The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-06-21
FIGHTING GAMECOCKS.


FIGHTING GAMECOCKS.
The Deck of the Steamer Caroline
Turned Into a Cockpit.
a pale-faced young man stood on Jack
son-Street wharf on Sunday morning, hold
ing in his hand a package of green paste
boards, which he disposed of. one by one,
at 81 90 each, to about 90 people, every one
OF whom he seemed to know.
"Glad to see you, MikeH Hello. Dan! l
see you are with us?" Wen have fine
time, Johnw and many similar greetings
were Familiarity uttered by this sallow-
| complexioned youth, as he distributed his
emerald-hued tickets. But when a CALL
reporter attempted to exchange 81 30 for
one of them he met with the refusal he had
every reason to expect.
"SOrry, but / can't sell you no ticket,
cause this here is private excursion party
| going a-fshing, and no strangers are in
| Vited-see" was the explanation made.
The fact of the matter, however. was that
these tickets were cards oil admission to the
steamer Caroline lying at the pier waiting
for a choice coterie of San Francisco and
| Oakland sports" who, instead of going on
| q piscatoTial excursion, were bound for a
| trip across the bay 10 enjoy the brutal ex-
| hibitiOn of series OF cockfghts, which
were to take place on the lower deck of the
| steamer somewhere near the Contra Costa
| shore.
There was 10 be lots Of that kind of sport. !"
| for nearly every second arrival on the
wharf brought one or two fighting ro0sters
| carefully concealed from view in a gunny
sack, all of which were deposited on the
! steamer.
Two express wagons drove on the wharf
about 10 O'Clock, one Of which was loaded
with boxes OF bottled beer and demij0hns Of
whisky, and the other brought all the para
! phernalia used in the cockpit, such as
scales, buckets, spOnges, etc. An elongated
| individual, clothed in linen buster, carried
table, dice box and chuck-a-luck out
| fit on board.
There was a long delay and the people
| standing around on the wharf became i'm
| patient, when man named Lynch, and
who seemed 10 be the manager in-chief of
the affair, explained that as soon as the Oak.
| land crowd arrived the Caroline would
| start.
About 1890 A. NJ. the expected guests
from the City of Churches put in an appear
ance and everybody, except the reporter.
who had been recognized, stepped on the
| steamers deck.
Whistles we're blown and dozen or so of
roOsters crOwed as the Caroline Glded ont
into the waters of the bay, transformed for
| the time being from a peaceful riveT-b0at
| into a cOekfghtlng arena.
Fortunately for the prospects of prevent
| ing a repetition of these brutal exhibitions,
| il CHANGED that Police Officer John Ne
Greevy had been specially detailed by
| Chief Crowley 10 go with the party. He
| cOntrived TO initiate himself into the good
graces of the gang, who little thought there
was a chiel amang 'em taking notes.
| Eighteen birds were matched, of which six
were killed outright and the remainder
more or less mangled. McGreeyy played
| his part we'll and quietly secured the names
| OF nearly all the participants. Is OF
| whom are likely to be arrested. But for the
| absence of Chief Crowley the arrests would
have been effected yesterday. 1t is stated
that Frank Hastings of the Mission An
thony Green of Sacramento, j. McClively
and John Brennan were among the active
participants.
Tine Caroline, it is said, took out party
Of this kind TO California City about
month ago. Captain Leal did not 60 out
with the steamer on either occasion, but as
the fight of Sunday took place on the vessel
itself, some one Is likely to get into trouble.
The lower deck. which was the scene of the
disgraceful outrage, was converted into q
SHAMELESS, and il took half days scrubbing
to remove the stains.
The haTbor police and the people on the
Caroline are absolutely silent on the matter,
and the officials at the Central station are
equally Teticent. The only trouble when
the arrests are made, will be the question OF
| jurisdiction, and this can be easily settled
in way to put an end TO a revolving prac-
tice which has become almost as common
as a Sunday picnic.