Etefli 10, 1894. | 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



128 



POINTS AND FLUSHES. 



[By a Staff Correspondent.} 

 A Trainer's Opportunity, 



The following paragraph from a letter of Mr. R. J. Gal- 

 laugher, secretary of the Manitoba Field Trials Club, arnoug 

 other matters, contains something of interest to field trial 

 trainers. He says: 



"I am very much pleased with the new set of officials, as 

 every one of then] are dog owners, and have promised to take 

 an active interest in the affairs of the club. We surely will 

 make a success of it this season. * * * There have been 

 about a half dozen young dogs imported during the fall and 

 winter, and some more are likely to arrive shortly, so that 

 we will be in a better position to enter the lists with outside 

 competitors than last year. Our trouble is a trainer. You 

 know what we lack in that respect. Could you not devise 

 some scheme by which we could get a good man to come 

 here and do the work for us? I will be glad to hear from 

 you on this subject and to receive any suggestions you may 

 see fit to make. I think that we could safely guarantee a 

 good trainer ten or twelve very good young dogs and pos- 

 sibly a few all-aged ones. I do not believe there would be 

 the least difficulty in getting him all he would want to 

 handle." 



The business inducements are greater than one trainer 

 could handle properly. Ten dogs are about as many as any 

 one trainer can do justice to in one' season, particularly if it 

 is understood between him and his employers that the dogs 

 are to have a thorough training, and if the price, $100 or 

 more for each dog, is the consideration. 



A rather common fault is for trainers to overload them- 

 selves with work, with the result that the dogs are not 

 properly finished in training or experience. There is the 

 collateral result that the owners are dissatisfied and lose all 

 faith in professional trainers. When a gentleman pays a 

 first-class price for training he is entitled to first-class work 

 in return, and to a truthful account of the dog's qualities 

 and progress. The same principles of justice and integrity 

 should govern a dog transaction as any other business trans- 

 action. There are a whole lot of particulars worthy of con- 

 sideration by trainers in these matters, as perhaps many of 

 them may suspect. But this is digressing from the subject. 



1 do not, know which trainers, if any, in the States would 

 consider inducements to go to Manitoba, so I thought the 

 best way was to present the matter through the columns 

 of Forest and Stream, so that it would come to the knowl- 

 edge of all. Personally, I consider the chance an excellent 

 one for any trainer who can fill the requirements. There 

 are abundance of birds, good grounds, a growing interest, 

 and last and best, plenty of sportsmen. It would be a mis- 

 take—a disastrous mistake— for any trainer to go there with 

 any idea of becoming successfully prominentias a compet- 

 itor by jockeying or unfair sharpness of any kind. Any 

 unfairness would terminate abruptly his business career. 

 Good, thorough work, and skillful but fair competition 

 will be insisted upon, as it should be insisted upon here. 

 The signs of the times, however, denote that there will be 

 more consideration of these matters by owners and field 

 trial clubs in the future. 



Doers' Practical Field Qualities. 



So far as I have heard from trainers they frankly admit 

 that a field trial dog should be a field dog as well. The fact 

 is so apparent that, in the light of common sense, it is useless 

 by any sophism to make a distinction between a field trial 

 dog and a field dog. I note that some writers make an 

 analogy between the field trial dog and the field dog on the 

 one hand and the racehorse and roadster on the other. This 

 analogy is in appearance only. Such reasoning is fallacious. 

 When a horse is broken there are mechanical appliances 

 which keep him in control, and he cannot loaf in his work. 

 If a dog is disposed to loaf when working for his master 

 there is no means to make him work. Moreover, the fact 

 that a horse is a racehorse does not imply the absence or 

 need of thorough training. The efforts of a horse, too, are 

 exerted in but one direction, namely, to go ahead. If he be 

 a bit wild it does little harm. If a dog is wild it may spoil 

 all the pleasure of the shooter. 



From an eminent field trial handler I have received a letter 

 from which I quote the following: 



I am too busy at present to write anything fit for publication, but 

 ■will scribble down a few of the ideas that last year's held trials Lave 

 suggested. After thinking over the remarks I have read and heard 

 about dogs, I am forced to come to the conclusion that only a few 

 men (judges included) understand the reasons why some dogs always 

 do clean work (your own name for it, I think), and others, sometimes 

 only or never. Perhaps it is too much to expect from any man who 

 has not had the experienee of a professional, but a man who cannot 

 is not fit to judge a trial— unless the ground is more open and better 

 stocked witn birds than usual. If this is the case then he can see the 

 clean work, and if he appreciates it, it matters little whether he knows 

 the cause of it or not. 



What would you call a hitch-class dog? Is it not one that does clean 

 work, ranges intelligently and as wide and fast as the ground 

 requires? 



Of course there are no end of less important points that go toward 

 the making up of one, but these are the chief, I think. 



I am afraid that field trials will go to the bad unless some radical 

 changes are made in the management of them. Of course I always 

 read -'Points and Flushes." Trials seem nearly all business and little 

 pleasure now. Gentlemen are getting disgusted with them. Mr 

 Thomas Johnson is another really good judge of a dog, who is driven 

 away. Dog dealers will have it all to themselves; that is, if anything 

 is left worth having. & 



I really think it is better to have professionals as judges than to have 

 to trust to the small chances there are of getting three amateurs fit 

 for the work. 



Why could not one judge (with an assistant of his own choosing to 

 help r.im) do as well as three? If judging is to decide which are the 

 three best dogs in a stake, one can do it as well as more; but if the ob- 

 ject (as ol old) is to decide which dogs made the most points etc 

 then three judges are none too many. 



Suppose you were told that you might have the three best dogs in a 

 stake, would you want two other men to help j'ou? I don't think you 

 would, nor would it take you so very long to decide. 



I had just closed this when the last Forest and Stream was handed 

 to me, and I must say that I was more than usually pleased with your 

 "Points and Flushes." You have made a string of clean points I 

 only wish that judges and others connected with field trials would 

 study the full meaning of your writings, but suppose they only take in 

 a little at a time, and you must hammer away till you get them to 

 digest it all. Ever since I took to making a business of training 1 

 have thought a great deal about ranging, and have experimented on 

 it, too. That is really where nine-tenths of a handler's time ought to 

 be put in. A dog points, backs and handles his birds more or Jess 

 naturally, but few range to suit the gun. The best puppies range fast 

 and wide, and learn by experience where to look for birds. 



Game Protection. 



No more healthful sign for the preservation of game can be 

 imagined, than a sentiment on the part of handlers against 

 market shooting and slaughter. The following, under date 

 of Jan. 25, from Mr. J. H. Johnson, of Carlisle, Indiana, at 

 present located at Pontotoc, Miss., is a, case in point, and the 

 first of the kind, so far as I have any knowledge. 



What will be the best way in your opinion to go about getting a law 

 enacted by the Indiana Legislature to prohibit, che sate ot quail? I am 

 very much interested in the matter, and believe it can be done if got 

 at in the proper way. I am confident I can get every farmer in our 

 township to sign a petition praying the Legislature to enact such a 

 law. Do you think this would be a good plan, or try to get our repre- 

 sentative to introduce a bill as above, and then let him back his bill up 

 by long petitions? 



The more I read Forest and Stream the better I like it. 



Mayfield and I are located close together, and we are doing some 

 good work, although quail are not as plentiful as I would like. We are 

 having a cold time of it now, the ground is frozen and the wind is in 

 the north. 



i Your ideas as to field trial dogs are correct, If we don't have work- 

 ing dogs, we might as well run greyhounds 



The most effective method of procedure, is to get all the 

 property owners to sign such a petition, and then have the 

 representative of that district use his best endeavor to have 

 a law passed accordingly. Of course, the more friendly the 

 representatives interested or appealed to by their consti- 

 tuents, the better the chances of success. I thought that, 

 by publishing Mr. Johnson's letter, he might thereby obtain 

 more explicit information as a stronger support in his 

 endavors. B. Waters. 



909 Security Building, Chicago. 



Nicholls vs. Mills. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



As the accounts of this case published in the Toronto Mail, 

 and being copied into other papers, is such a mesh of false- 

 hoods, a true account of the affair is called for. 



I wrote Mr, Nicholls that I Avas desirous of breeding my 

 great Dane bitch to his dog, and asked him to state the stud 

 fee. He wrote in very few words that I was welcome to do 

 so for a dog and a bitch puppy of the resulting litter. This 

 was the entire agreement. The dogs were duly mated, and 

 the bitch gave birth to a litter of 18 puppies. At the outset 

 4 of these were lam upon and killed. No sooner were the 

 remainder weaned, than they showed very pronounced symp- 

 fcons of being infested with worms. In spite of the best 

 trea tment I could give them, some of them died and all were 

 in wretched condition, so that when they were seized with 

 distemper soon after, others died and the now remaining 4 

 were miserable objects. I never took so much pains with any 

 litter of puppies and never had poorer results. I felt all 

 the more anxious, as I never forgot my responsibility to the 

 owner of the stud dog. I wrote Mr. Nicholls soon after the 

 pups were born and had a brief reply from him stating that 

 he would prefer two dog puppies if I were agreeable, instead 

 of a dog and a bitch. One Sunday morning considerably 

 later, a Mr. Goodman called at my residence and presented 

 a letter from Mr. Nicholls, stating that he was authorized to 

 select two puppies. I declined to allow selection, and told 

 Mr. Goodman I was desirous of communicating directly with 

 Mr. Nicholls and would be answerable as to sending on the 

 puppies myself. He would not allow me this opportunity, 

 and next day I received a most peremptory lawyer's letter. 



On the day following, Mr. Goodman came to my place in 

 the company of a man who had been disqualified by the A. 

 K. C. for fraud. I declined to be bullied and Mr. Goodman 

 left the city. Later there came another order from Mr. 

 Nicholls by a detective, this also for choice; in fact, at no 

 time did I ever decline to give the two pups I agreed to give 

 aud at no time was I ever asked for them except with this 

 condition of choice, which was never agreed to in any way. 



I wrote Mr. Nicholls that I was surprised that he should 

 sanction such unjust and offensive procedure, as I had taken 

 him for a gentleman and had shown him some courtesies. 

 I suggested that a court of law was not the place in which 

 two gentlemen should settle a matter of this kind. I 

 offered as a way out of the difficulty, simply for the sake 

 of peace, to pay a large stud fee in cash — in fact, larger than 

 any Dane has ever earned, so far as I know, in America. I 

 also offered to submit the whole case to arbitration. To 

 these proposals I never got so much as a reply. 



When the puppies were so sick I had written those con- 

 cerned and cancelled all orders for them, and had refused 

 even to put a price on them. As I saw that the policy of 

 Mr. Nicholls and his agent was an arbitrary brow-beating 

 one, there was only one course left open to me, or any man 

 of spirit, and that was to defend myself in a court of 

 justice. 



All the above statements of mine were proven before the 

 court, by evidence— chiefly the letters between the parties to 

 the action. My kennelman gave evidence as to the sickness, 

 etc., of the puppies. 



In rendering judgment, the court held that I was not 

 bound to give plaintiff choice of the puppies, as he had 

 always demanded, but only my own fair choice or their 

 value in cash, the court placing the value as I had myself 

 stated it. It will thus be seen that the plaintiff lost his case 

 and he has to pay costs as well. 



It was expensive to me to have to keep the puppies so long, 

 but I will never consent to allow myself to be bullied, espe- 

 cially when, as I believe in this case, certain persons were 

 egging the matter on through personal feeling against me. 



It is somewhat remarkable that I have within a year been 

 grossly libeled in three of the Toronto newspapers. Two of 

 those have been successfully called to account, and I think 

 the Mail will have occasion to learn to be more careful in 

 future of what it publishes. I intend if possible to ascertain 

 who are the real authors of that tissue of falsehoods the Mail 

 publishes, and to follow them up. It is in the public inter- 

 est to do so. 



Since I have learned how seriously the Mail's article has 

 been taken I have instructed my counsel to increase tiie 

 damages already claimed to $20,000, and I intend to push the 

 case. 



I regret that I must take up your valuable space with ex- 

 planations that should never have been necessary. 



Wesley Mills, M.D. 



Cote St. Antoine, Montreal, Feb. 3. 



P. S.— As showing the spirit of the plaintiff's agents, if not 

 himself, I may mention a course has been pursued since the 

 judgment was given that has laid the plaintiff open to an 

 action for damages. - W. M. 



Southern Field Trials. 



New Alb ah y, Miss., Feb. 5.— [Special to the Forest and 

 Stream.] There were twenty starters in the Derby. Compe- 

 tition is very even, though no brilliant work has been done 

 as yet. Birds are not quite plentiful enough. The judges 

 are T. M. Brumby, Marietta, Ga.; W. Murnan, Stanton, 

 Tenn.;F. P. McCargo, Olive Branch, Miss. Weather very 

 favorable aud pleasant. The dogs were drawn in order 

 named: Earl Palmer and Beryl, fair rangers, Beryl better in 

 point work. Ight field Rosalie and Thalid, the former's heat 

 all through, she doing some good point work. Antoinette and 

 Topaz, all in favor of Antoinette. Amethyst and Bessie 

 Shoupe, the former ranged well but found nothing. Nellie 

 Gladstone and Rod's Mark, only moderate work. Dame 

 Durden and Sadie Ross, an indiffereut heat. Major Thomas 

 and Lady Rush, both did good on birds but their ranging 

 was at times erratic. Leona and Callie White ran a fairly 

 good heat throughout, Leona doing the most point work. 

 Blue Ridge Mark and Miss Hattie, both did good point work 

 and showed fair speed; heat in favor of Mark. Topsy Rod 

 and Allene ran an excellent heat, going fast and wide, but 

 Allene found the only birds. Probably half or more will be 

 kept in second series. There is a good attendance of sporting 

 men. B. Waters. 



Chicago Show. 



The Mascoutah Kennel Club have decided to make the fol- 

 lowing additional classes for competition at the coming 

 bench show, to be held in Battery D and the Second Regi- 

 ment armory, March 13 to 10: 



Bulldogs— Class 125a, dog puppies 6 to 12 months, prizes 

 $10 and $5. Class 125b, bitch puppies 6 to 12 months, prizes 

 §10 and §5. 



Black pugs — Class 196c, open dogs and bitches, prizes $10 

 and $5. 



Italian grey hounds — Class 309d will be made, thus dividing 

 the challenge classes by sex, prizes §10 and §5. Class 211E, 

 puppies 6 to 12 months, dogs and bitches, prizes $5 and §3. 



Eutries will close at the office of the club, 952 Monadnock 

 building, Chicago, Feb. 24. 



DOG CHAT. 



Canadian Registrations and A. K. C. Shows. 

 The revocation of reciprocity betweeu the A. K. C. and the 

 C. K. C. will be apt to hurt some American shows as well as 

 it did the. Toronto show of last year. Detroit, probably more 

 than any other show, will feel its effect, as this city is right 

 in the midst of Canadian breeders and owners on whom they 

 depend for a good entry. These may understand the cir- 

 cumstances, but the local people will not. They look upon 

 Detroit as a home show. In fact, a large number of the C. 

 K. C. members live in Windsor, Can., or near by. Their 

 dogs are registered in the C. K. C. and the present ruling 

 grinds hard. People who live say seventy-five miles back 

 from Detroit expect to exhibit at that show, and when they 

 have to re-register or re-list they seem to think it is the De- 

 troit Club's fault, and they don't like it. This fact should 

 become well known, for as Mr. Welton, the secretary, says, 

 'As you know almost every one waits until the last day be- 

 fore entering at a dog show, Now, if on Feb. 22 I received 

 a lot of Canadian entries with Canadian registrations I 

 would have to refuse them and it would be too late to get 

 them in." The show people are, however, depending on the 

 publicity given to the subject in the local papers and that 

 the entries will be in proper order. Outside of this every- 

 thing promises well for a good show and another success. 



We understand that Mr. Ogden Goelet, so well known in 

 yachting circles and society, has become interested in bull- 

 dogs, has already some dogs of this good old breed and will 

 build some fine kennels at Newport, R. I., very shortly. A 

 well known and competent dogman is to have the manage- 

 ment of them. This is good news for this particular fancy. 

 Forest and Stream has continually urged the strong claims 

 for popular recognition that the bulldog possesses, and its 

 endeavors in this direction have not altogether been without 

 reward. 



A. H. Gilmore, proprietor of Ruby Kennels, heretofore 

 located at Winthrop Beaeh, Mass., has resigned his position 

 on the editorial staff of the Boston G-lobe, and with his 

 numerous family of handsome toy spaniels has moved to 

 Worcester, Mass., where he, in company with C. Fred. 

 Crosby, also an experienced newspaper man, has purchased 

 the Worcester Dispatch, the leading paper of Worcester 

 county. Last week Mr. Gilmore sold a promising King 

 Charles pup to Miss. F. Shell of Richmond, Va. 



Ansino Locco, a ragpicker, was held for trial by Justice 

 Ryan in Jefferson Market Court, New York city, Jan. 19, on 

 a charge of cruelty to animals. Locco was emptying an ash 

 barrel when a pointer pup owned by William B. Leddy 

 barked at him. Locco struck the dog with his iron hook, 

 blinding him in the right eye. Locco attempted to escape 

 but a passerby who witnessed the cruel act seized him and 

 turned him over to a policeman. He was fined $25. 



The owner of the Swiss Mountain Kennels speaks very 

 enthusiastically about a litter of St. Bernards she has now 

 by Eboracum out of Harmony, litter sister to Sunray. Mrs. 

 Smyth has bred a number of St. Bernards, but she never 

 saw such size as these have a.t their age. Their sire has 

 the type and quality that should produce some good stock, 

 and it is a pity the dog does not appear oftener in public. 



Los Angeles Show. 



Preparations are now being made to carry this show 

 through with success. It will take place April 18 to 21. 

 The entry fee for the large dogs is $3, medium-sized $2.50, and 

 for the smaller dogs $2. Cash prizes of $5 and S3 will be 

 given in the large breeds and in the others -S3 and $2, when 

 five entries are made; §5 kennel prizes are also given, and 

 novice classes will be made for all the principal breeds. It 

 is also expected that a good money prize will be given for 

 the handler showing the largest number of dogs not owned 

 in the State. 



In regard to the above statement that certain prizes will 

 be given if a certain number of entries are made, it will not 

 be out of place to call the attention of clubs giving shows 

 under A. K. C. rules, to the addition that was made to Rule 

 VIII. in the last revision of the A. K. C. rules: All •prizes 

 in a given class shall be awarded regardless of the number 

 of entries. This rule was made to deter shows from publish- 

 ing a reservation to the effect that if only one entry was 

 received in a class half the first prize money would be with- 

 held, and we believe that this rule will be found to apply in 

 the same sense to the announcement made by the Southern 

 California Kennel Club as stated above. An exhibitor 

 should know before making his entry exactly what to expect 

 if he wins and not be made, as we remarked once before, to 

 take chances in a lottery. 



Eastern Field Trials Club. 



A meeting of the Eastern Field Trials Club will be held at 

 New York city during the Westminster Kennel Club show 

 in Madison Square Garden, on Thursday, Feb. 22, at 3 P. M. 

 The attendance of members in person is cordially requested 

 to insure a working quorum and further business of general 

 importance to the club. In view of the fact that a meeting 

 of the club was not held during the recent field trials, it is 

 to be hoped that the members will put in an appearance at 

 the New York show. Field trial men should do all in their 

 power to aid this club in assuming its old position. Some of 

 the best sportsmen in the country are among its members, 

 and the president, Pierre Lorillard, Jr., and Secretary Coster 

 are well known to have the best interests of field dogs and 

 sports at heart and may be counted upon to do their share. 



The death of the Duchess of Argyle is a blow to the Skye 

 terrier fancy in Scotland. She was the patroness of the 

 Skye Terrier Club of Scotland, and besides owning a kennel 

 of these terriers herself, took a great interest in the advance- 

 ment of the breed generally. 



Columbus Dog Show. 



The Columbus Fanciers' Club have provided a class for 

 Gordon setter puppies, to be numbered 4S%, dogs and bitches 

 to compete together, prize $5. The American Hotel offers 

 §10 for the largest collection of Gordons entered and owned 

 by one person or kennel. The prospects for a good show are 

 promising, and exhibitors should not forget that, as this 

 show comes directly after New York and before Detroit, 

 there is no excuse for their not scoring a good entry. 



Col. Ruppert, Jr., is retiring from the fancy and most of his 

 St, Bernards are for sale. Mr. Booth, his kennel manager, 

 has purchased a farm on the James River, Va., and will 

 sever his connection with the kenuel after the New York 

 show. He will spend a mouth in the South and then sail 

 for England, where he will stay during the summer. 



A special meeting of the National Greyhound Club was 

 held Tuesday evening at Mr. Drake's residence, New York 

 city. 



There are few of our readers who have not heard of the sad 

 accident that occurred on the Delaware & Lackawanna Rail- 

 road recently whereby several people lost their lives. In the 

 smoker, which bore the brunt of the collision, Mr. Walter K. 



