The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-07-20
Iwenty-Seven Captured
at a Pit.
LIKE RODENTS in A TRAP.
A Choice Assortment of Sports
and Politicians.
THEY THOUGHT 1T A GOOD JOKE.
Judge Campbell Appears at Critical
Moment and Reduces Bail.
Scenes in the Prison.

L ne recent arrival OF the TeHulDs anu
elevating pastime of rat-killing created no
small STIR among the sporting fraternity
on whose mental palates the compare
lively insipid contests of the diamond and
racecourSe had begun to pail NOT
only the citizen whose cup OF JOY over
flows as he sits at the prize-rlng
or bends in ecstasy over Cooking main
became infatuated with the sport, but the
staid man of business who shrlnks IN DIS
gust from the brutaliZng contests that de-
light the socially low and the morally In
firm gave the rat pits their presence and
approval.
Politicians caught the fever and around
the pits might be seen men who have
been intrusted by the popular voice ana
vote with positions of trust and honor,
and many who are ambitious to stand
high in popular favor.
There were, as is generally the case.
many people who thought that the sport
was degrading. who could see nothing
edfying and ennobling in the spectacle OF
fox-terrier tearing the vitals OF
rat, but they were not invited
10 the spirited contests which took place
nightly in downtown barrooms and cellars.
| Their presence would have cast gloom
upon the festive scenes. and their purltanl-
cal protests would have chilled the heart
| of mirth.
| The hostility of the police was early
manifested against those who took part in
| these inn ocent games, and as a conse-
Quence they had 10 be held 10 secret Late
at night the pits were opened in cellars
and lofts aud the choice spirits were given
the tip.
An admission fee was invariably charged
in order that the mpecunious and improV-
ident rabble might not mingle with men of
respectability and means. The money
thus obtained went into the pockets of the
promoters Of the games who were thereby
enabled to live without degrading them
selves by manual labor. The contests
were generally held under a saloon, whose
keeper shared the danger and the profit.
1t is now believed, however, that this
popular amusement has bad its day. 1t
received very decisive setback last night,
owing to the unaccountable activity Of the
police A pit was prepared in the cellar
under Matt Kerrs saloon, at the corner
of Halleck and Leidesdorff streets,
and word was sent to the faithful
that the nights sport would commence at
10 o'clock sharp. Word was also sent TO
Police Captain Douglass at the new City
Hall, and he directed that some of his men
should be there shortly after the faithful
had arrived. He accordingly detailed Pa
trolmen Love, Wagner, Connolly and Cal
laBan, and they hid themselves in door
| ways near the saloon.
In the middle of the cellar half a cask
that had been sawed across horizontally
was set. and near il were cages containing
$50 rats that had been provided by the
thoughtful master of the pit. An admis-
sion fee of 90 cents was charged, and the
cellar rapidly filled with well-dressed
citizens. j. E. Wilson, a barkeeper. and
William Curtin were the managers.
The first round between the terriers and
the rats had ended to the satisfaction of
the spectators, and the floor was strewn
with dead rodents, when some one shouted
"C0psp'
There was an Immediate rush for the
stairs leading TO the saloon, and some es-
capped before the way was blocked by the
police. Others scrambled through graf
ing 10 the sidewalk and departed without
looking behind.
Both exits were finally closed by the
police and a call for the patrol wagon was
sent to the old City Hall. There were
twenty seven men 10 the cellar when the
vehicle arrived and as many more bad
escaped. They were hustled into the con-
veyance without ceremony and ratified off to
the old prison They laughed and chatted
en- route to the ancient bastile, and looked
upon Their arrest as a good JOKE but when
they learned that a charge of cruelty to
| i'm q 10 70 no p1oppd AGAINST each 0f
them, and they would be obliged
to give $40 cash bail or spend the
night in Jail, that mirth- effervesced mes
senger boys were summoned aud appeals
for help were sent in all directions. The
captives, several of whom had taken their
] dogs with them, paced the floor uneasily
and cursed the man who mad tipped it off
to the police.
| One-third of the captives had been re-
leased when Police Judge Campbell ap-
peared at the grated door. HIS heart went
out to the I'm fortunates and he at once APP
pointed himself committee or one and
fastened to their assistance.
His Honor first reduced the amount OF
bail to $10 then passed among the pris-
oners. giving them his sympathy and
counsel. The captives thought it strange
that most of the moneyed men should have
managed to escape while all who were not
blessed with wealth were trapped.
The police left twenty terriers behind
them in the cellar. but took five dogs and
two cages of rats to the prison, where they
will be kept as evidence until the trial.
The men who were arrested gave their
names as follows:
John Clayton, c. O'Brien, James Mark
lin, John Kane, E. E. Sulixe, T. Dorm. d.
Laton. A. Goldstonp, l. Easton, l. Miles.
James Greeness. E. Foggerty. James
Byron, W. Farrill, Thomas Gorden. E. g.
Sloman. w. Roberts. P. l.. Farrill. L.
Howard, E. Summerswelt, A. Weber.
H. Collins. Charles Brown. NJ. Werth, j.
Harrington. W. Powell, w. Perkins and
a. White.