Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-04-02

during the course of training, thereby
securing a valuable line on their styles
Of fighting and enabling him to deter
mine their fitness to uphold their end
in the contest for fame and fortune.
The Georgia breeder reduced this
process to a science, with the result
that his birds gained many victories
over equally as good birds strictly on
the score of their splendid condition.
His method Of thus feeding and train
ing has been published, and nearly ev-
cry cockfghting Of prominence either
in whole or in part follows the rules
this dean OF the American cockpit has
evolved for putting game cocks In the
best physical shape for the prize. ring.
Contemporary with him or coming
after his retirement have appeared a
host of cockfghters and breeders who
have won both money and renown by
the valor of their feathered warriors.
South Carolina produced number Of
gifted members Of the fraternity. Col.
Alfred Aldrich of Barnwell originator
cf the famous Mugwump strain, is a
planter and horseman; Dal Johnson OF
Marion, an attorney, has had much
success with his Swamp Fox breed.
Among the present day breeders none
stand higher than George w. Means
Of Concord, N. c., who has been unu-
sually fortunate with his Cuban game
blood, which he introduced into the
south.
There are many families scattered
throughout the Union that have bred
and fought gamecocks from father to
son for generations. Notable among
these are the Arringtons Of North Car
olina who evolved the Stone Fences;
The Eslins of the District of Column
bia. who bred and perpetuated. the Race
Horses. Red Quill and Red Horse.
Among the men prominent in the
sport are many whose biographies
would be history Of cockfghting in
their states for the last thirty or forty
years. In this list could be named
Mike Kearney of New York, who, with
his White Hackle strain defeated the
hitherto invincible Kentuckian, Thorn
as O'Neal, with his Dominiques; Wal
ter Hopkinson Of Augusta, Ga, who
died the other day, but whose name
will always be remembered as long ais
the warhorse strain, which he found
ed, do battle in the pit; Stephen A.
CHM Of Royston, Ga, a wealthy cotton
broker, whose Roundhead Whitetails
and CHM Grays are proving their
might in hundreds Of pits throughout
the country today.
To DR.. Clarke Of Indianapolis much
is due by the fraternity for his devel-
opment Of the game fowl. Believing
in the superiority Of the straight
American game cock over any other
on earth, DR.. Clarke made numerous
importations from the old countries,
and experimental with them to his
satisfaction.
He then conceived and carried out
the idea of crossing the Atlantic with
a number Of the pure American birds
and meeting those fought by the fan
ciers Of the European nations In their
own back yards. His American birds
crossed steel with the best game fowls
in England. Ireland, France and other
continental countries. and by winning
a large majority Of the battles fought
demonstrated beyond cavil their su-
perior abilities as fighters. Returning
home, DR.. Clarke named his strain OF
birds the Transatlantics.
But the tables have been turned
and an invasion Of foreign game
cock, hailing from the land Of the
Yankees Of the Orient, has been made
upon this country. Anthony Greene,
more than a decade ago, imported
from Japan some specimens OF the
fighting fowl Of the Flowery King
dom.
Great, ungainly birds these, but
with rugged vitality and hardihood
of constitution. Slow and unwieldy
in battle, it was asserted that their
merit as fighting birds lay in their
wonderful ability to Withstand pun
ishment, and unusual power to re-
taliate upon an adversary with death
dealing effect.
Crossed on the rapid flying, ener-
getic, nervous American birds, 1t was
believed that the progeny would COM
bine the most desirable qualities OF
both breeds, and prove pit fowl al
most invincible in the warfare OF their
kind. But careful tests Of these birds
were said to have proved that their
gameness or willingness and ability
to meet death in battle without nfnch-
ing was very questionable.
The true game fancier and cock
fighter despises above all things
supposedly game cock which under
stress of punishment shows the white
flag and jumps the pit for safer quar-
ters. The Jap question became a
burning issue among the game fowl
breeders and created fully as much
interest in their ranks as the settle
ment of the Japanese school children
question in San Francisco recently.
So acrimonious did the controversy
grow over the value Of the Jap plood
that Mr.. Greene has challenged W..
L. Allen Of Mississippi, one or the
south's foremost breeders, to meet
him in a main in which the former
will fight birds Of exclusively oriental
breeding, while 1t is stipulated that
Allen shall use American birds en-
tirely. 80 ,,,o,
Since the days when Old Hickory
carried his Tennessee birds to WASH
ington and did not fear to meet the
best of the land with them In pit pat
tie. the greatest rivalry has existed
between the fighters Of the north ana
those of the south over the merits
of their respective strains as pit foWls'
The gaff (steel spur question mas
also long furnished basis for argu-
ment between the fanciers of the two
sections.
Throughout the south the rules un-
der which all fights are held make
no regulation as to length OF gan that