The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-18
Sad Sequel to Last Sundays
Splendid Main Near Tam.
alpaiS.
CHARLEY DExrER's HAMS.
They Were Dispensed Gratis With a
Lavish Hand in the Shape of
Sandwiches.

The gamecock fighters from Contra
Costa ana San Francisco counties are feel
ing rather blue. When they came to-
gether last Sunday near Tamalpais station,
in the biggest main of the season, they
were the proud possessors of some sixty
birds in fit condition to fight for any,
body's money.
Some of the cocks died in the pit and a
number of others succumbed to injuries
received there. Still, there were fully q
score of birds left with which to get up
another main next Sunday.
There were ten birds belonging to Con
MONEYS coop and about a like number
belonging to Johnny Maher, the Berkeley
stockyards sport
1t is long time since these two vete-
rams of the pit have handled their own
birds against each other in the pit, and
the prospect of their coming together to-
morrow was being looked forward TO with
anticipations of great joy by the lovers of
the sport.
at is all off now, " as one of the chicken
handlers said yesterday while reviewing
the recent main.
SIT was this way: Mooney and Maher
loaned their birds to couple of Sausalito
fellows, Who had a good thing of it and
could get the main off without interference
They were to pay S. for each dead one
after the tmain, and give Mooney and
Maher a percentage on the money that
went into the poolbox.
well, they got to the ear of old
Judge Belrhue and he loaned them his
barn in which to hold the main-right in
the heart of Sausalito. IF it could have
been brought off there the attendance
would have amounted to several hundred
people at dollar head, and the betting
would have been heavy. But one of the
City Trustees got wind of the affair. and
called Judge Belrhue down IN great shape.
He was so emphatic that the Judge at the
last moment put paddock on the barn
and informed the fighters that they would
have to find some other place.
CONSTABLE Clarity was stationed out
side the barn with instructions to see that
no fighting be done in the township, and
the entire crowd had to go out miles into
the country to find suitable location.
They drove 10 old John Mason distil-
lery on the way to Mill Valley and took
the place by storm.
John Mason Jr. and his two brothers,
Clinton and Harry, were about leaving
for two-day deer hunt when thev were
appealed to for the use of their barn. 1t
was granted especially as the party of
cock-tighters assured them that they
would receive substantial rental for the
place.
Charley Dexter, the well-known caterer,
had sent out two cooked hams and a
basketful OF bread, which ne intended
should be sold to the people, but the Ma
son boys being uniformed of this, served
the sandwiches and the beer free OF cost
everything being on the house.
''At the close of the days sport, tn
spectators having driven away feeling
elated by reason of the fun they had had
and in the pleasant prospect of a recur-
nf the the na ma MI in
terested sat down for a settlement
THE Mason boys had taken in no money
at the refreshment stand and all the beer
and the two hams had disappeared.
They, therefore, made no financial re-
turns, nor could they produce the hams.
That was the first hitch the cock-ighters
holding the Masons responsible for some
thing like $50. an equivalent for a rough
estimate of 200 sandwiches and about
like number of glasses of beer.
The distillery young men, who by the
way, aggregate nearly 800 pounds avoir-
dupois, dernurred.
Finally one of them suggested a way
out of the difficulty.
owe want $50 for the use OF our barn. ;
he SAID, and as we owe you $50 for sand
wiches, there is exactly $40 coming to u.s. -
1.-THE other parties declared the use of
the Earn was not WORTH over 81 so and an
other hitch occurred.
There was considerable wrangling after
that but the Mason boys carried the day.
The score or more fighting chickens were
in an adjoining house in barrels or else
tied up in gunny sacks. This house was
padlocked and the cockbghters invited to
move of the grounds without the birds or
else pay up $40.
"Th y moved and the chickens are still
doing time over in Marin County, where
they are being exercised daily by the Ma
sons in impr6mptu single set-tos or in