The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-09-13
A SAVAGE DOG FIGHT
Foueng oN WHISKY RuN svNDAY
About Three Hundred People Take an Early
sunday Morning Trip to see Two Dogs
Flght-Ths PaF.IcUlarsOf the Match.
A Long Fight Declared a Draw,

The chief topic Of conversation among
the local sports for the past few days hiss
been . dog fight between two wsll.bEed
fiEhtlng imported English bull terriers.
There was more interest taken in this
event by the fraternity than in any Of the
racing events Of Last week, An effort was
made to keep the fight quiet, but it was
finally learned that the white terrier,
Scrip" owned by Joseph Lsuno, Of the
Fifth ward, had been matched Rgainst the
yellow and white terrier, "0ld Joe,"
owned by "TuCk" Ferguson, for a purse
OF $500; the date Of the fight was, however,
kept dark. Saturday night an inside
pointer was given reporter that the pro.
posed battle would take place at daylight
sunday morning, at . cross road on whisky
run, about one mile and a hall back OF the
town Of West Wheeling.
Between three and four O'Clock yester-
day morning, q long procession oil buses,
wagons, hacks and buggles drove over the
suspension bridge, the exodus greatly as
tonishing the gsIe.keeper on duty, and
proceeded as far as West Wheeling, where
the passengers Of the larger rigs were COM
PEELED by the bad condition oil the country
road to dismOunt and foot 1t to the rsn-
devious chosen, The battle-ground was
a fiat plat Of ground about fifty yards
square on the side OF hill, the ground
being as level Ra a floor, dump" Sher-
man, u well known sporting man, from
Bellaire, was appointed referee, and two
local sports appointed judges tor each Of
the Caulues,
Grip, the white canine, was handled by
Ike Smith, the well known coloTel night
soil operator OF this city, who has on nu.
merous occasions figured In sports OF this
kind. The white and yellow dog, Joe,
was handled by Dick Mccormick, Of the
Eighth ward, assisted by his owner.
While the preliminary preparations
were being made, the referee announced
that the battle would be scratch fight,
When everything had been properly ar.
ranged and the dogs tasted to ensure
against poison, the word was given and
the dogs loosed, They sprang yiCiously
forward and met in the middle Of the pit,
where they fought savGgely for neck holds,
Grip gaining his end, but he "a led to hold
it, jos tearing himssli loose and decorating
Grips right ear before the round was fin
ished. The fight was long and obstinate,
both dogs being terribly mangled about
the head and neck, but no decisive In.
jury was inflicted, The plttings grew In
number till fully twenty had been made,
on the last Of which Grip secured nose
hold, but was too exhausted to follow up
the advantage, both dogs sinking to the
ground, where they lay side by aide too
much exhausted II fight longer.
The referee, after waiting for fifteen
minutes, declared the fight draw and all
bets oil. The time Of the battle was two
hours and forty.hve minutes and Is the
longest on record. The betting previous
to the battle was heavy, odds Of two 10
one being offered on "0ld Joe,N
The result did not satisly the backers Of
the dogs, who have arranged for another
battle az an early date. 1t Is estimated
that the crowd that witnessed the fight
aggregated fully 800, Pittsburgh, steuben.
vile and MCKeesport sports being presunt
in addition to full quota Of local sports
and fly young men Of this city. As q
sample oil the vicious character OF the
6ght, the dogs in three different rounds
fought clear across the pit and fell over
an eighteen foot embankment, where
they each time continued tue battle for q
quarter Of an hOnr baFore they separated,