COCKFIGHTING MAINS

Western Star, 26 August 1924, Page 3

COCKFIGHTING MAINS

A CRUEL SPORT IN CUMBERLAND Cock-fighters, who arc prebably more numerous in Cumberland than anyv hei t else, suffered severe reverse recently or a moor between the River Derkent atu the River Allen and near Cockermonth reports the ‘Manchester Guardian.’ A large party were surprised and many of them caught by the Cockermouth police, who carried off the competing birds, steel spurs, and all the apparatus necessary for the carrying out of a cock main on an scale. It is ten .years since the Cumberland police were successful in. a raid, although numerous mains are conducted at evenholiday time. In this case the main too]; place in the afternoon instead of at dawn, as is customary. It was unfortunate for the cockfightng party that the polce were within the ring of scouts posted to keep a look-out. The police were compelled to watch several battles fought, and saw therefore the elaborate ritual that preeeded the matching of the birds. Thus they beheld the birds being withdrawn from the hags- in which they were broiurlit, being blindfolded s-% that they might consent to being weighed on the scales, and their “heeling” with st-ce'-spurs by the “pitters’ who act a? masters of the ceremonies. In ono instance a wounded bird lay on the ground while the pitter counted it out In another case the birds were severely * 4 heeled” —that is, had driven their steel spurs so far into each other's bodies that they could not extract them The pitter then separated the birds. The main had been in progress a long time before the cock-fighters were aware of the presence of the police When -till© laltter dsclosedi themselves there was a ruch to cover in a plantation near by, but some twenty G r thirty of the participants, finding themselves identified, gave up the struggle. The police took possession of all tho articles used.