Rural Missouri - June 2023 - 12

THE
OLD DRUM
TRAIL
Follow in the pawprints of man's best friend
by Jim McCarty | jmccarty@ruralmissouri.coop
I
f not for a celebrated trial and the heartfelt closing argument
from a future U.S. senator, no one would remember
a hound named Drum. Drum's tragic death sparked
his owner's quest for satisfaction. His lawsuit led to four
trials, resulting in a tear-jerking " eulogy to the dog " delivered
by George Vest that solidified the reputation of the
dog as man's best friend - and Warrensburg as his home.
The events leading up to the legend of Old Drum began
in 1869 when he was shot along Big Creek south of Kingsville.
Life was returning to normal four years after the
Civil War ended. For farmer Leonidis Hornsby, that meant
stopping wolves and stray dogs from killing his sheep. He
vowed to kill the next stray that appeared on his land.
On the night of Oct. 28, 1869, Hornsby's neighbor
and brother-in-law Charles Burden released his hounds,
including Old Drum, and settled in for a night listening to
them chase coons in the woods. Suddenly a shot rang out
and the joyful bays turned to yelps of pain. He sounded his
hunting horn and all of the dogs responded - except for
Drum, the pride and joy of his pack.
Fearing the worst, and remembering his neighbor's
promise to shoot stray dogs, Burden confronted him. He
learned Hornsby had asked his nephew to load his shotgun
with corn to scare off dogs instead of killing them. A
dog had been shot, he admitted, but doubted it was Drum.
Burden responded by saying he would go look, and " It
may not be my dog. If it ain't, it's all right. If it is, it's all
wrong and I'll have satisfaction. " He found his dog dead,
with his head lying in the waters of Big Creek. To Burden,
it was obvious who killed his dog. He filed suit, asking for
$100 in damages.
And so began the legal maneuvering that led to suits,
judgements, appeals and finally satisfaction for Burden
after three years of wrangling - and Vest's famous speech.
Drum's owner was awarded $50 and court costs after the
judgement was affirmed by the Missouri Supreme Court.
Warrensburg, where the famous trial was held, quickly
claimed the title of Home of Man's Best Friend and refused
12 RURAL MISSOURI | JUNE 2023
to let Old Drum be forgotten. In 1958, Drum was immortalized
in downtown Warrensburg where his likeness was
set in bronze and put on display at the current Johnson
County Courthouse.
Countless fans of Old Drum visit the courthouse memorial
today. They pause for a selfie in front of the life-size
statue and likely shed a tear after reading Vest's eulogy on
the concrete base.
Less known is the rest of the Old Drum story that plays
out on a trail put together by the Johnson County Historical
Society. Beginning at the courthouse monument, the
trail leads lovers of canine history to all of the Old Drum
sites, including the courthouse where the celebrated trial
took place, the cemetery where many of the principals are
buried and the site where he breathed his last.
This month the Old Drum Trail culminates with a festival
named for Missouri's State Historical Dog. During Old
Drum Day set for June 10, Warrensburg welcomes visitors
from near and far to a fun-filled event that celebrates
furry friends. The festival is centered around the Johnson
County Historical Society's museum complex, which
includes the actual courthouse where the famous trial took
place along with other historical structures. It features
dog-themed events, food, live music and more.
Whether you come for the Old Drum Day festival or plan
your own search for Old Drum, there's plenty of local history
waiting for you thanks to the active historical society
that has been around since 1920. Follow these directions
for the locations of the Old Drum sites in Warrensburg and
the surrounding area.
Warrensburg
The Johnson County Historical Society
Museum is open from 1 to 4 p.m. on Tuesday,
Thursday and Saturday. For more
information visit www.jocomohistory.
org, or call 660-747-6480. You can
read more of the Old Drum story
from the July 2020 issue of Rural
Missouri at www.ruralmissouri.
org/pawprints-on-our-hearts.
http://www.jocomohistory.org http://www.jocomohistory.org http://www.ruralmissouri.org/pawprints-on-our-hearts http://www.ruralmissouri.org/pawprints-on-our-hearts
Rural Missouri - June 2023

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