The state capital., 1891-09-05
SOCIETY COCKFIGHTS.
a Fad Among Certain Chicago
Circles.
Parlors and Billiard Rooms Turned Into
Pits Where the Guests Arc En-
tcrtaincd by Battling
Gamebtrds.

Pits Whore the Guests Are En-
tcrtaincd by Battling
Gamebirds.
"Coachy, where are you going with
the rooster?' asked man the other
evening, on the corner of Michigan
avenue and Twenty-third street, of
cockney coachman who was hurrying
along with sack under his arm. The
officer showed his badge, and the coach
man opened the sack and showed two
game roosters, which were returned to
their roost by the officer.
''That coachman was going out on
Wabash avenue with those birds to have
a main at some private residence" said
the officer of the humane society to
Chicago Times reporter. ut is fad
for millionaires to have private cooking
mains in their dining-rooms, or billiard
rooms. Board of trade men are espe-
cially given to this form of sport. Of
course these mains are conducted very
quietly, for, as rule, these people do
not wish it generally known that their
tastes run that way.
"When main is to take plac ;, the
word is quietly passed around to Sc
lect few and there is a gathering of a
dozen or perhaps more in the dining
room at the mansion designated. Some
times they are invited to dinner, as was
the case on Wabash avenue, not far
from Twenty-ifth street, a few even
ings ago. After dinner the ladies ad-
iourned to the parlor. The gentlemen
remained below in evening costume.
The dining-table was cleared, the guests
ranged around the room in circles, and
the master OF ceremonies summoned
the coachman, who carried two fine
game roosters. They were placed on
the mahogany dining-table, and when
one of them tapped his wing and
crowed his defiance round of applause
shook the room.
"The butler, an English cocl1ney with
mutton-chop whiskers and an unspeak-
able accent, wore a steel-pen coat,
knee breeches, and low-quarter shoes
with silver buckles. The coachman
wore the regulation pantaloons, high
top boots, etc. There were no gaffs
used. Now, am telling you this as it
was told to me, for | know nothing
about it of my personal knowledge"
said the officer, in explanation. ''We1,
as | understand it, after a few small
bets the butler took one of the birds
and the coachman the other, and the
feathers began to fly Whenever Il
bird got in lick, or rather Il kick, on
his opponent, he would receive gen.
crous burst of applause from his cham
pions. The host stood at the head of
the table and acted as timer, or umpire
or Judge, and IS earnestly and as sol
cmnly as if he were about bulling
wheat or selling October lard short.
Three or four rounds had been
fought and neither bird knocked out,
and the interest in the fight was grow
ing intense, when the host took the
buffers place at the table saying:
Let me fight this bird. Mr.. -, take
the other bird, and VIC will have fight
to the finish The other gentleman is
a millionaire and has acres of real cs-
tate and numerous blocks of buildings
in Chicago.
The real estate owner offered the
host bet of one thousand dollars and
champagne supper for the party that
his bird would win. The wager was
snapped up by the host, who declined to
let certain large railway shareholder
in the deal At it the birds went.
The host proved to the satisfaction of
all his guests that he was no novice III
the business-in fact, he managed
his bird SO well as to prove that
he had had considerable experience
in affairs of this sort. His bird,
however, was not quite SO game,
or, rather, less scientific than
the other, and the real estate gentle
mans rooster was victorious after sever
well-fought rornds-knocking his op-
poncnt off the table. Tic butler called
time for he was now timer in place of
his master, and tho victory was given
to the real estate aristocrat.
private cocking-mains," continued
the officer, ''are very popular, and be-
coming quite frequent with some of the
wealthy class. There are several aris-
tcclatic mansions in Chicago which at
times arc private pala,ial cockpits.
The owners are not even suspected be-
cause of their high social and financial
standing. They, each in turn, give a
main just as socials are held at the diff
ferent houses of those os set By
this means this select cotccie of lovers
of ccclzing-mains have nalf-dozen or
more during the season. Each host
trains his own birds, ana sometimes
there are two or more mairs of an even
ing. The butler and the coachman do
the training, and frequently they are
selected with a special view to their
qualifications in this line. These serv-
ants train the birds in the stable, barn
loft, carriage-house, or yard, and often
test the mettle of the birds, and con-
tribute to their own amusement by
having mains of their own. and perhaps
bnttinC heir yyaoeS on fhe result -