Oct. 2fS, 1895. J 



the stones and in the water as though he was mad; nose 

 to the ground and sniffing furiously. 



"Can't you find him, old fellow?" and we wait breath- 

 lessly for him to straighten the tangled web of the trail 

 made by the coon while fishing or washing his food, for 

 he is scrupulously neat and washes everything he eats. 

 Down the creek he goes and we follow slowly. 



"Hi! hi! Sic hitu! Sic him!" and we all make a 

 dash at a grayish object that flits into the circle of light 

 and on up the creek. 



"Hi! watch! Here he is!" But the old dog needs no 

 urging, for he is close behind him, going like a steam 

 engine. And then comes the maddest race up that old 

 gully you ever dreamed of. We tumbled over logs and 

 over each other; slipped on stones; into the water, and 

 fell all over the gully in general; but we kept going, for 

 the spirit of the hunter was in us, and our quarry was 

 ahead. 



At last, away up on the ridge, the dog gives tongue, 

 his baying coming as regularly as a clock ticks: and we 

 knew he had treed the coon. We went a little slower 

 now, and one of the boys says; "We shall have a hard 

 tussle after this one. The trees are all large up here." 



"We're bound to have him," says Fred, "if we have to 

 get an axe and chop the tree down." 



When we arrived on the spot, sure enough he was up 

 a very tall and large hemlock, easily enough climbed 

 when the limbs are reached, but 20ft. to limbs and too 

 large around to clasp with the arms. But, nothing 

 daunted, we went for a brush fence near by and secured 

 asapling used for the top of it, about 15ft. long and thick 

 as a man's leg, and by means of this, all hands hoisting, 

 we finally landed Fred among the limbs. Up he went, 

 and we disposed ourselves at the edge of the cleared 

 space always found under hemlock trees. The tree was 

 fully 100ft. high, and we waited fully five minutes in 

 anxious expectancy before we heard from Fred. At last 

 he sung out: 



"I see him, boys, and he's a whopper," and a moment 

 after, "Look out! he's going to jump." and jump he did, 

 clear from the top of the tree, and landed with a dull 

 thud 50ft. away, out in the brush. We've lost him, 

 thinks I, and I looked for the dog, but he knew as much 

 about it as I did, and in a moment we heard him going 

 back down the hollow. Yow-ow-ow! yip-yip-yip! 



"Hurry up, boys! He's hot after him!" yelled I, and 

 away we went down the hollow at breakneck speed, leav- 

 ing Fred in the tree. He said afterward he climbed down 

 about half-way and fell the rest, but it didn't hurt him 

 any, he was so excited. 



We raced down the gully fully half a mile when we 

 heard the dog give tongue in a way that showed he had 

 treed him again. When we got there we found him in a 

 clearing up a small dead hemlock stub about 80ft. high, 

 with its resinous branches sticking out against the sky- 

 like arms. Clear at the top sat Brer Coon, a monster, and 

 very uneasy, as we could see. Under the tree ran a rail 

 fence, not much of an impediment to the dog, but seconds 

 were valuable, and when our game struck the ground, 

 which side would he jump was the question. 1 posted 

 the boys in a circle around the tree and got upon the 

 fence myself, with the lantern in one hand and 

 the dog held by the other, intending to push him off the 

 side of the fence the coon jumped. Brer Coon was very 

 uneasy now. When all was ready Fred started up the 

 tree. When scarcely started, we all saw the coon was 

 going to jump. "Watch out!" says I, and away he 

 sprang, landing 20ft. from the tree and so near one of the 

 boys that he started back with a shout. This scared the 

 coon so he hesitated before making his run, and that 

 moment sealed his fate, for the old dog was upon him, 

 and of all the coon fighting ever done I think the great- 

 est was done on that grassy plot that night. The dog 

 grabbed him by the back, by the hams, by the neck, and 

 it was like trying to shake a broomstick wrapped in a 

 feather bed. He couldn't budge him an inch. We 

 whacked and pounded him on the back, and it had no 

 effect at all. At one time I stood upon him and he 

 actually got on his feet with me. He tried to climb a 

 tree and the dog got him by the hind leg and tried to pull 

 him off , but could not. While in this position I got a 

 orack at his head which rather stunned him, and eventu- 

 ally we killed him, but it took us half an hour to do it. 

 It was the first time the old dog had ever found his match 

 in a coon. 



We gave three rousing cheers and started for home, 

 coon and all, well content with our glory, for we had 

 killed the biggest coon ever killed in that section (Chau- 

 tauqua county, N. Y.). He weighed next morning 32£U>s. 

 and the fat on his back was 3in. thick. When he curled 

 himself up it was absolutely impossible for the dog to get at 

 a vital part to kill him, and a blow from a club amounted 

 to nothing, for had he not jumped from an altitude of 

 lOOf t. and come out whole? We gloried in his spunk (and 

 ours), 



Tim vowed he would kill his dog, but thought better of 

 it, as it was conceded the one he tackled was a fighter 

 from way back. B. H. W. 



Canadian Kennel Club. 



By order of the President, a meeting of the executive 

 committee will be held at the Queen's Hotel, Toronto, on 

 Friday, Nov. 8th, at 8 P.M. The following business will 

 come before the meeting:— Consideration of Field Trial 

 Eegulations. Revision of Constitution, By-Laws, etc., 

 and Printing of same. Incorporation. Consideration of 

 the Cropping of Dogs. Consideration of case of Indus- 

 trial Exhibition Association vs. Fred Kirby. Consider- 

 ation of taking votes by mail of the Executive. ^ Consid- 

 eration of the recognition of Suspensions, Disqualifications, 

 etc., by similar organizations. H. B. Donovan, 



Secretary-Treasurer. 



New England Field Trial Club's Trials. 



Taunton, Mass., Oct. 20.— Editor Forest and Stream: 

 The N. E. F. T. Club's fourth annual field trials will be 

 run off on the club grounds, Assonet Neck, Mass., Tues- 

 day, Oct. 29, beginning at 8 o'clock A. M. 



The club and its friends will meet at the City Hotel, 

 Monday evening, Oct. 28, at 7 o'clock, where the drawing 

 will take place after dinner. All lovers of field dogs are 

 welcome here as well as at the trials next day. All desir- 

 ing rooms at the City Hotel should engage them ahead by 

 addressing D. F. Sehan, Taunton, Mass. 



Arthur R. Sharp, Sec'y. 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



Mr. Lorillard's Auction Sale; 



The Rancocas Kennels' sale of dogs at the American 

 Horse Exchange, Broadway and Fiftieth street, was well 

 attended and proved a success. It took place on Oct. 17, 

 beginning at 11 o'clock, as advertised. The bidding was 

 quite spirited and the dogs were disposed of quite 

 quickly. 



Mr. Lorillard will hold yearly sales if this method of 

 securing shooting dogs meets the further approval of 

 sportsmen. Following is the list of dogs sold, prices, etc. 



Leona, black, white and tan (Eugene T.— Bess of Hat- 

 chie), $130. Mr. J. L. Breese, purchaser. 



Eugenie, black, white and tan (Eugene T.— Delel Rivers), 

 $160. Mr. Sydney Dillon Ripley, purchaser. 



Adversity, black, white and tan (Eugene T. — Delel 

 Rivers), $85. Dr. E. E. Cody, purchaser. 



Lilly, black and white (Eugene T. — Valley), $50. Daniel 

 Bacon, purchaser. 



Irwin, black, white and tan (Eugene T, — Kite), $110. 

 A. H. Porter, Jr., purchaser. 



Fonda, black, white and tan (Eugene T. — Velma), $30. 

 Mr. Cameron, purchaser. 



Cody, black, white and tan (Eugene T. — Annie), $35. 

 Dr. E. E, Cody, purchaser. 



Beulah, black and white (Eugene T. — Annie), $25. J. 

 C. Vail, purchaser. 



Grace, black and white (Eugene T. — Annie), .$20. Mr, 

 Osgood, purchaser. 



Stella, black, white and tan (Gladstone's Boy— Buena 

 Vista), $30. Mr. J. C. Vail, purchaser. 



Guy, white and lemon (Antonio— Maiden Mine), $100. 

 Morey Kennels, purchasers. 



Bianca, black, white and tan (Eugene T.— Patsy), $30. 

 Mr. W. H. Force, purchaser. 



Clifton, black and tan (Eugene T. — Annie), $30. Mr. J. 

 P. Browning, purchaser. 



Vernon, black and white (Eugene T. — Annie), $30, and 

 Helen ($30) and Primrose ($25), both black, white and tan 

 (Eugene T. — Ophelia), and Hazel Dell, black, white and 

 tan (Eugene T.— Maiden Mine), $40. Mr. J. C. Vail, pur- 

 chaser. 



Luray, black, white and tan (Bellevue— Spike). Mr. W. 

 J. Simpson, purchaser. 



Fred, black and white (Eugene T. — Ightfield Rosalie), 

 $110, Mr. Sydney Dillon Ripley, purchaser. 



Colona, black, white and tan (Gladstone's Boy — Buena 

 Vista), $60. E. Beadel, purchaser. 



The total received for twenty dogs was $1,175. Each 

 was described in the catalogue in respect to his field 

 qualities. 



N. E. B. C.'s Trials. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



The following special prizes have been donated to be 

 competed for at the N. E. B. C. field trials: The American 

 Stock-keeper offers the American Stock-keeper Cup for 

 best beagle in the field. Mr, A. Parry offers triple plated 

 pudding dish for best beagle in the field. Mr. H. B. Tall- 

 man offers oil painting of a beagle for best bench show 

 beagle that gets placed in the field. Mr. H. S. Joslin 

 offers a silver-mounted meerschaum pipe for best com- 

 bination of speed and nose. Turf, Field and Farm offers 

 one year's subscription for best brace owned by one exhib- 

 itor or kennel. Mr. A. D. Fisk offers framed picture for 

 best 13in, Derby entry. Mr. George F. Reed offers beagle 

 pup (female) for the truest- tongued dog or bitch in the 

 Derby. Mr. Henry Hanson offers assorted package of 

 Spratts dog medicines, also stud service of Olaf of Den- 

 mark, for best bitch in I3in. All- Age class. Mr. F. W. 

 Chapman offers stud service of Bannerman or Fitzhugh 

 Lee for best bitch in 13in. Derby. Awashonk Kennels 

 offer hunting coat for best working beagle in the Derby, 

 15 or 13in. Mr. Paul C. F. Hoffman offers pair hunt- 

 ing shoes for best 13in. beagle owned by a non-member of 

 the N. E. B. C. Mr. Howard Almy offers 100 hand-loaded 

 Schultze shells for beagle under best control. Mr. W. S. 

 Clark offers .32-cal. revolver for best 15in. beagle owned 

 by a non-member of the N. E. B. C. The American Field 

 offers one year's subscription to the breeder of the best 

 beagle (in the field) at the N. E. B. C. trials. 



Mr. W. E. Deane makes a change in his entry, Francis, 

 from Class A to Class B. 



The breeding and names of Mr. F. W. Chapman's en- 

 tries to the N. E. B. C. field trials, omitted last week, are 

 as follows: Clas9 A, dogs and bitches, all-age, 15 to 13in.: 

 Marguerite, black, white and tan bitch (Fitzhugh Lee — 

 Dido). Class D, Derby for dogs and bitches, 13in. and 

 under, whelped on or after Jan. 1, '94: Fury, black, white 

 and tan bitcn (Little Lee — Parthenia); Thora, black, white 

 and tan bitch (Fitzhugh Lee — Butterfly); Thor, black, 

 white and tan dog (Fitzhugh Lee— Butterfly). 



The annual meeting of the N. E. B. C. will be held at 

 Bacon's Hotel, Oxford, Mass., Nov. 5, at 8 P. M. 



W. S. Clark, Sec'y-Treas. 



Dog Poisoners. 



Port Jefferson, N. Y. — Editor Forest and Stream: I 

 am worked up to such a pitch that I must relieve my 

 mind. And what is the matter? There is matter 

 enough when a man has good dogs poisoned by some un- 

 known rascal who has been doing such mean acts for the 

 past seven years, and we, the people of Long Island, can 

 not detect tne criminal; but if he is ever caught he will suf- 

 fer for what he has done in the past. In the earlier part 

 of the infliction, there were found small bits of meat with 

 a small cut in each piece into which the poison was 

 placed, and the dogs eating them died from the effects. 

 But now there is a more serious feature; that is, not only 

 meat is thrown about the place, but cake and crullers also, 

 with poison in them. I think that when any human 

 being goes so far as to endanger the fives of small children, 

 which has been done by throwing poisoned cake around, 

 it outdoes the ordinary fiendishnees of the dog poisoner. 

 Many children know no better than to pick up a piece of 

 cake. I know of one who did so and came very near los- 

 ing its life, but was taken care of in time. Now if that 

 child had died, would not the inhuman wretch who threw 

 that poisoned cake around be as much a murderer as any 

 murderer? I think as a great many others do, and that 

 is the sooner such people depart from the face of the 

 earth the better the world will be without them. The 

 people of this place have put up with this affliction long 

 enough. They will use every effort to find out who it is 

 that is making everyone afraid to buy a dog of any 



866 



value iest it should be poisoned. There have been at least 

 100 valuable dogs poisoned in this place, besides the com- 

 mon mongrels not counted. I hope to see some reply 

 from you and your readers. F. B. Robinson. 



[There are no words in the language sufficiently explicit 

 to express the cowardice, malevolence and degradation 

 of the dog poisoner and reckless distributor of poisoned 

 food. No argument is necessary to show the sodden cow- 

 ardice of the man who will injure his neighbor by stealth, 

 injuring him in his affections and property, and destroy- 

 ing an innocent life all at the same time. As for the 

 black malevolence and degraded mind, they are neces- 

 sarily accompaniments of the poison fiend.] 



The Champion Stake. 



Mr. W. W. Titus, Waverly, Miss., has been industri- 

 ously striving for many weeks to establish a champion 

 stake, and to that end has given the matter much thought 

 in all its bearings near and remote, and has obtained many 

 opinions and much advice from experienced field trial 

 men. He has in the matter received encouraging support 

 from sportsmen. 



It is generally conceded that a champion stake, which 

 depends on its support from first prize winners, cannot be 

 a success financially, for the reason that of the first prize 

 winners but a small percentage will compete, a few own- 

 ers seemingly preferring to establish their dog's claims to 

 champion honors by clamorous assertion rather than the 

 more decisive means of actual competition, while other 

 owners seem to be satisfied with the honors or profits 

 which come from winning an all- age stake, ■ and care 

 not for the honors and perils of a champion stake. 



To solve this difficulty, Mr. Titus has proposed that all 

 field trial winners of any place be eligible, which is per- 

 fectly sound reasoning, for everyone knows that a win of 

 one dog over another at a field trial is not forever de- 

 cisive, since in times past the same dogs in different trials 

 have been placed relatively different, and decisions 

 in all-age stakes moreover are necessarily made many 

 times on very small margins. 



Mr. Titus, to give the stake the financial vitality which 

 is^absolutely essential to its success — a matter which he 

 wisely deemed essentially important — has advocated an 

 auxiliary stake, from which the judges are to select 

 by actual competition such dogs as they deem fit to run 

 in the champion stake, the fees of this stake to be turned 

 over to the champion stake and to become a part of its- 

 proceeds. These dogs thus will have gone through a 

 formal competition, and they will have the standing of 

 winners. In fact, the stakes being run on formal and 

 regular conditions, there is no reason why they should 

 not formally be declared winners before competing in 

 the greater stake, the champion. 



A Western contemporary asserts that a stake run on such 

 lines will be an all-age or free-for-all stake, "of which we 

 have one now at every field trial meeting," in which 

 assertion there is error, inasmuch as in the all-age stake 

 at field trials first prize winners are barred, and these 

 and other winners are the very dogs for which Mr. Titus 

 is striving to arrange competition: thus the all-age stake 

 at every meeting does not resemble at all what Mr. Titus 

 advocates and attempts, and, moreover, there is no free- 

 for-all stake at every field trial meeting. Furthermore, 

 the fourth or fifth prize winner at one trial in one section 

 might be a better dog than the first prize winner in 

 another, a pertinent consideration in arranging a cham- 

 pion stake. 



Our contemporary further declares that admitting every 

 dog irrespective of its having shown that it has the right 

 to compete with dogs that have won their honors in a 

 regular contest does not convey the idea of a champion 

 stake, and is not just to those dogs that "have won their 

 spurs," nor is it the reward of merit, says our contempo- 

 rary , that a champion stake should be. Here the esteemed 

 contemporary wanders entirely away from the subject and 

 discusses something that is irrelevant. Mr. Titus's last 

 proposition did not admit dogs irrespective of their 

 having shown aright to compete; quite the contrary, as; 

 that very point was specifically provided for by the aux- 

 iliary stake. 



But then, what is a champion? Presumably one which 

 so excels that he can conquer in his specialty all of his 

 fellows. He is one which can meet all comers under cer- 

 tain conditions and formalities which give the contest 

 authenticity and dignity, so that the proper value is estab- 

 lished and the record recognized by the world at large. 

 But the title of champion is not necessarily a title for life 

 when once won, although in the dog world, for reasons 

 not essential for discussion in this connection, champions 

 have so multiplied that the title has in a measure lost its 

 meaning and some value. 



The title of champion when properly recognized is held 

 so long as its possessor can hold it. If beaten in a cham- 

 pionship contest, he loses the title. It goes to the victor. 

 The vanquished champion is a champion no longer. In 

 this manner the title perpetuates its distinguishing marks 

 of superiority and its intrinsic value of honors won. 



Webster, who was an excellent lexicographer, but who 

 unfortunately lived at an age when the dog was not so 

 fully appreciated as at present, leaves out the dog in his 

 definition of champion, but still it is clear enough in con- 

 veying the general principle. He says of a champion: 

 "One who has the acknowledged superiority as a prize 

 fighter, waterman, etc. ; one ready to fight all who offer 

 against him." 



This is not the definition of a champion who shouts 

 loudly from afar off that he can defeat all comers with 

 15,000 conditions attached. 



But this definition by Webster is the theoretical cham- 

 pion, taking present usage as a standard. In the canine 

 world the champions are not a very precise quantity as 

 champions. Many winners are guarded assiduously from 

 competition; all sorts of conditions and pretexts are ad- 

 vanced to avoid competition; the un worthiness of appli- 

 cants which seek competition is strenuously and loudly 

 proclaimed, and their motives denounced so that in good 

 truth the champion, after he once has a colorable pretext 

 to the title, seldom competes further, but incidentally 

 gathers in such stud fees as the title and good will of the 

 public may produce. It was not wise in a general way to 

 inquire too minutely into titles of dog championships any 

 more than it was to insist on more definite competition 

 for the title, for if the matter came to a formal conclusion 

 several titles and several stud cards might all vanish in 

 company. 



