COCK FIGHTING

COCK FIGHTING. In a cockfight, two roosters fight each other to the death while people place bets. Cockfighters let the birds suffer untreated injuries or throw the birds away like trash afterwards. (1)

On January 9, 1864 the Dubuque Democratic Herald reported on a cock fight held the previous day. Owners of the birds, Mr. McCloskey of Bowen's Prairie and Mr. Sutton of Dubuque, each had three birds. At the end of the contest, all six birds were dead and fifty dollars had exchanged hands. The paper reported that another match would be scheduled soon. (2)

In one episode recorded in the Dubuque Herald in 1897, one hundred people attended a cock fight in the yards of the HEIM BRICK COMPANY on January 2nd. The roosters were owned by individuals from Independence and Dubuque. The stakes were $10 a side for each battle and $100 a side "on the main." (3)

The event began at 11:00 p.m. with the "pitters" stepping into the pit with their birds for the first battle which lasted thirty minutes. The account stated that the Independence bird was a "blinker" and weighed five ounces more than its Dubuque opponent. When the Dubuque bird was all "but gone," the fight was given to the Independence bird. The second match proved a Dubuque win by default in two minutes. The Independence bird proved to be a "runaway" and escaped the pit three times before the win was given to the Dubuque entry. The third match only lasted five minutes when the Independence bird "planted his spur in a vital spot" on the Dubuque bird and was declared the winner. The fourth match lasted thirty-two minutes. The Dubuque bird was "counted out" after "breaking the count about fifteen times." It was anticipated the match would last all night. (4)

In January 1895 a cock fight was held between residents of EAGLE POINT and Couler Avenue. Seven fights were fought with the Couler Avenue group winning four and the main which was worth $300. Reports of the event stated that the Couler Avenue men were especially pleased to defeat "Corbett," the pride of those from Eagle Point. In two events held in 1894, the Eagle Point group had won both. It was thought that Couler Avenue had won back about half of that money on this one day. (5)

In January 1906 the Dubuque Herald reported that the holiday season had passed without a reported cock fight in the city. In Dubuque as the rest of the nation, the sport, according to the newspaper, was forgotten. Credit for this was given to the rise of humane societies and the lessons taught in schools against cruelty to animals. The article ended, however, with praise for the courage of the fighting rooster which "with (steel) spur piercing its heart will fight on and ask no quarter until Death claims him as a victim." (6)

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Source:

1. "Cock Fighting," The Humane Society of the United States, Online: http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/cockfighting/

2. "Cock Fight," Dubuque Democratic Herald, January 9, 1864, p. 4. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=A36e8EsbUSoC&dat=18640119&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

3. "Cocking Main Last Night," Dubuque Herald, January 3, 1897, p. 4

4. Ibid.

5. "Tuesday's Cockfight," Dubuque Daily Herald, January 3, 1895, p. 5

6. "The Decadence of Cock Fighting," Telegraph Herald, January 14, 1906, p. 14