The New York herald., 1872-12-29
Thirteen Fights for $500 Each and
$1,000 the Main.
Troy Victorious The white Tails" Clean
Ont Their Opponents Immense
Sums Change Hands.
WHAT WILL PIE sARATOGIANs NOW SAY /!


having fallen through, the great cock fight between
Troy and New York came or privately yesterday
afternoon and last night not far from th,s city,
sulting in grand victory for the Trojans. And
now that the AFFAIR has been settled, and that
too, IN the most agreeable and pleasant
manner, the story OF It's conception, and also the
result. may be told, with few omissions
OF names and places that the HERALD reporter Is
bound by pledge to suppress. Their publication
would not be Of any great interest, while II posi-
bly, might prove annoying TO some Of the guardians
of the peace hereabouts, who for days have been
laying the atterng JUNCTION to their souls that in.
deed, the great main OF cocks was "ofr'' owing
TO THEIR INCREASED VIGILANCE
Everybody, or rather almost everybody, with
taste for amusements OF sporting nature, is aware
that the practice OF fighting game cocks Is greatly
admired and widely patr0nized In this day and in
this country and, though the Southern States
have justly wide reputation for nduging literally
in the exciting pastme, New York stands prom
inent in this respect In your city the sport
nourishes, and 1t never be suppressed, despite
the interference OF many meddicrs. The same Is
the case In this section. Right under the shadow
OF the capital and where the supposed wisdom OF the
state annually comes together, the grand old
sport has prosperous existence When fully at
its height lawmakers and lawbreakers talk freely
upon the different combats. And men In business
circles, holding high social positions, know game
bird from one OF Indifferent strain. They are as
well posted on the rules governing the proper
manner OF conducting main as they are on the
price OF stocks. For years the men who breed
these game birds in this section, deeming them Of
"shuah blood,'' have looked out beyond their own
dis trict and challenged TO combat the dover OF
the feathcied tribes, or, rather, those who own
them, in your city, and many have been the fights
resulting thercfrom, and thousands upon tens or
thousands OF dollars have changed hands. The
contest which it IL now proposed to describe was
agreed upon
LAST SUMMER AT SARATOGA
Noted gentlemen known well in sporting circles
met there during the August racing meeting and,
after some little conference, agreed that they
should come together in that village on the 27th OF
December. II was also agreed that eacn party
should show twenty-one birds, weighing from lbs.
o. to lbs. 10 or, and they Should fight all that
'fell in'' or matched in weight under the Albany
rules, for the unprecedented sum Of $500 each
tie and SIS, 600 the odd fight. From the moment
the articles OF agreement were signed this pro-
posed combat became the theme OF much CONVEX
satIon and speculation In the sporting Cir
cles OF every city in the Union. From the
old cooking element Of New Orleans to that
not so well acquainted, perhaps with "feathers,
and "hackles, in Portsmouth, Me the result OF the
meeting has been canvasscd, and within a month
or 30 numerous letters have been received in this
city, In Troy and in New York regarding IL. The
wide publicity given 10 the anticipated sport
caused much trouble 10 the gentlemen who were
instrumental in making the nain and necessttated
a change Of base; aud. instead OF having II take
place in the most comfortable quarters imaginable
and those created expressly for the event, IL was
decided In the most cheerless place or the charac-
ter in the country. How the many residents of
Saratoga, CHIEF among whom were the members
OF the
YOUNG MEMS CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION,
took the matter In hand and Indignantly, i'm long
resolutions. protested against the great cock
fight from taking place there, and how they caused
warrants be issued by the for the arrest OF
all concerned in the affair Is well known and need
mined front caused a conference among the prin-
cipals, and locality not far rom here was selected
for the settlement OF the little difficulty. Again.
not satisfied with ther success In this particu-
lar, the jealous Christians Of Saratoga transmitted
long. eplstles to their brethren in this city
and in Troy, requesting them to buckle on their
religious armor and .'g0 for" these "demoralized
men, who would fight game chickens. Their
brethren OF the latter places did as required.
Their armors were tightly buckled on and the
police forces asked to coOperate-wDIch they did
TO suppress any demonstration Of the kind should
1t be attempted in their midst. This unexpected
movement surprised the gentlemen who wished TO
have the fight take place, and once more they
and while they quietly settled the way to decide
the main gave IL to the world tnat 'forfeit had
been paid by the New York party" and "thc whole
affair lallen through" Meanwhile, as per agree
ment, twenty-five men were notified by the Troy
side and twelve by the New Workers, leaving
/, 'OUT IN THE COLDn
the hundreds In your city who would have given
their checks for 1000 could they have been pres
ent. Well, to see in battle array '.dem Troy and
New York chck'ns, came here" Upon arriving
among the Tr0jans on Thursday, In the late furious
storm, journeyed to the American House and
phase Of the preiiminares leading to the successful
issue OF the fight. 1t was difficult matter. But
at last after hours OF travelling about, and almost
frozen stif by the severity OF the Temperature,
struck the right tral and yesterday morning ut
ten O'Clock proceeded to the appointed place.
s.G w be \ IN this mat
fight must go on, even II some OF our friends do
kick up about not being notified" The selected
York birds had been kept after removal from Sara
t0ga,
With eyes and feathers right
And with heel sharp and prime,
In condition for the fight,
is one OF the roads leading from THE Old Knick
erb0cker city. IL Is q sort Of unostentatious rum
mill, put Its internal appearance suggests that
good cheer may there he had We entered from
the rear Tue frent OF the house was closed and
The barroom was neatly fitted and pleasant. The
floor had been cleany scrubbed, but the few pres
ent had brought In considerable snow their feet,
which materially changed Its appearance. The
walls were nicely papered, and large-slzed prints
OF famous trotters hung upon every hand. Unlike
many places OF the nature, there were neither
COBwEBs IN THE CORNERS
nor cockroaches gallopiDg across the ceiling
was early, and found sitting around the stove but
four or i've individuals. These, in both dress and
marked them as being much above
the men who usually patronize such sport. They
were elegantly dressed and held communication
with each other In subdued tones. No sooner had
sat down than every eye was turned upon me, i
yet, though the expression that fitted across their
denoted surprise that total stran-
ger should thus cooly walk in among them,
there was no impertinence manifested
All this time the premises were re-
dolent with rallinaceous music. Imprisoned cocks
in the rooms above de1antly cock-ardooaled at
other cocks near them. As the morning wore on
the party increased, and shortly after one O'Clock
there were about only forty present. Now the
arguments incidental to such an occasion com
menced, and everybody was cock-a-hoop in antici-
patton OF the lighting. About two ?'clQck ! en-
tered the cockpit. Well, the place was the worst
possible that could have been selected for the
ieathered gladiators TO fight their ducls a
and IL was as cold az charity. More OF
u tne HERALD reporter has promised not to say.
From three O'Clock onwards there we're many who
came TO the doors but were refused admittance,
the doorkceper In some instances having the un.
paralleled cheek to tell them that
THIS II CLOSED HOUSE,"
weighing In the birds and matching the lists had
t,~sx