Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1882-07-10

I
Slot'ng the other Sunday Afternoon
VIA my friend, e. B. P. Ringwalt, or
The po.ch Of his pretty residence in
Downingtown, Chester county, he asked
If had any interest in fancy chickens
and pigeons. A journalist is interest
cd In everything, and ! promptly re-
well then, we will hitch up and 20
over to see Sammy Mathewson, who
lives little way up the road" said
Ringwalt.
1t was not far to Sammy's, but upon
our arrival we found that gentlem an
asleep. He was awakened despite our
protest, and responded as Smilingly as
If 1t were q matter of course and rath-
or agreeable than other wise to be
aroused from Sunday afternoon nap.
l hardly think could trust my own
good nature under similar circum.
stances.
ME- Mathewson is busy man. He
Is farmer; has large peach orchards
under his care, and great collection of
fowls, fancy pigeons, fighting chickens
and some prize pigs.
II have not many very astonish ing
fellows, just now III the chicken fight
ing line, he said.
II have sold off the best of them, but
there are still one or two of them worth
looking at, and o lot of the ragamuttins
of my army.
Over there ia an Irish Grey. The Irish
Greys are the best fighting chickens in
the world. | had hard time to get
that chap. actually had 10 give a
hog for him.
Not being specially informed in the
value of hogs, learned little by this
information as to what a number l |
chicken of the brusier variety was
worth, but afterwards it appeared that
he price was about ten dollars some
times more, sometimes less. Game |
locks begin to fight when q year old.
Four Irish Greys were sent to Calitor.
liza from the farm of another expert in
he business, Samuel Hartsborne, who
esides hard by, and seventy five dol
ars paid for them.
From the Irish Greys Mr.. Mathewson
) making clear crosses with various
ems and is obtaining excellent re-
ults.
The chicken before going into fight,
as all the feathers around the neck
losely cropped and his comb cut down =
0 that the other fighter may not have
nything to catch hold of. The natural =
purs are sawed off to within quarter :
an inch of the leg just enough re- ,
raining to allow the gatf, the artificial
Dur, to be affixed. The gait is great,
gly, sharp-pointed dagger.like piece
steel, and is used by the fowls with
eadly effect. i
"But about the cruelty Of chicken Q
Citing ?" asked Ringwalt. l
"Well," replied Mathewson, ''tLat t.
you will but l tell you it is natural. il
n old gentleman in West Chester, a t
eat admirer of game chickens, now in n
8 eighty-fourth year, to whom l have II
Id many fighter, said in book g
Lich he wrote on the sport, that If I
70 game cocks were to meet in the de. a.
1T they would 60 att and never let "
} until one of them was killed. And 81
ats true as anything ever written. L ii
lily let one ofmy game cocks out of Il
Q pens at time. If l let 'em all out fC
geJher there would be incessant bat IL
}. Come here and I'll catch this u
eathwood. He doesn't weigh near as W
UGH as Grey, but that don't matter as &C
r as either of them is concerned. The hi
eatt wood once fought and licked o D
I'd pound heavier than himself. or
rst.class game cocks are not allow. ma
to fight more than one ounce over m
Dir weight" Tt
The Heathwood was captured. He he
IS not pretty creature. The marks
his numerous contents were plainly
,ible. One of his eyes was gouged
!. But he doesn't care for that. dr.
hen he goes in he goes in with his stl
I'd eye on the enemy, and can see as da
Lch with that as most chickens can tol
jh their two eyes," explained Mr.. gil
,thewson. The Grey evidently knew Sh
at was going ON. When Mr.. Ma. OF
wson came from the coop with the
ath wood in his arms the Grey rushed ret
and strutted around as anxious as ye'
Id be for q row. 1t was Sunday, on
| of course it would not do to have thu
out and out fight; and besides the pts
vls were badly matched. But they ser
re let go at each other Just for a res
ment, and so they did, with all j
and vigor. Mathe wson lyi
ldled--I believe that is the technical bal
n-the Heathwood with all the skill Oh
his experience, but the poor little ing
! was terribly ange'e ed that he was olu
allowed to get at his big opponent. ms
his mere taste of chicken fighting, / GOV
70 no hesitation in saying, was alto got
her exciting, and should time and hac
ortunity ever permit, am afraid, sec
cking as is the sport, 1 will gee
% of 1t. Mr.. Mathewson and Mr..
'tshorne are not the only ones en-.
ed in the raising of fancy fowls in 1888
region. There are others, and from Ere
ut Downington came the fowls SITES
Oh Ia the fight between Pennsylva- Chi
and Maryland decided it in our linn