The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-08-13

thinking to separate the cocks after one
round. The cocks, however, were not in
training and they were so gamey that
they battered each other to such an ex-
tent that the boys feared to put them
back SO they rung their necks and
threw them overheard, telling the woman
they had gotten away.
TRAINING COCKS.
Our ordinary ROSTERS are far different
In appearance from one Of the Porto
Riean cocks when ready for the ring. The
game cock has been in the hands of his
trainer for weeks, and has been denuded
Oh MS feathers. He has, like a prize fight
er' peen stripped of his clothes for the
battle He has had the feathers picked
from his back, neck, legs and from under
the wings on the body, so that he looks
pitiably cold. His neck and head are red
and his red ears shine out of his bald
ness. 1t costs from SO to $50 to trim
and train a chicken properly for fight.
The feathers are picked out one bv one
from time to time, so as not to iniure
the cock, and so that in the end the cock
has only his tail feathers and wing feath-
ers left. This is because the cocks, when
fighting, catch hold of each others feath-
ers with their bills, and so drag them to
the ground, where they spur them to
death
After taking out the feathers the flesh
of the chicken is toughened by the mas
sage system, the flesh and skin being
squeezed and pinched many times a day.
until at last they are only muscle and
gristle. Indeed, Fitzsimmons and Cor
bett when trained for prize fight are not
In better condition as to hard muscle than
the prize Porto Rican cock when ready
for the ring.
THEY BET HIGH
1t is no wonder that the birds are care
fully cared for. The bets are often high.
and hundreds may be won or lost on the
training of cock. In Ponce $500 recently
changed hands on one cock fight. It is
not uncommon for 800 or 5000 to be put
on a single match. Along the west coast
there is quite a rivalry between the
towns as to game COCKS. The cocks at
Mayaguez and Aguidilla, for instance,
will be pitted against each other with
purses ranging from $50 to $780, The chief
betting, however, springs up while the
| fight is going on. and the scenes at d
Porto Rican cock fight are crazier than
those of the Wall street stock exchange
at the times Of panic.
IN A PORTO RICAN PIT.
! went to see a cock fight today that ]
might tell you just how this cruel sport is
carried on in cur new island An army
officer went with me, and we spent an
hour watching the brutal exhibition and
making the notes, from which the follow.
! ing is taken:
| The cock pit we visited is right in the
center Of Mayaguez. 1t is within a
stones throw of the cathedral. and not
| far from the postoffice. You can go down
one of the main business streets, enter an
| alley, and stop before big round build.
Ing about seventy-five feet In diameter
/ This is the ring. The entrance fee is 81
| cents. We pay our money and are pass.
eo into circular room fifty feet square
ana forty feet high. About the room runs
tiers Of seats, one above the other, like
| those of an amphitheater. The arena is
the cock pit, which is about thirty feet
wide.
There are several hundred men In tbe
seats as we enter. I see lawyers and
bankers among them. Over there Is 3
Porto Rican school teacher and here neal
US are two OF the city officials. They are
taking quietly and look like peaceable
persons. Inc chief noise comes from the
Growing Of the ROSTERS. There are scores
of them in cages around the walls of the
building. There are others in cages hune
from the center of the pit The latter
are, am told. the crack cocks of the day
and are to be fought for big money.
PREPARING FOR BATTLE.
As we enter two cocks are brought into
the ring. They are first weighed on steel.
yards, each being put into bag for the
purpose. They must weigh just alike. OF
the lighter chicken will have the right
to odds. AS rule only chickens of the
same weight are fought. The two now
in the ring just balance.
Now the bags are opened and the cocks
| are passed around for examination and
bets. How queer they look They
| are shaved of feathers, except on theil
wings and tassel at the tail Their heads
are blood red, and their backs and legs
are as blue as your nose in the zero colo
of midwinter
Now the owners take their knives an6
sharpen the spurs. Each spur is pared
down until it has a point like a needle
The cocks seem to realize the situation
and to be eager for the match. They
look angrily at each other and def1antly
crow. Their fighting spirit is Increased by
their owners Each man fills his mouth
with brandy and blows it into the bill
and over the head of his chicken. He
blows it under the wings and over his
tail. The brandy stings as the spray falls
it acts as a stimulant The cocks crow
again, and when they are thrown to ths