Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-12-02
HE RAIDED TIE MAIN.
DIR. WOOD BROKE Up 4 COCK
FIGHT LAST NIGHT.
The PARTICIPANTS FLED LIKE RATS.
When the Officers sprnng Into the
Pit the Spectators Scattered and
Went Through Holes I'm the Wall
in Prccipitatc Manner.

| arrest, were the words which escaped
from the lips Of Constable Branch. Of
/ Henrico. last night. in a room under the
/ grandstand of the race-course in the Ex-
/ position Grounds.
The sentence was short, but II was
al, sufficient, and ere the echo had died
away the room, which had been occu-
/ pied by at least hundred men who were
! assembled around a cockpit eagerly
watching the movements Of two game
| cocks that had been pitted against each
! other was cleared, the men scamper-
ing through holes in the floor, scaling
! the walls and rushing pell-mell through
the door The scene was truly one of
dramatic intensity. and was altogether
| one Of the most amusing which has been
| enacted here in many days.
| The main was scheduled 10 take place
| last night, ana seven fights were down
! on the programme the cocks being fur
nished and pitted by two young men Of
I this city. The tip was quietly given TO
! those known TO possess sporting procli-
/ vities and still tongues. and at o'clock
/ the select gathering assembled. IL was
| "A half an hour thereafter. though, before
| the roosters were brought forth and then
! the fight commenced In earnest The
cocks all had fine. sharp. steel gaffs on
them. and were ar game as could have
been desired. and hence the amusement
furnished by them was eXcitingly ex
hilaratlng
/ DIR. WOODS FINE ITALIAN HAND.
In the mean time Or. Jud b. Wood.
president Of the Society for the Proven
| tion Of Cruelty 70 Animals, had gotten
| wind Of the proposed main, and he and
I his agent. Mr.. Taylor. had journeyed TO
| the Exposition Grounds to witness IT.
| OF course they didn't show themselves
TO the sports. for that would have broken
up the fun. but they quietly stole
into the grounds and secreted them
selves I'm the grandstaud just above the
pit where a convenient hole in the hoor
enabled them TO see all that was going
ON below. They saw two fights finished.
and made a list Of almost all the men
present. many Of them being sons OF
some OF Richmond's most influential
! citizens.
Dr Wood then returned to the city.
/ and notified the reporters that all was
in readiness. and Agent Taylor went over
| TO Magistrate Lewis's home, and brought
! him and Constable Branch 20 the scene.
The officers met Dr Wood and the re-
pOrtprS az the tAIO-ltlui- gaze at q A'"
minutes before L o'clock and the six
gentlemen slowly and quietly wendei
their way TO the scene Of the fight. SO
excited had the fighters grown over the
cocks that they threw aside all caution
and the officers and newspaper-men en-
tered the room unobserved, Just as
heavy black cock ran his gaffs through
the neck of a red one. The crowd were
eagerly bending forward over the PIT
watching the death throes OF the Ied
cock. when the Constable and the DIS
match man who headed the unbidden
visitors. pushed their way 10 the 'front.'
DIDN'T PAUSE TO CONSIDER.
No one locked up even then. so intent
were they on the progress OF the nght'
but when Constable Branch sprang on
the bench. and called 10 them 10 con-
slider themselves under arrest they
realized that they were In for II. They
aid not. however. obey the constabulary
Injunction. for they paused not 10 con-
slider ANYTHING but, as though by pre-
concerted arrangement. sprang TO the
various holes. and like rats, made their
disanpearance. Several who held Ian
torns I'm their hands dropped them. ana
they rolled over the floor. threatening
TO set the building on fire. until they We're
picked up. and their lights extlngulsheu
by the officers.
II was useless for the Constable 10
atten,ut 10 follow the men through the
various holes. as they could never have
captured them that way. so they de-
pended upon DR.. Woods list OF names TOT
their arrests. which viii be made To-Day.
The two men who owned and pitted
the chickens would not leave their fowls
and readily gave themselves up. Dr.
Wood took several OF the cocks TO use "a
evidence against them. and they were
recognized for their appearance IN court
.ghen they should be called upon.
rho Doctor. with the reporters. then
took a car back 20 the city. and all along
tbe vrav down Bread street. even as far
sroro the grounds as Richmond College,
hroothless individuals were picked up,
non, having run from the Exposition
crounds down there after having made
their escapes.
RoPE EVIDENCES OF THEIR
ESCAPE.
All Of them were more or less covered
,,.;tb mud from their contact win the
damn ground. as they crawled throush
,ho bo1es I'm the floor. and many OF them
IA torn clothes on, their garments
having come in contact with nails III
the walls They all wore innocent eN
nressions. though, and posiuVeiy uei'ieN
they nhl ever FN'Ai 90
- 80 them Handy inquirng as 10
what DR.. wood had in the bags which
rested between his feet ..
Dr Wood had very little to say TO
Nom and this caused one or two 10 wax
,rrotbv ,",,,il .and some language that would
NOT appear very well in print was hurled
al the officials head. He TOOK II an
.,',,bovt a murmur. though, ana as ne
1cst the car with the bags on his shoul-
Ier TO 20 home. he told the Dispateh man
mat he would confer with captain a.
- Gnigon. the counsel for the society
t+r the prevention OF Cruelty to Animals
today. and would act as avised is by! by him, m
lie was Inclined TO the belle lro'Iais bnds He dp
M"U'N -. and would summon the
others tS whose names he had. merely as
ILLNESSES against them.
The case will be heard before Masis-
i'e ,,s al the county courthouse.
s,'t unti the arrests are formally made
80 tiroe will Of course, be set