The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-02
GREAT Cooking CONTEST.
The Feathered GladiatOrS Of New York
and Troy in Battle Array.
New York Victorious "White fails" Of
Troy Cleaned Ont-Largc ASsemblage
and Much Money Lost and Won.

ALBANY Feb. !, 1872.
Like the bulldog among the canine race the
gamecock holds the FIRST place for pluck aud valor
the poultry yard Its courage is unquestionable.
and never fades. Cock lighting. to use q scientific
phrase, Is, without doubt, "werry antic." The
Greeks and Romans had sort OF religious contests
OF this kind and Rhodes and Janagra furnished
the most approved fowls Tor the pit i've hundred
years before the Christian era. Alexandra was
also famous town for gamecocks. and Mexico,
China, Malacca, Persia and Sunatra still keep up
the old pastme though their birds are greatly infe.
riOr TO tine Old English breeds. Nobody questions
the antiquity or TINS amusement, but from the
reign Of Henry H. down through Henry WILL, when
Oliver Cromwell turned up his puritanic ewes and
so!emnly announced it by law as wicked and
heatnenish, and the old Merry Monarch reopened
royal pit at Westminster, to the present time, do
not believe the practice OF ghtlng these BIRDS or
ardOr and impetuosity Was more admired and
widely patrOnized than In this day and in our own
land. New York state stands number one IN this
rcspect; and IN your city, nOtw outstanding the in
reference OF many meddleys it is Our,shlng in the
best possible manner; and up here, right under the
shadow Of the building where the wisdom or the
Commonwealth is centred, and patronized by more
than one OF the lawmakers, the
GRAND OLD AMUSEMENT
children in this section know game bird from q
dungnil They are posted ON STRAINS" ''reath.
ers" "gafrs" 'nackles." colors, and rules gov.
erning the sport The men that own these game
birds hereabOuts, and in the neighDoring city of
Troy, deemlng them this winter ''shuah blood, y
have looked out beyond the vicinity OF their dis
trlct and challenged to combat the lower Of featn-
cred tribes in your city, and yesterday, after
many preliminaries, the first Of two big fights
came OF and terminated amid much excite
ment and to the great loss, pecunlarily, OF
the boys around about Albany and Troy. This
fight or main OF cocks was between Mr.. William
Drake, OF New York, and Mr.. James Scullen Of
Troy. 1t was agreed that each should show
seventeen birds, weighing from lbs. or. to lbs.
o., and that they should fight all that fell in
matched weights under the rules for 500 battle
and $500 the odd fight And hence to see "dose
New York and Troy CHECKLIST came here. When
l arrived yesterday morning at the Delavan House
the usual pacidity OF the place. so marked from the
defeat, greater tnan any cocknghter ever expe-
rienced, that Tammany has suffered was consider.
ably ruffled. Ii was soon explained. One pious-
looking friend Of mine whispered in my ear,
'GOING TO THE MATINEEY"
And as matinee in Albany Is nothing else tnan a
cock fight or a trOt on ice answered a1lrmatively.
"There Will be red-hot fun and plenty of sugar. he
selected for the dispute, ana where the cocks, or
those OF the New York side, for days have been
kept
With eyes and feathers right,
And with heels sharp and prime,
is on the old Troy road where few years ago there
were many fast horses and nopby lads and lasses
as used to travel on the OLD jamaica road, Long
Island, but. like the latter its glory as a trOtting
ground has faded, and now the few hotels thereon
do living business only In one Of the preten-
t0us OF these public houses something after the style
OF old Jonn 1. 49, near Union Course tne contest
was decided. IL Is something more than an Osten-
tatlous rum mill asiis external and internal appear
ance suggest that good cheer may there be mad En-
terIng the barro0m ] was struck Win It's neatness.
The moor was ceany scrubbed, the walls were white
as snow, and arge-szed prints OF the famous trot-
ting horses OF the day hung upon every nand. There
were neither cobwebs in the corners nor cock.
reaches gallOplng across the ceiling. was early,
and only found sitting near the stove single midi
Vdua. THIS was an alderman" defunct politt-
caly Judge, rom ms maxe;;ap and from other
fellow when he mas not had MS dose-a
GALLON OF OLD RYE.
II asked the Alderman" and while he was getting
away with his share The premises We're suddenly
redolent with gaillnaceous music, and the CALDER
man's' services were not required Imprisoned
cocks in the rooms above defantly cock -dooled at
other cocks in the rear, and as the afternoon wore
ON e tn owa d began 10 come and Win
popular refreshments everybody was COCK
a-hoop in anticipation of the sport. Pass
case covered with oiicIoth entered the
cockpit Gashtters were arranging new burners,
pets to be used in the pit. The room nj Is in
tended for country dances, and, with the encir-
cling rows OF seats commanding view Of the cir
to fight their duets u poubance, made
FINE AMPHITHEATRE.
Ice had formed on the windows, 1t was so cold, but
that soon after disappeared, when four or five hun
dred steamlng breatns ana perspirlng bodies were
packed in the room. From three O'Clock every
sengers at the door OF the hotel and close Car.
rlages and farm wagons nlled the commodious
sheds attached TO the premises. weighing in and
matching lists consumed the time until half-past
four O'Clock, when, after weary waiting, word was
pit was open." All this time the crowd that surged
TO and fro below stairs had been accepting the hos
young ALBANIAN who forgot himself was thrown
out 81 doors as q gentle reminder That he was in
"How much for ticketss"
"Five dollars"
These and similar EXPLANATIONS were heard from
the lads when the price OF admission was named;
but they all paid It, grumble or no grumbe, tor the
majority had come TO see the 'whte.tail chickens
of Troy clean out their New York antagonists. At
five O'Clock the gas jets were lighted and the pit
amusement could not nave mistaken the throng
could anybody have suspected they had got into
q prayer meeting or branch Of the Troy
YOUNG MEMS CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION,
although the brethren were most staid and deco.
rous on the start. There was not vacant seat and
the assemblage was appreclative. Among the
crowds recognized Judges, Aldermen IN good re.
pute and men Of nigh moral character both from
Albany and Troy. Old butchers and young butchers
IN sealskin caps and sunday Clothes sat beside
those that daily buy their siroin and p0rterhouse
steaks Farmers hobnoDbed with liquor dealers,
and bakers Ia white overcoats cnatted with bankers
In broadclpth and shiny hats. Doctors talked
pleasantly with those who had been their PATIENTS
and one or more backsmlths, with their nard cast
iron features, laid down the law upon orni.
theological matters 10 well-to.do merchants, whose
faces ever and anon lighted up with an ap.
preclatlve glow. And there were all kinds OF
men In this assemblagc, men with canine look
and abundantly bowelled men, that wore immacu-
late shirt b0soms and diamond studs and cameo
rings, TO the reporter unknown, though evidently
known to fame. Then there were smooth laced
young men, with vast expanse OF shirt collar loud
overcoats and incipent mustaches; but they knew
what chicken dispute was and backed their Iudg-
ments freely. There were others and all kinds OF