The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1869-10-06
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1859

| to transact some business for my eIa
ployer, and being detained some tim,
longer than 1 expected, Il was quit,
late at night when I turned my step.
towards home, if I may SO call The
place where I lived, and which wa.
destitute of every thing that makes
home pleasant and agreeable.
| Walking in New Orleans in the
neigllborhood in which 1 then was
being anything but safe, and having q
large sum of money with me, was Of
course armed. The streets were badly
lighted and infested with thieves and
rascals of every description, so was
not surprised to hear, as l walked
along, loud cries for help. / of course
ran in the direction from which they
proceeded, shouting at the top of nv
voice. ''Murderg" "mu,der," "stop
thief" etc." in order to frigllten away
the persons who had no doubt were
attacking some one for the purpose OF
robbery, or perhaps murder. In this
appeared to be successful; for when
reached the corner from which was
certain the cries for help came, I-could
see no one; but observing n halt
closed door through which IL light was
reflected on the sidewalk, and the
place having more respectable APP
pearancc than many others in the
neighborhood, l knocked. This was
met by:
"Halloo, old chap! come in-no
standing outside the door, if you
please"
To this made answer that wanted
light to search for some one who had
been robbed.
The same voice REPLIED:
"Comc in, there's plenty of light in
side; and, my friend, if you look for
every body robbed in the street, you'll
be pretty apt to get robbed yourself.'
Being a little ncttled at this, gave
the door n kick, which, giving way
more suddenly that expected, pre-
cipitated me inside. A loud laugh
greeted my entrance, and the same
person as before, who was evidently
master of the house, said:
"Wo-o-o-up sir! Bill, give the gen
tleman o iftr'
Before the Bill aforesaid could give
the aid mentioned, l was on my feet
and gazing around on the singular
place and company to which l had
been SO suddenly introduced.
The building in the interior looked
like a large, old-faslliopcd country
barn, brilliantly lighted with gas; the
centre being occupied by 81 large cir
cular pit, around which were raised
rows of benches. in tiers like those at
the theatres; from this I concluded
that | was in one of those cock-pits of
which 1 had heard so much.
To describe the company would be
almost equal to describing an inhabi-
tant of every country on tic earth, for
verify believe each had its represcn-
tativc there, from the big "buck" negro
of the Guinea Coast to the gambler and
rough of American birth.
The proprietor, who was sitting at
one end on chair little raised on Il
platform, seeing me standing by the
door, shouted:
"Sit down there, viii you; gentle
men, bring out your cocks and make
your bets"
Seeing nothing better than to COM
ply, and thinking it might be danger
our to refuse, took my seaton one of
the benches and prepared to witness
the sport.
The gentleman before designated as
chip now brought out fine looking
rooster, and one of the company pro-
duccd another; Immediately every
one began to cry out various amounts,
stcn to fitew "twelve to temp max
ing bets ON their f;,vorite birds.
The roosters being first weighed,
and their heads placed together to see
if they would fight, were put in the
ring, or pit, when at once they began
the combat. The excitement became
intense, the men crying out hit him
agin ole felloww Murray for the small
one" That'sTight black " until the
fight was decided by one OF the comba-
tants being killed. All bets were now
settled and preparations were made
for another encounter.
In the next fight, after little spar
ring, one of the ROSTERS was struck in
the throat by its antagonist, and drop
ped down as every one thought, dead
all were upon the point OF paying their
bets when up jumped the seemingly
dead cock, and by last spasmodic
effort struck the other in the eye.
Both now fell dead, and loud dispute
arose among the bet:ers, some, the
losers, contending that it was drawn
battle, willie the winners protested
with equal vcrbosity that it was not
from words quickly came blows; ii
tho rii1st Of tl,n cour,,y;1x,, a ,.;s4 Il