The morning journal-courier., 1908-10-22
COCK FIGHTING
Game Fowl Are Bred for Fighting Purposes in
 Many States
RESUME OF THE SPORT
some of the Birds That Have En. Dured Many Bloody IIu-
 counters,

There IS not much cock fighting in the east except under the rose, but Tn the south and in many parts of the west tho sport flourishes, as t did ln England goo years ago. when even elergymon wcro enthusiasts in rear ing and biting bloooded fowl. TO tho cocker all poultry breeds. no mat ter how fertile as a producer Of eggs or how succulent on tho table, arc common and despsed, except tho thoroughbred gamc--'nevcr licked until dead, their heads always to the foo and desperate lighters About New York the law against cock light ing ls enforced strictly--for instance, t9 men arrested as spectators at one pit were fined $10 each the other day with the principals still to be son- lcnccd--yot there arc mains held on the quiet In the city or suburbs every winter. says the New York Sun,
 Yet there Is always the risk of de- lection. A novice at Winchester . main that was raded once had lo cover two miles or fields, with cou- stabr in chase Ilc said the sport was too much like cross country running for man out of training to enjoy The fear of being pulled in and fined tho next morning in a police court however does not deter q few New York yotarles of cock fighting from taking long chances to enjoy tho sport ihat most fascnates. This accounts for the three on four dozen men in evening dress who were marched un- der arrest from main being held lu q private stable near Fifth avenue two years ago The magistrate soak Il fines at them next day in a way to feaze even a. motorst. ono of the great mains used to be pulled off an- nually between stags (young cocks) owned by members of the New York and tho Jersey City police. X breeder had the nerve to place 8 sign over his game cocks at the Madison Square Garden Poultry show declaring: This bird won the main for the New York police" Fred Grant was chief of po- lice then, and read the notice in com pany with a minister hc was showing through the show. After recovering from tho shock BrgadIer General Grant took steps to wipe out tho main and make it but to memory dear.
 Although cookers care nothing fol the barnyard fowls. there arc many of New York's gentlemen farmers who keep the game strains for their beau ty, their eggs and meat, without think Ing of ever pitting their cocks or stags, The majority of those who OK hIbt in the game fowl classes. even of pit games, at the New York show arc of this class An exception Is ID. C. Hatfield of Railway x. l.. who learned to love the sport before the war. vixen governors and senators thought 1t mo harm to gathcr around pit. He has had game fowls for fifty years and remembers when there were both private and public cockpits Il New York city.
 In thc south there is no beating about tho bush and men do not shirlS rom being known as cookers. Tn- ftead they glory in their strains as he highest types of courage and loy- ltN, from which intelligent mortals nay derive moro than one lesson in ccency and grit Hundreds attend he big mains and mako their living N training the birds for them. Tech cally they are called feeders" and heir tasks begin when the cocks Q, tags are brought in from tho farms 'hcre they have been walked" They re lcted 10 be in condition for tht ray. and with an arm wrapped in q 10th or shawl a feeder will spar | rd For hours each day. The cock ies high at the cloth and hits 1t vigor uslS with mufllcd heels for they hayt o more fear of man than a lior as, the exercise making the birds al ard as nails in muscles and flesh.
 ghcre are probably fifty journal
 Votcd 10 cooking throughout th putin and every ono in New Yorl ate They thrive through for sale ad Frtiscments of game stags and sit ngs of eggs lrr-n breeders, the an Juncements from dealers in cookers lpples, such as gaffs, spur saws barring mun9 and handcarryin, lpllS DeSlu'S SOHlC hlHuIbu HuNNTllS lg, Tho reading matter is largely re Eorts of mains and hacks, in whlcl pero is n1 suppression of tho Incl ents. "Onc Who Was There sent
 port of three hacks in the Tampa lap pit on March l. This extrac
 om the report reveals that cock
 shtcrs have their mercful side ant so something of the method of re brting pit bsttIes;
 "ITacls 3d--Wright of Rradertown ired, looked 10 be a warhorse: Tam
 , a red. looked to be warhorse his was q fast and hard fight. Tn, right cock had the best of 1t up [, 'c third ptting when Tampa got il Fc lead and won q good, fast fight.
 3"We had three more cocks to fight
 { had to give way to the Cubans
 they have the pit leased for Sun
 ly ! don't like their fighting. as i
 cruel to sec the poor little fellow
 't blind and peckcd up They dgh