T H E S I N S O F N E W Y O R KAs "Exposed" by the Police GazetteBy: Edward Van EmeryP A R T I ITHE RICHARD K. FOX GAZETTE (1876)Chapter 6Crib Dies Like A DogHow Pilot, the New York Brindle, Won the American Championship DOG-FIGHTING: A SPORTIf only to point the refining influences of the years, it seems worth whilethat we should take note of how the now almost extinct pastime of thesporting gentleman, dog-fighting, was elevated in 1881 over the rude days when Kit Burns had his rat and dog-fighting pit doing a flourishing businessat 273 Water Street, where his house of prostitution was merely incidentalto an evening's entertainment. It was here through the Sixties and Seventiesthat the rough characters who made up the denizens of the streets along thelower East River water-front took their diversion in watching rats the sizeof well-grown kittens, which had been captured from the nearby wharfs, inrevolting contests with terrier dogs, and on special occasions, could wageron their favorite when the terriers had been pitted. There were many suchplaces through the city of New York, and we merely mention Sportsmen's Hall(or Bandbox, as it was sometimes called), of which Kit Burns was theproprietor, because it happened to be the most noted.Of course, the gentleman sport had his fighting dogs and his fighting cocks well back in the last century and even earlier in this country but as a ruledog-fighting was rated an entertainment for the more debased element. Suchcontests are still being waged occasionally on the quiet in the vicinity ofGreater New York. As a sports editor of a prominent metropolitan daily Ihave refused in recent years more than one special invitation to attend such matches. But in 1881, when the white brindle, Pilot, worried Crib, untilthere was no more life to shake out of his canine foe's body, thereby winning the American championship, this was an interstate contest for astake of $2,000. which had an international tinge, was conducted with anextreme of ethics in its way, and was an occasion graced by not a few of the most prominent and respected among sporting personages. This was nothingshort of dog-fighting deluxe. The challenge was officially filed throughthe National Police Gazette; its proprietor, Richard K. Fox, whose papergave attention to both blue-ribbon and fighting dogs, proudly accepted theoffice of stakeholder; and he specially delegated his editor of sports,William E. Harding, to the important post of referee.Louis Kreiger, of Louisville, had challenged the world on behalf of Crib, an
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imported dog, to what was described as a "fair-scratch-in-turn" match for$1,000 a side. "Cockney Charley" Lloyd, of New York, took up the challengepublished in the Gazette and backed his fighting dog, Pilot, an Americananimal. The preliminaries of the contest were quickly consummated, but ittook some time before Pittsburg, Kentucky, was finally announced as thebattle site. It was in this state, Kentucky, that professional fisticcontests were long outlawed, and from Louisville that a certain well-knownNew York journalist brought a once very popular story when he returned from one of the very first bare-knuckle fights privately staged there, whichnon-parlor story is worth setting down for its significance in driving homethe contrast in viewpoints.It seems that, after the prize fight in question, this gentleman of thepress was one of a New York delegation who proceeded to round out theevening by getting intoxicated and visiting the sporting houses of the city. At the final stop the newspaper representative got himself quite interestedin one of the inmates and in the course of conversation his companion wantedto know what he was doing in her town. He volunteered the information thathe had come on for the prize fight."Do you know," she answered, regretfully, "that I was fair crazy to see thatfight. But my man, my man he says, that a prize fight ain't no place for alady."For the dog-fighting match between Pilot and Crib, some of the best-knownsporting lights from New York, Chicago, St. Louis, Cincinnati, New Orleansand many other leading cities journeyed to Louisville, which was in closeproximity to the scene of contest. Considerable sums of money were wageredon the outcome all over the country. The Ohio and Mississippi Railroadissued special excursion tickets to the fight, and the sporting delegation was met at the Louisville Hotel by Alderman Gifford, president of theLouisville Board of Aldermen, and by Chief of Police Adam Bly and othernotables of the city. ARTICLES OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN DOG OWNERSPolice Gazette OfficeNew York, Sept. 1, 1881 Articles of Agreement entered into this first day of September, A.D. 1881,between Louis Kreiger, of Louisville, Ky., and Charles Lloyd, of New York:The said Charles Lloyd, of New York, hereby agrees to fight his brindle and white dog Pilot, ears cut and tail on, against Louis Kreiger's, ofLouisville, white dog Crib, ears cut and tail on, at 28 pounds weight forone thousand dollars ($1,000) a side: The said fight to take place on the19th day of October, A.D. 1881, at or within a point of seven miles ofPittsburg, Ky. The stakeholder or the referee to name the place of fighting.The dogs to be weighed at 7 o'clock a.m. on the day of fighting, and tofight between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m., Richard K. Fox to be final stakeholder andto select the referee. The deposits to be made with Richard K. Fox, of thePolice Gazette, the final stakeholder, viz: The first deposit of fivehundred dollars ($500) a side on September 5, 1881, and the final deposit offive hundred dollars ($500) a side to be posted with Richard K. Fox, or hisrepresentative, on the 19th day of October, 1881, and on the day and placeof fighting, Louis Kreiger to deposit five hundred dollars ($500) to Charles
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Lloyd's four hundred dollars ($400), there being an allowance of one hundreddollars ($100) for Lloyd's expenses to and from Pittsburg, Ky.' thus LouisKreiger wagers one thousand ($1,000) to Charles Lloyd's nine hundreddollars ($900).The said Charles Lloyd and the said Louis Krieger do hereby agree thatshould the authorities in any way interfere or try to stop or prevent thesaid battle, that the referee shall have full power to name the next timeand place of fighting. It is also agreed that the referee shall insist onthe dogs being again weighed, and the said weighing shall be within thirty minutes before the time named by the referee for the fight to be decided.Should there be any after interference the dogs shall again be weighed dayafter day, and neither will be allowed to exceed 28 pounds in weight.It is further agreed that the handlers shall each taste the other's dog andsponge them with wet sponge. The sponge used shall then be squeezed intoeach other's dog's mouth in order to prove there is no poison or perniciousdrugs placed on them. After the dogs have been tasted neither of the sponges must be changed.In pursuance of this agreement the said Charles Lloyd and the said LouisKreiger do hereby agree to comply with the rules embodied in this agreementor forfeit the money now deposited with the stakeholder. It is also agreedthat the battle shall be fought according tot he Police Gazette's revisedrules of dog-fighting.MANY COME TO WATCH THE DOG-FIGHTFive a.m. on the morning of the contest, the roads leading to thebattle-ground were crowded with vehicles of every description. Kreiger hadCrib in a buggy, and Pilot was conveyed in a closed carriage. At 6:30 theparty arrived at Garr's farm, six miles from Louisville, Six miles out ofthis pike was a rough-looking old barn, which the writer tells us "was asilly fitted up for a dog-fight as it would have been for a high-toned wedding." A pit thirteen by sixteen feet was erected in one end of the barn,and in this dilapidated old building the crowd was quickly wedged. Harding,the referee, however, was not satisfied with the conditions of the buildinginterior, and every one was forced to outside while the barn was cleaned up.Whether it would have then been fit for a "high-toned wedding" is not known,but Mr. Harding finally adjudged it suitable for the dog-fight. Before the would-be spectators were allowed to return "Cockney Charley,' who didn'tpropose to lose a cent," said that everybody would have to pay a dollar toget in and see the fight. Some did, but not a few climbed in through holesin the sides of the building.It was around 7:15 when the dogs were weighed in. Pilot scaled twenty-sevenand three-quarters pounds, being one-quarter of a pound heavier than Crib.Betting was "pretty lively even up" as the referee tossed up a silver, or what the report describes as a trade dollar, for choice of corners and washing. Kreiger won the toss and decided Pilot should be washed first. InGarr's farmhouse everything was ready for the washing. In the kitchen, in which were Mrs. Garr's two daughters and a baby, the washing was done in thepresence of the referee. Pilot was placed in a tub of warm water and washedthoroughly, he was then washed in warm milk, and Kreiger tasted him to seeif there had been any red pepper placed upon him. Pilot was then dried withtowels which had been examined by the referee and then put in blankets.
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1876 Pilot vs. Crib Fighting Dog Match: The Sins of New York As "Exposed" by the Police Gazette
By: Edward Van Emery P A R T I I THE RICHARD K. FOX GAZETTE (1876)
Chapter 6 Crib Dies Like A Dog
How Pilot, the New York Brindle, Won the American Championship
DOG-FIGHTING: A SPORT… (More)
Chapter 6 Crib Dies Like A Dog
How Pilot, the New York Brindle, Won the American Championship
DOG-FIGHTING: A SPORT… (More)
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