The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-01-15
COCK FIGHT LAST NIGHT.
.eu,ncToN CHICKENS WON
FOUR OUT OF FIVE.

.c,.,. Of the Roosters Followed by oihsr
.o.tr.-Man Hit In the ESe-Pistoi and
r.,,. prsvp-Poiice Were Not "in". H.
II seems.
Richmond sports-and one would be sur
prised at the large number OF them-"eie
in a high state Of glee last night. IL Is SCI
dom that they have an opportunity oil gra'''
fyipg their peculiar procliyities' ou' i'S'
night there was sport enough for all
II was a cock-fght, and the variety OF
such performances in Richmond maze eacu
particular "gent'sr blood quicken 10 the
veins. and put the whole fraternity yes'er'
day afternoon on the qui we: ,as,ha
The fight took place on the TOP noor p VI va
huilding used by the Casino on brodu'
near Ninth. although the Casino manag.
ment claimed last night to have nsthlns -
do Nth the affair. To reach this moor W.
Iong flights OF steps had 10 be traNerseu'
| and when the top was reached par m-ue
Of pine boards greeted the eye. luis pl~Ss
,ras n.titioned off from the fighting-roonl
nroner for 10 gain entrance in the latter one
had 10 pass through door guarded ~ an
oyer.zealous taker OF tickets. lhIs i''.o ,'
individual, by the way. had as m9en az
commodation as the average railroad tioAe'
seller.
SPORTS COMING IN.
Tho sports began to stream in the place
about x O'clock and at Q o'clock man! nau
secured the best seats around tue PIT WIN WIN
others were injecting beer INTO thelr s9s
tens on the floors below. .,o.oi.
ON the second floor, in a room cioselJ
guarded BY another unpopular gent, WEI.
| slowed the cocks, which every nan mIhu .l
cave utterauce 10 their presence by genuine
| shroughbred crows. On the same floor, ID
another room, men were seated about WIZ
much the same sang froid that is seen IN
noIiticaI convention, the only difference De-
| ing that variety actresses, In snort Irochs
| lent color 10 the rather sOmDre anu silOhe
ful atmosphere.
About 10 O'Clock the fight began. anc
ninety-nine tickets at a dollar piece were
sold to the sports.
The main was about eight by eight feet, ano
boarded around by planks about two iee'
high. On the bottom was thick layer o.
sawdust. Around this pit the sports assem-
bled. The ninety and nine were maze VI
of all walks Of life-mercbants, bank clerks
travelling men, capitalists, druggists, par
room keepers, gamblers, men-aDout-lo"h
and nobOdies whose lives are myterles.
The fight was between cocks from ASH.
| ington. who were named Nirginias, ana
cocks from North Carolina. Bettag Tor lht
first two fights were even, but on the las
three cdds--S 10 lO-were offered IN favor o.
| North Carolina. The cocks were 0eautiiul
specimens, and had the look that Is usualli
apparent on wel-groomed and Well-fec
horse. They were stylish-lOOking ROSTERS
but would break up the peace Of any barn
yard.
THE STAKES.
The stakes were $500 aside, put up 10y The
owners. 10 be paid when the fights have
been finished. there being fights some Othel
time this week.
The only men hat really did not lool
sporty in the crowd. however, were the
owners OF the chickens-they looked more
ike farmers than sports.
The fight is begun by each man holding
his chicken in the pit until an oppOrtun'
moment arrives. The cocks are armed, Sc
| 10 sneak. with steel spurs about two and q
| hall inches long that look like bent hal
of n knitting needle. The chickens fly al
each other. the spur is driven IN the back
and the cooks draw back to make another
onslaught. A fight generally lasts iron
three 10 ten minutes, and it is usually th'
case that one or another 81 the cocks i
killed. They do not make any cutlery, how
ever.
FIVE FIGHTS.
There were five fights fought, Washington
winning four out Of the five. DUNG th'
fights, however, other fights occurred tina
| lent additional zest 10 the occasion. Inc
first one was told 10 the spectators Of th'
fight By a beer glass being hurled at The
door and broken to splinters. a few mo
ments later man got hit in the eye, anC
an ugly would was the result.
Still later pistol and knife were drawn
on the pavement in front Of the City Hall
and words Of anything but a chaste charac
| ter flew fast and furious.
I Later still another fight took place, ant
both persons got their faces rutiled cOnsid
erably, and when the reporter left one MAI
was looking for another. The former said
be was going to "do up" the latter, bul
whether the "doing process" took place on
not is really not known. All these fights
only occupied few minutes, and only one
arrest was made.