BLOODHOUNDS AND CRIME.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 9, 9 January 1913, Page 5

BLOODHOUNDS AND CRIME.

THEIR WORK IN INDIA. Althoilgji bloodhounds are not used in the investigation of crime in this country, and their value, in the legal sense, has yet to be proved, there is little doubt that in other parts of the Avorld dogs are of much assistance to the authorities. ■-

A report made to Major Richardson, the well-known English breeder, by the superintendent of police, at Saharanpur, United Provinces of India, relates how a bloodhound tracked down a dacoit gang who had escaped after a robbery. The line of the dacoits’ retreat was indicated by a quantity of missiles which the robbers had discarded, and the dog was put on the trail the next morning, with the result that ho tracked down three men, whose arrest led to the aprehen, ion of twelve others. On another occasion the hound proved his value in very difficult circumstances. Dacoits were beaten off in an attack on a bullock "cart, and ten hours later the animal was placed on their trail. Although the footmarks ceased after twenty yards, the hound'' made off across country, skirting a canal and crossing a bridge. He continued the trail along the bank of a feeder canal.

Leaving this, ho struck across four rice fields, which had been irrigated from the canal. The water was about four inches deep, and the growing rice about five inches above the water. On arriving on the other side of the ricefield, he went across the country until he came to a village, through which he passed, and ended up at a house in a Sansia settlement to the far side of the village, where a man named Mara was arrested.

An amusing episode occurred when Mara and the other dacoits were on trial. Mara denied that he was present at the dacoity, and knew nothing about it.

“How comes it that dog tracked yon for four and a half miles from the scene of the dacoity up to your house?” Mara was asked.

He replied that he did not know, and then volunteered the following statement quite on his own account ; “When the dog tracks in this manner, what chance has a fellow of committing thefts?”