The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-09
UMBRELLAS.
A NOTED CoCK-FIGHTER.
Training and Fighting Game Cocks
In a MilIiOnafre's Palace.
From the Chleago Times- Herald.

From the Chicago Times Herald.
Who would ever think of looking for a
chicken roost in one of Chlcago's costliest
residences?
Who would ever suspect that chicken
fights took place regularly IN the maynA-
cent and pretentious home which stands
surrounded by spacious grounds of lie
own at the northwest corner of Lincoln
Park and at the very head OF the great
Sheridan road, along the Lake Michigan
shore? The great stone structure might
give an architect chills, but he could not
deny that 1t was a costly and imposing
pile.
II Is the home OF John Mackin, million
aire and cock fighter
These are the two distinguishing marks
of a man who is sport Of a peculiarly
interesting type. Not only is he a fighter
of cocks, but he keeps his feathered
friends-sometimes several hundred cocks
and hens--in his palatial residence. This
high and mighty roosting place for his
game fowl, IL ie safe to say, makes the
most expensive hennery in the world
And what is more this capitalist. who
is so distinctively up to the scratch, -
once in a while converts the cellar OF Lis
magnificent home into a cockpit, invites
in a few of the boys" and notwitn-
standing the sport is against the law,
gives these fighting fowl a few CORY rounds
with their spurs.
''Ob. we have a select crowd at the cock
fights, you know" said John Mackin the
other day, with his goOd-natured Irish
grin and a wink of his other eye, and
the boys, bless EN-, never give me away.
Why, We have aldermen, police captains,
bankers board Of trade men and the like
what you might call a cosmopolitan out
ft--to see the sport We give the birds a
few chances to draw little blood, and
maybe a little money changes hands.
Everybody who knows John Mackin knows
ne lights cocks, and he is not going TO
deny it. Only don't forget that he is new
er caught at his little game"
This man, for twenty-five years, has
gone about with his pugnacious pets and
won most OF the fights he has entered
over birds with brilliant records In the
pits. His last big victory was Jan. Is of
this year, when he broke the fighting cock
record of Casey, the Boston sport, and
incidentally pulled IN 5000 In prize mon
ey.
Say, but that was a great fight" de-
clared the Chicago millionaire cock-hght-
er. 1T was seyen-minutes' fight, with
one end one-half inch spurs. The HUI
name Society was after us that time-I
don't mind telling you nOW-so we had to
get up at 3 O'Clock in the morning, In
stead OF 8, and travel outside of Boston for
this little affair. Until that time Casey
hadn't been beaten in fourteen years"
The story of John Mackin's fortune.
which makes It possible to live in great
graystone mansion. surrounded b. every
appointment of luxury-including his crow
ing hens and pugna cious cocks-reads like
a romance His father was Thomas Mac
kin. VINO as an untutored boy hailed from
the Emerald Isle without a penny In his
pantaloons AS luck would have il, he
afnassed a pile Of money, about 100000
an told. as q contractor and builder Six
years ago he erected at the corner Of
Lake View and DiVersey avenues, one Of
the most picturesque sites IN the city, the
elegant edihce which John Mackin inherit
cd at the time Of his fathers death, four
Years ago The remainder of the estate
was divided between John Mackln's Gig
Ter and his stepmotner.
Simply as a man, John Msckin Is an in
teresting study. To begin with, he Is a
six-footer Of the athletic type--fat. fair
and forty. His head. which is as round
% a bullet. resembles that Of a small
boy who seldom comes IN contact with a
comb or when he does It is only to give