The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-01
DOG FIGHTING IN THE SOUTH.
HARRY JFNNINGS'S ACCOUNT OF MS
VISIT 10 NEW ORLE1NS.
Twenty-Five Dogs and Only Two Fixhts-No
Money. and the People Yet Scared over
Yellow Fever-An A Accommodating Referee

Twenty-Five Dons and Only Two FiEhts-No
Money. and the People Yet Scared over
Yellow Fever-An A Accomm odatinK Referee
"Hi wouldn't live In New Horleans hif
you'd give me a block O. brown stone front
'ouses hand n 'undred dollars a week for hex
penses. The sporting men down theer is the
worst kever seen. They beant hon the square
They're as mean handias dirty as their barsted
hold city. hand that's sayln a'ard thing hof
hany set hof men"
Mr. Harry Jennings known to his friends as
AIRY. and to the public in general as the most
noted dog fighter OF this city. reached his home
in Broome street yesterday. and it was he that
gave voice to the above eloquent denuncation
Of New Orleans last evening. He was seated in
the aisle formed by two rows Of dog and bird
cages in company with half dozen sporting
friends. most Of whom looked their profession
to the life. The cooling OF doves and the
whining OF a desoate back-and-tan puppy
temporarily under treatment were set of
by the deep bass OF an enraged bull dog in the
rear OF the shop. while birds Of all sorts added
their treble to the general hubbub. Harry
Jennings is about sixty years old, butts straight
as an arrow and IA well preserved rs most men
OF forty. His hands are marked win innu-
merable scars OF dog bites and even his fqce
bears more than one lasting memento OF canine
caresses. He is infinitely more polite how
ever than the majority OF his class. and inn
presses one favorably-to use his own phrase
! ology-as Il square man. The n seldom
forms an element IN his conversation, except In
the wrong places. this peculiarly being most
marked in moments OF excitement. With a
| general redistribution OF the unfortunHts cou-
/ sonHnt the narrative OF his New Orleans misad-
ventures. in his own language is as follows:
went down you know, with Tom Thornton
Of Boston to give series OF public dog fights in
! New Orleans We had twenty-five dogs, mostly
/ bull terriers md only had two fights. | think
| Bergh must have intertered, for the very day
| after our arrival a law was passed making dog
| lighting Illegal, think Bergh sent down money
| to ct that hill through. Well. after our nrst
| public light the authorities interfered. Then |
| tried TO get an Injunction. or some such legal
| document; but the Mayor said that would do no
| good. as he wouldn't issue license for the
snow. The next day we arranged IA little fight
M 10 make n test case MS 10 tne constitutonnifty
| OF the law. but they didn't come. That nOOred
| us. 81 course, anu we quit Don't talk 70 me
| about New Orleans any morel why. its the
| drtest place ever saw. Even II the shows had
| been allowed. the gate money wouldn't have
| paid expenses. just think Of IL! At 30 cents u
| head We couldn't I'LL house TO see some OF tho
best nghting dogs in the country There's no
money down there and the people haven't got
| " The fighting. what we had OF II. was tip top.
! Ny CrOppy and Pete. u Boston bull and terrier.
| fought straight away, without breathing. for
| two hours and seventeen minutes. and then
| only stopped for a rest. The referee. "A New
| Orleans man. who knows nothing about dog
lighting told the Boston man to scratch has
! dos which means to take him TO his place and
| give him a chance 70 begin the hght again. but
without forcing The Boston man refusing |
the referees FIRST order was binding and the
result was that tlua fight WAS given to Pete. The
fact Is that most ) the New Orleans money was
on the Boston dog which fought at % pounds.
while mine weighed 21 pounds. ana the drci-
that Croppy won Is thai Pete died the next day.
He was gamey little dog. but Croppy was too
good wrestler for him" ,
N-ttle 13h pounds. and Spring OF Boston. 10
pounds. Nettle forced the fishtipg from tht
start and in fifteen minuSes the Boston man
picked up his dog TO save his life. Alter that
We had some ngh'ing in nluzzl 8. but there's "a
fun IN that. yoq, know. as ii's only q sort oo
dog wrestling. II you want dogs 10 nsht nat
ural you must give EN- their mouths. But
here's Croppy" said Jennings. as n hl
buil and terrier pulled In "A small boy by q lg
chain. You see he's Ms active and ambitious
a any dog need be- and not much marked con-
sidering the hard hSnt he had
Croppy had several hnlf hened sores on the
neck. and his lips and chops We're severely bit-
ten, but ne seemed strong ana Lively and ready
10 urii again nt moments notice, Lutte Nrttle
showed scarcely marx. Harry Jennings ad-
miued that his losses by the trlp W're nearly
$4,000. They came by the steamer Golden Age
from New Orleans 10 Cincinnati Mr.. jennings
and an assistant sleeping on the deck near thr
dog cages. One night Mr.. Jrnnings'- : Ass stenr
was robbed while sleeping AT his side. " i.ri
something tickle my ear that ni-ht. but thou-hi
II was hy. and simply rolled over The next
morning my man found his pocket cut and his
MONEY gone. Auerward saw thief tickle a
ma, ear So las TO get a. something that was
under his head. aud then knew what had hap
pened to me. Them river thieves are worse
than New York pickpockets."
New Orleans ~ the most desolate city ever
saw. SAID Mr. Thornton. who was OF the CONF
pany. The markets arr deserted. three out of
five OF the stores are closed. and nearly every
other house in some sections is to let Still
there Is good deal OF gayrty especially on
sundays. when there are races, pienics, variety
shows. and concerts. We gave our muzze-iight-
ing exhibition on sunday night"
Croppy. the winner Of the fight in which
brave Pete lost his LIE, has been purchased ut a
said to be matched against celebrated fighter
ol that city.