Not. 7, 1889.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



31S 



AMERICAN COURSING CLUB MEET. 



GREAT BEND, Kan., Oct. 24,-Had the fourth annual 

 meet of the American Coursing Club been held at the 

 date of earlier years, it would have fallen upon most unfor- 

 tunate weather, as heavy rains have prevailed throughout 

 Kansas for the past week or two. The later date of Oct. 24, 

 which it was feared would bring the meet upon inclement 

 fall weather, has proved fortunate, for to-day the skies are 

 clear and the sun w-arm, although yesterday the prospect 

 looked cheerless enough. 



Even so early as yesterday morning the crowds which 

 regularly attend this singularly popular and usually pleas- 

 ant evi ut had begun to make their appearance. Each Santa 

 Fe train was met by numbers of the club members already 

 on band, and the uew arrivals and their dogs found abun- 

 dant and hearty welcome. Hotel Morrison is headquarters, 

 and its treatment of the boys is everything that could be 

 asked. Great Beud has surrendered herself to the annual 

 jubilee, and there is little business transacted by her enthusi- 

 astic and generous citizens except that connected with the 

 meet. The bright little city shows unusual improvement, 

 and appears to flatter herself upon nothing more than upon 

 the growth of her unique feature, the American Coursing 

 Club meet. There is probably no town upon the face of the 

 earth which can offer what Great Bend presents to a cours- 

 ing association. In earlier reports of this meet, however, 

 enough has been said regarding the features of this country 

 and especially regarding that home of the American hare, 

 the wide plain known as the Cheyenne, Flats. 



While some of the old faces are'not here, it is the privilege, 

 of the club to welcome many new guests and members. Mr. 

 E. T. Vernon, of Larned, is an accession of the right sort, 

 an owner of many greyhounds and a practical plains courser. 

 Mr. A. Haigh, of Cable, 111., is another able and enthusias- 

 tic greyhound man who joins the ranks this year, and en- 

 ters for the stakes. Mr. Watson, of New York, was elected 

 a member. Mr. Win. Green, of Colorado, was elected a 

 member. Mr. B. Waters, of Chicago, in return for past 

 able handling of the club reports, was elected au honor- 

 ary member. It was learned with regret that Mr. Frank 

 K.' Doan, secretary of the club, could not be present by 

 reason of press of business. Col. Taylor, of Emporia, the 

 club president, is unfortunately detained away by serious 

 sickness, and Col. R. S. Macdouald, a St. Louis visitor whom 

 all wished to see this year, is also ill and unable to be 

 present, while Mr. Roger D. Williams, of Lexington, is kept 

 away by business. Numbers of new facets are seen among 

 the visitors. Emporia sends down a lot of froe youngfellows 

 with Dr. Foncannon. Larned will have yet more people 

 here to-morrow. Mr. T. W. Bartels, judge of 1887 meet, is 

 on hand. Mr. E. L. Branch is here from Pueblo. Mr. E. 

 Burgess is on from St. Louis. There are dozens and perhaps 

 hundreds of visitors now in town for the purpose of seeing 

 the meet or taking a hand in it. Mr. Carney, Mr. Helper, 

 Mr. Luse and other Great Bend men are courteous and ener- 

 getic as ever. 



The class of dogs entered was never so high as it is this 

 year. As mentioned in a previous number of FOREST AND 

 Stream, Rookwood-Landseer Kennels have a lot of good 

 ones to run. Their Babazoun looks well and fit, and so 

 does Verdure-Clad. Mr. Luse, of Great Bend, has entered 

 for himself and Mr. Heizer a number of very likely ones, 

 and the Trales puppies show extremely well, while Trales 

 himself will make trouble low down in the stakes unless 

 there is no telling by looks. Mr. Allison has several puppies 

 here, all red ones, as usual, but not so good a lot as usual. 

 Mr. Lowe has entered Lord Neversettle, a stylish large dog, 

 imported, and also his popular favorite, imported White 

 Lips, a beautiful bitch, and Partera, his other imported 

 bitch, who looks dangerous. The great puppy, Spring, who 

 won first at St. Louis's National meet, is lit as can bo, and 

 Uncle Bobby Smart, for Doan & Smart, has entered Belle 

 Smart, runher-up at that event, hard as nails and like as 

 not to heat a lot of them. A good many people are going to 

 feel as if they had been to a dog race this week, and sure 

 winners are as thick as leaves in Vallambrosa. 



At the business meeting last night little was done besides 

 the drawings. Mr. D. C. Luse was chosen temporary secre- 

 tary, the chair being filled by Mr. D. N. Heizer, of Great 

 Bend, vice-president. Mr. Wm. Green was chosen judge, 

 and Mr. Cbas. Halloway slipper. 



THE RUNNINGS. 



A late start with but small crowd was made. The first 

 clogs ordered into the slips were Mr. E. L. Branch's red dog 

 Don Fawcett and Messrs. Doan & Smart's blue bitch Belle 

 Smart. Belle was a trille favored in the start, and Don was 

 momentarily unsighted and thrown out. Belle got in, 

 wrenched, turned and killed in 125yds. This was properly a 

 no-course, but to the astonishment of all old coursers the 

 judge gave it to Belle Smart. 



Mr. D. C. Luse's (Dr. Royce's) white and blue bitch Hand- 

 maiden and Dr. Van Hummel's brindle and white dog 

 Master Rich had a four mile walk and got up a strong hare". 

 Handmaiden was unsighted at slip, but when placed did 

 beautiful work. Master Rich when placed drew away. 

 The judge, who by courtesy of the best-natured man on 

 earth, Mr. W. W. Carney, was riding the latter gentleman's 

 old cutting-out horse Bob, ran away with his horse and so 

 held the course undecided. Adjourned for dinner. 



After diuner the above brace went in again and got a. good 

 hare. Handmaiden was favored at the start and did the 

 work after placing Master Rich, scoring eight points. At 

 the road Master Rich drew by and led into the corn. He had 

 much to cut down, but the judge decided that he did it. On 

 the straightaway lie was the superior. His work in the corn 

 was not seen by the reporters. 



Mr. M. E. Allison's (Mr. Burgess's) light fawn doe Spring 

 and Rookwood-Landseer Kennels' brindle bitch Verdure- 

 Clad were well sighted on a "long" jack. Verdure-Clad 

 was first in, and for over three-fourths of a mile worked 

 the hare beautifully. Near the barn Spring closed and drew 

 ahead up the hill. It was chiefly a following race then. On 

 his return the judge announced that ''if the bitch had had 

 any heart she would have won, but she stopped, and he 

 therefore gave the course to Spring." Not being close up 

 with the hounds it was impossible for him to tell whether or 

 not she stopped on the brow of the hill through lack of 

 "heart" or from being unsighted, and her score up to that 

 time would in any case count. She did the work in that 

 course, although Spring showed himself a great stayer and 

 all over a good one, he had no right to the course, which, by 

 some occult system of judging, Mr. Green gave to him, 



Mr. Lowe's imported Neversettle went into the slips with 

 Mr. Luse's (Mr. Heizer's) Lady Graham Glendyne. Never- 

 settle got the run-up, but at once placed Lady Graham, who 

 held possession for a half mile, scoring with remarkable 

 beauty and rapidity. Neversettle got a possible go-by in 

 this work, but Lady Graham gave him a racing go-by in 

 return. Lady Graham had 13 points to her credit when 

 Neversettle gave her a racing go-by, which brought his 

 score to 7 points at the most. Neversettle led in the follow- 

 ing race across the flat to the hills. At the fence Lady Gra- 

 ham was closing slightly on him, and the hare was gaining 

 on them both, and at least 50yds. ahead. The hare turned 

 square off for cover. Neversettle followed her across the 

 angle, and Lady ran a trifle wider. The hare escaped. The 

 judge said that Neversettle stopped short in his course, and 

 Mr. Lowe, his owner, gave it out that he had re-broken the 

 shoulder that he broke last winter. He certainly never 

 scored a point after the go by, yet on this showiug, which is 

 the actual one, the judge placidly annouueed that Lord j 

 Neversettle had won the course. Srich a decision was either j 

 rank robbery or rank incompetency. There is no ground to 

 call it the former, and Mr, Green may therefore content 



himself with the other horn of the dilemma in which he 

 placed himself in rendering this truly remarkable decision. 

 The result was received with just derision and indignation. 

 Mr. Heizer, the vice-president, announced that the running 

 would be closed for the day. Upon advice of his frieuds, 

 Mr. Heizer re-considered the announcement and at the busi- 

 ness meeting in the evening he apologized to the club for 

 his hasty action. Mr. Heizer was indeed mistaken; but the 

 only mistake he made was in offering any such apology. 

 Such work as Mr. Green's has not been seen in the four 

 years of this club's experience. 



Mr. Bartels's white and brindle dog St. Patrick and Mr. 

 Luse's white and blue bitch Little Lady Glendyne ran a hot 

 course. The bitch threw St. Patrick' full length, and he 

 straggled for a moment flat on his back. He came stronger 

 at the close, and really won the course easily. A third dog, 

 belonging to Mr. Luse, broke away and joined the course, 

 and the hare was run to earth. The judge seemed to think 

 the course necessarily euded when the third dog joined, and 

 held the course undecided. The Executive Committee heard 

 Mr. Bartels's protest, enforced the rule and gave St. Patrick 

 the course. Mr. Bartels had expressed himself as a great 

 admirer of Mr. Green, yet be did not like his decision in this 

 case. It seems to make a difference whose dog is in the soup, 

 so to speak. 



Mr. Branch's red dog Arkansas Traveler and Doan & 

 Smart's brindle bitch Bessie Lee, winner of last year's cup, 

 went in together. Bessie had the run-up, a trifle favored 

 by the hare, and for a mile did all the work in good coursing 

 style, beating Traveler on every corner. Bessie won her first, 

 six points untouched, and then doubled them rapidly; so 

 that her score, counting three go-bys, must have been 18 or 

 20. Traveler then drew by, and Bessie being purnped out 

 never closed again. The red dog ran a game rati; for a mile 

 and a half, and killed. He scored repeatedly, but could 

 uever cut down the lead the bitch had given him. The 

 judge gave the course to Arkansas Traveler, and this 

 pleased the crowd, inasmuch as he was the nearer dog to 

 t he bare at the finish. Traveler broke loose and coursed and 

 killed another hare alone before he was taken off the 

 grounds. He ran two very punishing courses. This was 

 the last course for the day. 



SECOND DAY, FRIDAY, OCT. 25. 



The weather was bright and clear, but cool. The attend- 

 ance was larger, reaching perhaps 1 ,500. The first event was 

 a bye race; Rip Van Winkle being absent. Mr. Vernon's blue 

 bitch Beauty took a spin with Lady Graham Glendyne. 

 The latter showed phenomenal speed and cleverness, and 

 excited comment. 



Rookwood-Landseer's white and red bitch Minnehaha 

 was drawn against Mr. Lowe's black and white bitch White 

 Lips. White Lips won, doing most of what was done after 

 a corking hare that ran to the bluffs. 



Rookwood-Landseer's white and blue bitch Miss Rare and 

 Mr. Luse's white and brindle dog Trales. imported, got off 

 well. Miss Rare a trifle better up, and at first leading in the 

 exchanging. The dogs worked the hare handsomely, but 

 Trales did more at the close of the very pretty course and 

 won. 



Mr. Vernon's blue bitch Blue Bessie and Mr. Carney's 

 blue dog Holly went in. Holly won in a good strong course, 

 turning to Bessie's kill. Two young men rode this course 

 who had no right there. The horse of one threw him, and 

 the judge in passing called out it was "good enough for 

 him!" The other young man took offense at this and at the 

 close of the course insulted the judge shamefully, and even 

 laid his hand on his collar. He was finally persuaded to de- 

 sist, but no action was taken by the club to prevent a repeti- 

 tion of such a disgraceful scene, and the two youths, exult- 

 ant at what they doubtless thought a great victory, an- 

 nounced that they would ride when and where they pleased. 

 The club has always been singularly meek in all such cases 

 as this, and now is a fit time to renew the remark of last 

 year's report, that there should be a system of deputy mar- 

 shal Is on the grouuds with full power to make arrest. So 

 long as a judge is acting as judge he ought to have full pro- 

 tection against insult. Such affairs as this bring a club into 

 an unnecessarily bad position. 



Emporia Kennels' white and brindle bitch Lightning and 

 Mr. Haigh's black and white bitch Bar Maid ran a crack- 

 ing long course, Bar Maid showing fair quality, killing and 

 winning. 



After dinner Emporia Kennels' fawn dog Jack Baird and 

 Mr. Haigh's blue dog Nip ran a. long hare to the corn iu a 

 following race. Nip did the work for a mile, then Jack 

 drew by, showing great staying qualities and was awarded 

 the course. 



It was announced that Mr. Lowe had withdrawn Partera- 

 she having a bad toe. Mr. Luse's white and fawn bitch Jes- 

 samine therefore ran a bye, a long course to the hills. Her 

 mate was Ladj T Graham Glendyne, and this grand bitch 

 showed once more how wrong was the decision that threw 

 her out in her first course. She did great work in the three 

 courses which she showed the public. 



Emporia Kennels' blue and white bitch Meta and Mr. 

 Luse's imported black bitch Dick's Darling got a good slip 

 on a strong hare. Meta was favored by the hare, but Dar- 

 ling drew by and held the hare to the hills, wrenching seven 

 times and turning twice. As the procession went into the 

 bluffs Meta closed up, but Dick's Darling had plenty to win. 



Emporia Kennels' fawn and white dog Axtell went in 

 with Rookwood-Landseer Kennels' imported red dog Baba- 

 zoun, a grand looking greyhound. Babazoun took the run- 

 up and half a dozen go-bys, passing every time the dogs 

 extended. He worked the hare in exceptional style through 

 a hard course and won every way. Axtell yelped often in 

 the course. The hare escaped. It had so far been the excep- 

 tion to kill the hare, and the imported dogs have been espe- 

 cially unfortuuate. 



Mr. Luse's red bitch Lavina and Emporia Kennels' blue 

 dog Bobolink went in together. Bobolink led up and did 

 all the work for three-fourths of a mile. Lavina drew by, 

 tied the points in a half-mile, came strong at the finish , 

 killed and won a very close course. 



THE GREAT BEND DERBY. 

 Running was now taken up in the Puppy Stakes. Mr. 

 Luse's brindle dog Lancaster and Mr. Allison's red dog 

 Reno Redwood went in first. Lancaster was young and 

 green in the slips, and was unsighted, not getting a very 

 good show. Redwood ran up and scored often, coursing the 

 hare well into a road and into high weeds. Here Lancaster 

 was unsighted again and stopped, but began again, follow- 

 ing. Lancaster blundered on the hare as she struck the 

 open, and led for a time toward the hills. Reno Redwood 

 won. 



Mr. Vernon's black dog Jack and Mr. Branch's blaekdog 

 War Cloud got a good wbitetail jack and a good slip. Jack 

 led up and did the better work for a moment, then rapid 

 exchanging and a long course, followed. War Cloud's 

 owner rode between the dogs and the judge; the latter very 

 properly returned from the course and asked action of the 

 executive committee. Mr. Vernon was disposed to draw his 

 dog, but the matter was held over till the following day. 

 THIRD DAY, SATURDAY, OCT. 26. 



The weather was beautiful and the crowd a very large 

 one, though not more difficult to handle than that of the 

 day before, Mr, Luse's white and blue bitch Lady in 

 White went in with Mr. Allison's (Air. Burgess's) fawn dog 

 Spring, and ran a rattling undecided course, the little bitch 

 showing elegantly. 



Mr. Allison's red dog Rexensnoozer and Mr. Luse's red 

 bitch Lady Barton, another of this litter of good ones, went 

 in together. Lady beat the red dog pointless. 



Another one of the Dick's Darling puppies came on in Mr. 

 Luse's black and white bitch Lady in Black, who was slip- 

 ped with Mr. Massey's blue bitch Belle Walton. Lady 

 showed herself too clever for her game mate, and held pos- 

 session for three-fourths of a mile, crowding the hare into 

 the grass, where it was lost. Lady in Black is a very slight- 

 looking bitch but handy. 



Lady in White and Spring went in for their deciding 

 course. Spring ran up. The hare placed Lady and Spring 

 placed himself, showed the speed, turned, wrenched seven 

 times, and led beyond the fence. Lady began to close 

 and then got in and began to cut down the points. The 

 judge stopped at the fence. Spring was seen by the report- 

 ers to draw in again, and it is thought he killed. After- 

 dinner the judge decided the course for Spring. 



Messrs. Doan & Smart's brindle dog Dublin" Paddy ran a 

 bye, Mr. Brougher's dog Lord McPherson being absent, 



Mr. Allison's red bitch Fanny Oiler and Bookw T Ood-Land- 

 seer Kennels' blue and white bitch Melodrama found no 

 hare till after dinner. Then they got a good one. Fanny 

 led up and wrenched. Melodrama took a go-by and held 

 possesion iu a long following race, neither dog scoring 

 much. The hare turned at the road. Melodrama still lead- 

 ing and holding possession. The hare was killed unseen. 

 Melodrama won, Fanny doing very little. 



Mr. Luse's brindle bitch Little Thought Of and Mr. Alli- 

 son's red bitch Queen Downs closed the gap, but could not 

 get in as the hare reached the hills. Little Thought Of won. 



ALL-AGED STAKES. 



Second Series. 



In the second series of the All-Aged Belle Smart and 

 Master Rich ran an uudecided course, the judge being on 

 the wrong side of a fence. 



Jack and War Cloud were put in again, Mr. Vernon being 

 induced not to draw his dog. War Cloud scored what there 

 was to the flat near the hills. Jack closed and scored pluckily 

 at the end, but not enough to win. 



Spring and Lord Neversettle were slipped well on the 

 short buffalo grass. Neversettle led up and showed fine 

 balancing powers on the turns for so large a dog. He did 

 the work for over a mile, the hare drawing off for the hills. 

 Spring drew by at the barn and led over the hill, not scor- 

 ing. He showed himself a great puppy, but his owner was 

 giving him too much to do, and perhaps spoiled his chance 

 for one stake by entering him in both Puppy and All-Aged 

 Stakes. Neversettle won, and did pretty 'well for a dog 

 with a broken shoulder. 



Belle Smart aud Master Rich went in again. Belle led up 

 and handed the hare to Master Rich a half dozen times, but 

 selfishly took it away again. Master Rich slid too wide for 

 the clever blue, who did admirable work, killed elegantly, 

 and won. 



St. Patrick and Beauty were in the slips when a hare 

 sprang directly iu front of them on good ground. The judge 

 called out. "Let them go!" and the dogs were slipped at 25 

 or 80yds. Beauty, not at first well sighted, ran wide. Pat- 

 rick went in, wrenched a time or two, and with a great 

 burst of speed tripped the hare. Beauty came around and 

 pic ked up the hare. By the rules the other dog could not 

 begiu to score till she was placed, yet her first point was a 

 kill. The entire course was not over 125yds. •The judge 

 gave the course to St. Patrick, under the occult system 

 known only to himself. It could not have been better than 

 an undecided course, even had both dogs been sighted at 

 the start. For the benefit of the judge, who appears not to 

 have seen them, the rules on these points are quoted below: 



"The length of slip must necessarily vary with the nature 

 of the ground, but should never be less than eighty yards, 

 and must be maintained of one uniform length, as far as 

 possible, through each stake." 



"The following allowances shall be made for accidents to 

 a greyhound during a course; but in every case they shall 

 only be deducted from the other dog's score: a. For Loving 

 GfQWid, at the start, cither from being unsighted or from a 

 bad slip, the Judge is to decide what amount of allowance 

 is to be made, on the principle that the score of the foremost 

 dog is not to begin until the second has had au opportunity 

 of joining iu the course." 



Arkansas Traveler and White Lips got a good slip. The 

 beautiful little bitch went out like a rocket, clung to the 

 hare in her best style, knocked it about merrily and killed 

 in elegant style. Arkansas Traveler was not in "it. Doubt- 

 less bis unnecessary double work of the day before had left 

 him unfit. White Lips won. 



Trales and Holly were, put in the slips. Holly looked 

 whimsically full, and there was considerable smiling sug- 

 gestion that he must have been dallying with the flesh pots, 

 though that may not have been. Trales led up, wrenched 

 twice, turned, wrenched five times and turned, wrenched 

 and turned in sole possession two miles and a half and lost 

 the hare in a field. Holly tried hard to get his commissariat 

 up to the scene of action, but couldn't. 



Jack Baird and Dick's Darling were slipped well on a long 

 hare, one of Mr. Carney's best brand. For three-fourths of a 

 mile the grand old bitch did the work and did it well. Then 

 the big fawn dog, a great one on a long race, drew by and 

 crowded the hare across the flat to the hills, a mile and a 

 half, scoring repeatedly and going clear away from Dick's 

 Darling, who at oue time stopped m the course, though she 

 resumed quickly and followed. Jack won with a wide mar- 

 gin, although the judge, who, with a presence of mind that 

 amounted almost to genius, had again gotten on the wrong 

 side of a fence, could call it only an undecided course. This 

 was most unfortunate, for Jack had earned his course, and 

 it was a punishing one. 



This closed the runnings of the day, and out of this last 

 event grew an unpleasantness much to be deplored. Mr. 

 Loftus, owner of Jack Baird, met the judge at the hotel 

 and, it seems, charged him with injustice, or something of 

 the sort. Mr. Loftus is a gentlemanly young fellow, and 

 would not have done this except in great anger. He after- 

 ward sought confirmation of his position from the news- 

 paper reporters. The reporters of these meets are continu- 

 ally appealed to for their opinions of such and such a 

 course, and they usually say, "Oh, it was a good race," or 

 "Wait till the paper comes out," or something like that, try- 

 ing not to offend the questioner and not to go on record ex- 

 cept in their professional capacity. Mr. Loftus was there- 

 fore answered in this way and was shown that the judge 

 had not seen the course and so could not decide it. He was 

 also told that "Jack won the course if Dick's Darling had 

 stopped in the course." He unfortunately quoted this state- 

 ment to Dr. Van Hummel and the judge, Mr. Green. For- 

 kst and S tream's representative was a few moments later 

 invested by these gentlemen and Mr. Bartels, all of whom 

 wished to offer him bets that he didn't know the rules, and 

 didn't know anything about coursing anyway. Mr. Green 

 was moderate and delicate and showed "his" dignity as a 

 judge. He only wanted to bet $5 with the newspaper man. 

 It seeming easier to decide the question by referring to the 

 rules than by a bet, this was done and the mare's nest dis- 

 covered, the reporter admitting that his statement as made 

 had perhaps misled Mr. Loftus This question was settled, 

 but the animus for this action of Dr. Van Hummel was soon 

 made apparent. He was hunting for the red, flowing gore 

 of the Forest and Stream man, and nothing but blood 

 would do. 



"I've got it in for you," said the bald-headed baron from 

 Caldwell, "I know you and your whole outfit. You have 

 always jumped on me every chance you got. Now, I can 

 buy your man Mason and your whole measly outfit for §5. 

 I've been laying for you, and I'm goin' to git you, I've got 



