The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-02-15
ARREST OF A BIRD.
A Berkeley Battle Royal Stopped
by the Sheriff.
Seven Deputies Attempt to 0verawe Crowd
OF Ccck-Fignters, but Get Laughed
at for Their Pains.

A large crowd of the fancy " was at
tracted to Johnny Makers place at West
Berkeley yesterday afternoon by the private
announcement that grand battle royal
and sack cooking was to take place.
All the leading supporters Of cOck-fghtlng
from Fresno, Sacramento, MADEIRA, San
Jose, Oakland and San Francisco were
present, and magnificent set Of birds was
on hand.
The feature, however, had been too freely
talked about, and as events turned out, the
affair had come to the ears of the officials Of
the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals 1t is rumored that one or two
private fights were brought off during the
early part Of the afternoon, but certain it Is
that when the crowd Of "sports were
packed into the cockpit, and the game birds
were being heeel up" for the fray, an
extraordinary looking individual loOmed up
at the entrance door OF the building
A PICTUREsQE OFFICER.
lie was attired in a kind Of tarpaulin suit
with SOU wester" slouched over his eyes.
Round his waist was broad leathern belt,
and through this were thrust TWO gigantic
slx-shOOters. He looked to be the nearest
approach to ferocious sea pirate ever seen
outside the circle of romantic melOdrama,
but he was only a Deputy Sheriff after all.
Close on his heels came six other deputies,
all more or less disguised as cooking
sports" and having their stars Of office
carefully concealed.
The buccaneer-like individual! soon made
his presence and identity known by shout
ing in h0arse tones: I'm Deputy Sher-
III and I'm a-going to put stop 10 this ere
game right now"
The pOply -6ubtinu fro farniF, bovyavnr
pretty cool, level-headed fellows as rule,
and Instead Of being frightened at the off
GERS demOnStratlye speech Jeered, laughed
and chaffed him numerically.
What's the matter with looking after
your Oakland burglars sand fOotpads ?"
shouted one. lave you came to stay ?"
cried another, while one excited sport offered
to bet an even hundred that his black
Japanese cock could beat any one Of the
deputies siugie-handed.
THE ROOSTER ARRESTED.
Desperately annoyed at the torrent Of
abusive epiThets poured upon them, the Of
hcers, scarcely knowing what to do or how
TO proceed, made bee line for an inof-
fenslye young man named Percy EldridgP,
who was holding Dag containing game
cock during the owners absence. They
placed him under arrest, together with the
bird, and then stood in group and as
Sumed threatening attitude. as if to defy
the crowd 10 attempt rescue.
Trouble seemed imminent, many present
appearing very determined to resent this
unwarrantable proceeding Of the Sheriff S
deputies. Better counsel, however, pr e.
vailed, and the crowd gradually diSpers ed
and took the trains for town.
The officer who escorted Eidridge and the
bird on the train to Oakland was pitilessly
roasted" all the way 10 the mole At
temptS were made to cut open the bag and
set the game bird free, but they were un-
successful. The deputy was very glad TO
escape from his tOrmentOrs
1t was stated by the deputies that they
intended TO make il hOt for all concerned,
one Of them going so far as to assert that
he mixed with the crowd and saw one Of
the earlier fights said to have taken place.
Ala the sp0rtsmen present, however, denied
that any battle whatever had been fought