The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-12-21

Mugwumps and War Horses to Ha-
vana and into many states where the
sport is conducted quietly and for big
stakes. A dealer said the other day
that the lack Of interest had given the
breeders more time to attend to their
work.
with fights going on all over the
state" he said, 1.-THE breeders left their
chickens to the care of trifiing negroes,
and they pitted very fine ROSTERS
which would have commanded good
prices in Cuba. When fights were nu-
merous the pick of the thoroughbreds
were killed and wounded here, but now
that the sport is dead the owners are
making an easy living by watching the
markets. There is always heavy de-
mand for South Carolina game chick
ems"
Some of the most famous fights in
this country were held at Ten Mile Hill.
near this city. An amphitheater was
erected there with a seating capacity
for nearly 1000 persons. Many thou
sands of dollars changed hands there
on the result of the struggles Of the
I birds.
When the last interstate main was
held at Ten Mile, a negro from one
of the sand hill counties appeared one
morning with a gamecock that had a
battles. He offered to match him
against any other bird from South
Carolina or Georgia for 81 900, but no
match could be made.
Pretending to be disguised with the
lack of sporting interest the negro
packed the bird and shipped him away
on the next train. That afternoon the
bird was sent back to Ten Mile, but
this time another man had him. The
bird hragIorbf ha OH "a viz otaA
won two splendid fights while the
owners cleaned up $1,565 on his game
ness.
These two fights at the hill gave the
rooster a clean record of twenty-nine
victories, and he had not lost SO much
as an eye in the struggle. He was
well built, was quick with his feet and
generally killed his enemy on the first
flop.
There has been bitter rivalry between
the owners of Mugwumps and War
Horses. And in the hundreds OF
fights between birds OF the two strains
the question Of supremacy has never
been fully determined. There was al
ways a flood of money from the bettors
when War Horse was pitted against
Mugwump.
fight" said gray haired man to the
Sun correspondent, sis a great deal
worse than following the races. When
fights were pulled off every night in
Charleston a few winters ago. one of
the big gamblers made book on every
event. He told me that he cleaned up
$4,000. and / am sure his estimate was
correct.
1T rather startles one to think that
man would bet $1,000 on a chicken
fight, but / have often seen it done.
Sometimes the bouts lasted for an
hour. while on other occasions the
money was lost with one clean stroke
of the gaffs.
"A well-trained bird knows his bus
mess just as well as If he was a human
being. They always endeayor to kin
the other bird with one blow.
AT Ten Mile once / saw a fight that
lasted for an hour and fifteen min
utes. II WAS between a War Horse
and a Mugwump, and this time the
war horse carried Off the honors In
sensational style.
Just after they had been put down
for the first round the War Horse had
an eye knocked out and in a hot scrim-
mage his right leg was broken. This
disabled him for a moment, but he re-
fused 20 run. lie took his punishment
like n spartan.
The Mugwnmp saw that his enemy
Was Rrogay and with a well-directed
blow put him out 81 business At
least. We an thought -. for the War
Horse fumbled over and eas appagent-
Y asaa, There was a nali u despair
from his hackers.
The man who pas Diislns him wa