Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-12
COCHIN G MAIN .
1t Took Place Near the City Late Last
Night.
Ended in . Draw After Some Fierce
Contests - Preparing the
Birds-The Main.

A cooking main was fought last night
in an isolated spot outside the District.
Owing to the opportunities Of state authori-
ties, the contest came to pass at a place
little frequented by the birds and their
hackers. Owing to a misunderstanding as
to the time and place, some delay was
caused In opening the festivities. and only
a very slim audience was in attendance.
It was a complimentary affair, and the
owners Of the contestants relied on the pit
winnings for compensation. Each side was
to have shown nine birds. but after the
eighth battle a row arose over a certain
ruling of the referee and the fight closed
with the battle money even and the main
money unwon. TIE cocks were transported
to the place Of meeting early In the night.
but owing to the defective intelligence Of
guides, the spectators did not reach the
place till past midnight. Some who had
expected to go. did not because the news
had been circulated that the main would
not come of. and some who did not get the
straight tip and who essayed to reach the
point in interest. got tangled up in the
woods and meadows and lost the way. A
barn, which in antebellum days had served
as a tobacco repository. was selected and
on the dirt floor Of this the pit was made.
Several oil lamps with rehectors had been
imported, ana these, Win the lamps winch
had been detached from the carriages which
had come down. lit the pit with sufficient
radiance and the whole barn with a dim,
dull red light Things had been conducted
so adrotly that the lockers on felt no anx-
iety as to tine sheriff and his posse. These
things q rule. are very disturbing fac
tors in sporting events, but on this occa-
sion the crowd was SO small and had
reached the place via such variety OF
routes. that no anguish of mind was felt.
Nobody seemed to entertain any visions OF
the county jail. Matters were conducted
Pin rather an impromptu way. The head
quarters Of the birds were In different cor
ners of the barn and once In while some
one OF the featherec warriors would sing
out challenge. which would be responded
to with vim.
The first cocks brought into the pit were
black brass-back and a brown shawl
neck. The black had the stronger lines
and looked as though fired with vicious
determination to murder his opponent The
brown was elastic with excitement and he
plazed with infammable wrath. The hand
iers swathed the legs of the birds in cham
ois fitted the steel gafs, New York regu-
lation, over the spur stumps and adjusted
them with linen wax Great care had to
be exercised In this operation, for II the
steel heels are In even the slightest degree
too high there is danger that the wearer
may brain himself. and IL they are little
| too low they will not be effective on his an
| tagonist. The cocks were angered by being
| tossed toward each other and then drawn
back by their handlers They were next
permitted to peck each other for a few sec
onds to see how their beaks felt Then
| they were released. They slid into each
other like a feathery streak They went
soeetner with aort Of half-run and half
ny. Their carefully trimmed wings, with
sharp pointed feathers, were outstretched.
As they came within range Of each others
heels they rose about two feet In the air.
| q fhaxy rHeS5 fkosr
made a claw and came down on their feet
without INJECTING much damage. Then they
rose again, not SO high, but the shawl
neck hit the brass-back a light blow on the
s1de or the head which caused a scarlet Jet
TO squirt forth. He followed I'D this advan-
tage and struck his victim on the wing and
apparently broke 1t, for 1t dropped to the
pit floor. Toe brass bird began TO grow
weak. but he was game He showed no de-
sire TO get out OF the pit At the next pass
the shawl-neck was cut in the breas ST a nd
ms piumase around the wound was soon
soaked In blood. 1t was not apparent TO the
observers but the blood was there He
made terrific lunse and caught the brassv
IN the neck and seemed TO cut his throat
me, me later Iowl turned on his back and
naoe some ntful kicks at the brown buf
soon expired. His victor stood over the "a.
MAINS OF his enemy and crowed
| Second Battle.
| Inc next battle was between a hird ev-
| identity compromise between an Irish mum
anu a red shawlneck. and a benny seeming
rooster. This fight was not very interesting
because the last named bird eyed the irish
american Tor half second and new the
PIT with a shrek. 1t is said that the owner
OF the bird Immediately amputated its head.
Inc UNDERSTANDINGS was then pitted against
a Japanese game. and lost the night, owing
TO the ferocious beak strength OF the latter
| The remainder of the nights were not mora
eVentful than is the custom at mains. Sew
eral fatalities occurred, the main being es-
| peciauy bloody In this respect. Only one
| game refused to stand up, and his appea r
ahce was dead give away when he entered
| the arena 1t was his second break OF his
| knd but the first was attributed 10 al
| health. The Star man did not fully under
| stand the nature OF the decision which
| caused the strife. but some very unparIia-
| mentary and senatorial things were said.
| But for the smallness OF the crowd, and the
| presence or one or two level-headed fellows
| there would have been q riot