Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-03-18
BATTLE OF BIRDS.
Barn Yard Gamesters Meet in
the Pit.


URowao( eporss Wltases N.Hh. - -.
issd Oeatssts. which Ars Pal,sd on 4, .
Secluded Spot Away Hfsm the Bass,ss,
ssetAe. Of the CITY.
Gamy Representatives Of the hen.
coop had . number of battles last
night. The event was arranged bv .
quartet Of Rock Island fanciers, and
was pulled Of in locality which 10
lightly traversed after the sun goes
down. One hundred sports, who had
been favored with . tip % to the
time and place, were ON deck. It
was . we'll managed affair and was
considered by the old timers the best
cooking main that has occurred in
this neck Of the country for quite q
while.
The windows Of the hall were COW
cred with sheets and blankets. and
any old thing that could b secured
to keep the outside world In ignor-
ance Of what was transpiring within.
The favored ones who sat about the
pit were provided with q white piele
of card board, on which was i'm
printed the form of . rooster; that's
all. These cost PUNK apiece. The
feathered gladiators were carried to
the hall in sacks. There were about
sixty of them and they favored the
audience with several impromptu
operatic selections from Rooster
rowski. The handlers were rather
slow In getting the birds in shape
for the fray. the midnight hour
having dawned before the first pair
faced each other in the canvas cir
Gle. which was provided with . sand
and sawdust floor. A Galesburg
man was selected a. referee.
The opening battle lasted IL min
utes. It was between Q Black Red
cock and q Black Hackle, the latter,
although he lost. being the favorite
from the outset, his friends sticking
to him and backing their confidence
with bets until he fell o corpse be-
meath the feet Of the opposing game
ster. The losing bird belonged to
downtown parties, and had been q
victor in two previous battles. The
uptown gamester was . plucky
fighter and succeeded about the mid.
die OF the battle in putting out the
opposing birds left lamp. This only
seemed to fire the injured hackle's
anger, for he went into the game
with both feet and bill in motion at
the same time, with the result that
after the succeeding brush the up-
town cock was lying hat on his back.
apparently too weak to turn over.
The one-eyed bird inflicted several
bifts. The uptown cock finally
rolled over, and getting ON his feet,
the way he fought was . caution.
Favofits Kaooksd Cold.
A couple Of minutes of rapid fight.
ing followed. the birds getting badly
mixed up, it being necessary for the
referee to have them separated sew.
eral times. The uptown bird, fresh
IS a daisy, although slightly bruised
about the noodle, made Q flying
swing at the head Of his opponent,
planting the left spur. The iip
was up. The downtown gamester
was no more, and 40 the old timer
said: ''It's all over but q few re-.
marks at tn gave"
In four succeeding battles the ND.
town birds took three and the down
town one.
Then there were two battles be-
tween Galesburg and Rock leland
gamesters. the visitors winning
both. The event closed with q bat
tie royal, in which five birds, three
OF which proved CUTTERS. took part.
About 2 O'Clock this morning the
party broke up. and the sports
wendell their NAV hnmawaed