hunting. a strain of the blood
hound seems to be absolutely necessary to
give the requisite accuracy of scent and
the courage necessary to follow such GRIM
inals as the sheriffs and constables in the
southern states have to contend with
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