The Secret Cockfight that Ended in a Riot
A high-stakes cockfight in Tacoma, held behind barred doors, descended into chaos and threats of police exposure when a referee declared a controversial draw.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
TACOMA, Jan. 3. [Special.]—The fight for a purse of between dark Brahma and bantam roosters came off tonight behind barred doors and before a select audience. All were pledged to secrecy. When the bantam, although a much smaller bird than the Brahma, was still fresh and aggressive, the spectators interfered and declared it a draw on the plea that both roosters would be killed. This was considered unfair, inasmuch as at the beginning the gaffs had been removed from the bantam on complaint of the owner of the Brahma. The referee would not deliver the purse, and the owners of the roosters and others threaten exposure to the police.
“The referee would not deliver the purse, and the owners of the roosters and others threaten exposure to the police.”
This 1892 report highlights the underground blood-sport culture of the late 19th century in the Puget Sound area. While public morality evolved to criminalize such events, the 'squealing' and disputes over purses remain a historical rhyme to the illicit betting and underground entertainment circuits that often bubble up in growing urban centers.
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