New-York tribune., 1909-01-03
HOUNDS TRACKED
THE MURDERER
FOILOU1ED TRAIL TO HIS
STABLE.
Nephez0 Killed WeaIthy Uncle
Scent Vas Cold. but BeagleS
NeUer Lost 1t.

The most remarkable case that I know Of IN
which beagle hounds were employed in the interest
OF public justice occurred IN Barnwen district
South Carolina about 1s45- Mr.. Porteous. child
less widower possessed OF large estate in land
and slaves. lived on his plantation. where his
cousin a woman Of about fifty years, and her
daughter, Of seventeen or eighteen. kept house
for him. He not over sixty. but his health was
very feeble. 1t his custom 10 have himself
called every morning at O'Clock by his body ser
want who aided in dressing him. One morning the
servant knocked at the bedroom door as usual, and
receiving no answer after repeating his loud knocks
MANY times and the door being locked, he reported
the strange occurrence to his mistress a neishbor
was summoned, and, at his suggestion the door
was forced. on entering the room they were horri-
fed to see Mr.. Porteous !yIAS oeau LPUH HIS OeU
with his throat cut
4 bloody razor lay close TO his right hand, and
clearly indicated that he had committed suicide
He had on q night shirt, the left sleeve OF which
was ripped. and. being unhuttoned. the greater
norton Of his left was exposed. The print OF
a hIoodv hand was seen plainly that arm. and
II was naturally supposed to have been made b. him
In his death struggle. The theory OF seIf-destruc-
ton was further strengthened by the fact tnat tne
door was found locked and Oolted on the INSIDE
There were three windows to the room, and, Al
though the sashes were up. as 1t was warm
JuIv night the blinds were closed and fastened
by their catches TO the window sill The chimney
was carefully examined. and II was seen that the
aues were too narrow TO admit the entrance OF q
man to the room through one Of them On the
arrival OF the family physician. who had been sent
for. he proceeded TO make examination OF the
bodv As his practised eye caught sight OF the
finger prnts he exclaimed: Mr.. Porteous was
murdered! The four finger marks and the thumb
mark on the left arm made with the LETT
hand
A careful inspection OF the window blinds showed
that the catch on one OF them was much worn. and
did not hold to the iron cleat the SILL and that
the blind could readily be pulled open when appar-
er tIy fastened The bedroom was in the second
story Of the house. and 1t was observed that the
1rtndovr with the loose catch could be reached by
q man climbing out on a limb Of an oak tree that
1rsvU near The ground was bare around the foot
of the tree and shoe track was seen in the loa1r
The track faded out IN the grass plot WITHIN Ie"
feet Of the tree, and did not appear again beyond
It, Hounds sent for. and arrived ABOUT
o'clock in the afternoon
The day dawned at o'clock in that season CT the
year. and the murderer must nave done MS
bloody work before that hour. he had at least
tvvavs hours start and the trail was cold. There
we're five beagles in the pack Their keeper tapped
the shoe track with stick. and they put their
noses TO It and seemed perplexed as they shifted
and nuru,ured over It. He urged them on by call
ing out to the leader, "Git him. Trump
They took up the trail though slowly. and fol-
lowed It about seventy yards to the border Of the
woods but there it ended As they came to the
end of the trail they gave few sharp quick barks
and looked up at their master. IL for further
orders He saw at once that a horse had been
hitcbed 10 q limb of the at which the hounds
had halted. and he stated that 1t was a light sor
rel horse with white spots upon it. for he
had discerned hairs Of those colors sticking the
barl Of the tree where. the animal had rubbed
AGAINST it. The murderer had evidently come on