Eulogy of The Dog: The Story of ‘Old Drum’

George Graham Vest spent twenty-four years in the United States Senate, serving from 1879 to 1903. However, his most notable legacy stems from a speech he gave during a seemingly inconspicuous court case when he was practicing law in rural Missouri. The case that would eternally link his name involved the shooting of "Old Drum," the hunting dog owned by a local farmer named Charles Burden. State historical marker in Owensboro, Kentucky. Photo credit: Carldaniel/Wikimedia Commons On the evening of October 28, 1869, Charles Burden heard the sound of a gun going off from the direction of his neighbor’s farm located only a mile south. The farm was owned by his brother-in-law, Leonidas Hornsby, who raised sheep there. Hornsby was having a hard time maintaining his flock of sheep because of the constant threat of prowling dogs and wolves. Having already lost over a hundred sheep, Hornsby vowed to kill the first stray dog trespassing on his land. Concerned by the gunfire on Hornsby's farm, Burden recalled the vow and, fearing the worst, called his dogs. However, his favorite hunting companion, Old Drum, failed to respond. The following morning, with Old Drum still absent, Charles Burden initiated a search for his missing dog. He first approached his neighbor Hurley to inquire about Old Drum's whereabouts and then proceeded to Hornsby's farm to question him directly. When Hornsby claimed ignorance of Old Drum's location, Burden pressed further, asking about the dog shot the previous night. Hornsby denied shooting any dog himself but mentioned that his nephew Dick had fired at a dog, presuming it belonged to another neighbor. Unconvinced Burden left his brother-in-law’s property to continue the search. Later that morning, Burden found his beloved dog lying dead in the waters of a creek near his farm. His body was riddled with multiple bullet holes.