The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-03-07
COCK FIGHTING.
A Gathering Of the Fancy at Union Hll,
N. J.-FiRhting n "Main" for $500
A sids-Brutality Of the Unfeathered
Bipeds-Tne Pleasant Pastimes Of Jer-
sew 0Sports.O

BAneda-Tne
sey "sports."
Receiving a mysterious intimation that an
affair of some importance in sporting circles
was about to come off, yesterday afternoon,
at an out-of-the-way place in the outskirts of
Hoboken, we started IN that direction, with
the design of laying before our readers full
account of the occurrences which might
take place. -...... ..
II was said that careful and secret prepara-
tons had been made for the purpose of getting
up an extraordinary exhibition of cock fight
ing, a great "main" having been made for the
occasion, which would call out full repre-
sentation of the 'fancy" as well as the
"roughs" of New York. Not having fancy
for roughing it ourselves, we felt somewhat
anxious to conceal our purposes in mixing
inn with such an affair; but owing to the late
ness of the hour at which our information was
received, we were obliged to set out in our
usual costume, trusting to the universal adap-
liability of a newspaper man for the means of
getting extricated from any difficulties which
might arise in the course of our Investigations.
Following in the wake of our companions,
we presently appeared in the bar-room of
Mitchell's Hotel, where twenty-five or thirty
men were engaged in smoking, drinking, and
talking. 1t was quite evident that there was
no particular desire to keep the affair secret,
and in fact, we soon learned that in that part
of the world cock-fghting is regarded as an in
nOcent and diverting pastime combining plea
sure with profit, patronized occasionally by the
guardians of the public peace, and deserving
of encouragement by every one interested in
the improvement of Shanghais and Cochin
Chinas
THE COCKPIT
was discovered in rickety frame building in
the rear of the hotel, and consisted of a circu-
lar area about twelve feet in diameter, sur
rounded by low railing and covered with a
rag carpet, upon which were chalked in the
centre of the ring, two lines about two feet
apart, where the cocks were to be set up. An
arrangement of seats of primitive descrip-
ton environed the inclosure.
One corner of the room was occupied by a
red-hot stove, and another by a decrepit indi-
vidual with a withered hand and club-foot,
seated before table improvised out of a cou-
| pie of boards and spread with 'sweat-cloth," :"
| on which he invited the bystanders to engage
in what he called his 'little guess game.''
At about o'clock P. NJ. the votaries of the
cockpit began to enter the room, each paying
the trihing sum of SO to the little man in the
bar-rOom outside who furnished the tickets-a
| price which it was supposed would secure
very select and reputable assemblage.
In conversing with several of the initiated
we learned that these games, though pro-
hibited by the State law, were regularly car
ried on there every week with, little no at
tempt at concealment. The business of rearing
the cocks is largely engaged in by several per-
sons, one mandrake by name-being pointed
out to us, who raises two or three hundred
every year, putting them out among the
farmers in the vicinity, so that each bird may
become accustomed to ''ruling the roost," and
thus acquire confidence and pluck.
They are subjected to a regular course of
training for a few weeks before the fight, so
that they may be in proper condition, and
hafo into bo ,Ni4
or provided with steel spurs, which are for
midable weapons, an inch and a quarter in
length, firmly fastened over the natural spurs
of the fowl.
'main' is certain number of matches or
battles to be fought for a fixed wager, with
smaller sum depending on the issue Of each
match so as to insure fair play. In this in
stance, Brummey ''made" the main and Drake
fought it for a wager of $500.
About hundred men composed the crowd,
made up of farmers from the vicinity, and
saloon-keepers and sporting men from Ho-
boken and Jersey City, with considerable
sprinkling from Gotham, and nearly all ap-
peared to be versed in the business. After
some delay the first pair of "birds" was
brought in and the sport began. Betting by
the partisans of the respective sides was now
the order. ''I'll go eight to ten,on Brummey."
"SiXteen to twenty" "I'll take that"
'EWho'l go twenty-five even2" and similar
expressions, interlarded with oaths, formed
the staple of the conversation.
There seemed to be two or three leading
| characters whose bets were generally success
| full One fellow, with cast in his eye, and
| who boasted that che had always been on
hand, ever since he was big enough, so that
| they'd let him into q cockpit" had the
| shrewdness to win almost every time.
| II was noticeable that the interest in the con-
| test was entirely dependent on the sums at
stake. The excitement was altogether merce-
nary. To a novice, the noble carriage of the
| game cocks, their courage and unwavering
pluck, fighting bravely to the last until death
closed the scene, was an exhibition of qualities
which can never fail of exciting admiration,
but among the habitu6S of the place the only
| question seemed to be which would win and
whose were the stakes
There could be no doubt of the brutalizing
tendency of the whole affair. All the surround
ings tended to immortality. The bar was well
patronized during the intervals between the
matches, and the "little guess game" in the
corner received its share of attention.
| After witnessing three battles, in each OF
| which one of the brave combatants bit the
dust and learning that "they would keep il
up" probably till IL O'Clock at night, we came
away with the well-settled impression that, OF
the two classes of bipeds engaged in the trans.
action the teathered ones were decidedly the
IN. Y. Times.
i CtprOsrTy IN w Arcr,,, - II