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If only to point the refining influences of the years, it seems worth while
                                    that we should take note of how the now almost extinct pastime of the sporting gentleman, dog-fighting, was elevated in 1881
                                    over the rude days when Kit Burns had his rat and dog-fighting pit doing a flourishing business at 273 Water Street, where
                                    his house of prostitution was merely incidental to an evening's entertainment. It was here through the Sixties and Seventies
                                    that the rough characters who made up the denizens of the streets along the lower East
                                    River water-front took their diversion in watching rats the size of well-grown
                                    kittens, which had been captured from the nearby wharfs, in

revolting contests with terrier dogs,
                                    and on special occasions, could wager on their favorite when the terriers had been pitted. There were many such places 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 the proprietor,
                                    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 rule dog-fighting was rated an entertainment for the
                                    more debased element. Such contests are still being waged occasionally on the quiet in the vicinity of Greater New York. As
                                    a sports editor of a prominent metropolitan daily I have refused in recent years more than one special invitation to attend
                                    such matches. But in 1881, when the white brindle, Pilot, worried Crib, until there was no more life to shake out of his canine
                                    foe's body, thereby winning the American championship, this was an interstate contest for a stake of $2,000. which had an
                                    international tinge, was conducted with an extreme 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 nothing
                                    short of dog-fighting deluxe. The challenge was officially filed through the National Police Gazette; its proprietor, Richard
                                    K. Fox, whose paper gave attention to both blue-ribbon and fighting dogs, proudly accepted the office 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 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 challenge published in the Gazette and backed his fighting dog, Pilot, an American animal.
                                    The preliminaries of the contest were quickly consummated, but it took some time before Pittsburg, Kentucky, was finally announced as the battle site. It was in this state, Kentucky, that professional fistic
                                    contests were long outlawed, and from Louisville that a certain well-known New York journalist brought a once very popular
                                    story when he returned from one of the very first bare-knuckle fights privately staged there, which non-parlor story is worth
                                    setting down for its significance in driving home the contrast in viewpoints.

evening by getting intoxicated and visiting the sporting houses of the city.
                                    At the final stop the newspaper representative got himself quite interested in one of the inmates and in the course of conversation
                                    his companion wanted to know what he was doing in her town. He volunteered the information that he had come on for the prize
                                    fight. "Do you know," she answered, regretfully, "that I was fair crazy to see that fight. But my man, my man he says, that
                                    a prize fight ain't no place for a

lady." For the dog-fighting match between Pilot and Crib, some of the best-known
                                    sporting lights from New York, Chicago, St. Louis, Cincinnati, New Orleans and many other leading cities journeyed to Louisville, which was in close proximity to the scene of contest. Considerable sums of money were wagered on
                                    the outcome all over the country. The Ohio and Mississippi Railroad issued special excursion tickets to the fight, and the sporting delegation
                                    was met at the Louisville Hotel by Alderman Gifford, president of the Louisville Board of Aldermen, and by Chief of Police
                                    Adam Bly and other notables of the city.

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, of Louisville, white dog Crib, ears
                                    cut and tail on, at 28 pounds weight for one thousand dollars ($1,000) a side: The said fight to take place on the 19th day
                                    of October, A.D. 1881, at or within a point of seven miles of Pittsburg, 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 to fight between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m., Richard
                                    K. Fox to be final stakeholder and to select the referee. The deposits to be made with Richard K. Fox, of the Police Gazette,
                                    the final stakeholder, viz: The first deposit of five hundred dollars ($500) a side on September 5, 1881, and the final deposit
                                    of five hundred dollars ($500) a side to be posted with Richard K. Fox, or his

of fighting, Louis Kreiger to deposit five hundred dollars ($500) to Charles
                                    Lloyd's four hundred dollars ($400), there being an allowance of one hundred dollars ($100) for Lloyd's expenses to and from
                                    Pittsburg, Ky.' thus Louis Kreiger wagers one thousand  ($1,000) to Charles Lloyd's
                                    nine hundred dollars ($900).

should the authorities in any way interfere or try to stop or prevent the
                                    said battle, that the referee shall have full power to name the next time and place of fighting. It is also agreed that the
                                    referee shall insist on the 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 day
                                    after 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 and sponge them with wet sponge. The sponge used shall then be squeezed into each other's dog's mouth in order
                                    to prove there is no poison or pernicious drugs 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 Louis
                                    Kreiger do hereby agree to comply with the rules embodied in this agreement or forfeit the money now deposited with the stakeholder.
                                    It is also agreed that the battle shall be fought according tot he Police Gazette's revised rules of dog-fighting.

battle-ground were crowded with vehicles of every description. Kreiger had
                                    Crib in a buggy, and Pilot was conveyed in a closed carriage. At 6:30 the party arrived at Garr's farm, six miles from Louisville,
                                    Six miles out of this pike was a rough-looking old barn, which the writer tells us "was as illy 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 building interior, 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't propose to lose a cent," said that everybody would have to
                                    pay a dollar to

It was around 7:15 when the dogs were weighed in. Pilot scaled twenty-seven and
                                    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. In Garr'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 the presence of the referee. Pilot was placed in a tub
                                    of warm water and washed thoroughly, he was then washed in warm milk, and Kreiger tasted him to see if there had been any
                                    red pepper placed upon him. Pilot was then dried with towels which had been examined by the referee and then  put in blankets. Crib was then "put through the same course of sprouts." And now the dogs

Intense excitement prevailed when the dogs were placed in the pit. Chief
                                    of the Louisville Fire Department Hughes announced the desire of the referee that both handlers be searched. The handlers
                                    searched each other's clothes thoroughly, being solicitous that nothing was concealed that might cause injury to the opposing
                                    dog. When this ceremony was gone through with, the word was given at 9:20 to let go the dogs. Their blankets and muzzles were speedily
                                    removed and the dogs set at liberty. But let Mr. Harding tell the story in the words he reported in the paper of which he
                                    was the sports editor:

Both uttered low growls, and then, with one savage bound, Crib sprang to
                                    Pilot's corner and attacked his antagonist. He caught Pilot by the nose, but the brindle dog shook him off and grasped him
                                    by the right leg. Pilot loosened his hold upon Crib's leg to get a better one upon his throat. Crib succeeded in freeing himself,
                                    and once more caught Pilot by the nose, only to loosen it almost instantly and seize Pilot by the back of the neck and ear,
                                    throwing him down. While down Pilot got Crib by the breast and had a terrible hold, but being unable to retain his hold to
                                    any good advantage, let go and grasped Crib by the left ear. Then in turn Pilot loosened the ear-hold and got Crib's left
                                    front leg between his molars. As he pressed his jaws together the bones in Crib's leg fairly cracked. This terrible punishment
                                    seemed only to enrage the Louisville dog the more, for with one great effort he threw Pilot five times in succession with the ear hold.
                                    Crib again seized Pilot by the nose, which, by the way, seemed to be his favorite

hold, and once more downed the New York dog. As quick as a flash he let go Pilot's nose
                                    and went to chewing Pilot's front leg. With the fighting that Crib was now doing the Louisville people thought him a sure winner of the fight.

But it now came Pilot's turn to do some fighting, and the manner in which
                                    he viciously chewed Crib's left leg was terrible to behold. Crib, with a growl, broke loose only to be caught again in the
                                    same way. With another effort Crib once more gained his freedom, and for fully five minutes the dogs fought with ear-holds,
                                    until finally Pilot downed Crib and while holding him by the ear, bumped his head on the floor of the pit. Crib secured a
                                    hold on Pilot's throat, and although only fighting on three legs, succeeded in throwing his antagonist. This seemed to incense
                                    Pilot, for he threw Crib with a throat-hold and again with a hind-leg-hold. Crib returned with a leg-hold on Pilot, and then
                                    a bet of $100 was made that Crib would win the fight. The bet was promptly taken by "Cockney Charley," the owner of Pilot.

The fight had now lasted forty-two minutes. Crib succeeded in getting from
                                    under his adversary, but the poor critter's gameness was gone. He turned to the side of the pit and was in the act of leaping
                                    out when he was grabbed by the brindle dog and dragged back into the field of battle. Crib was a whipped dog at this moment,
                                    but Pilot, not content with the victory already achieved, determined to kill his antagonist while the opportunity of so

doing was at his command. Crib once more turned to the side of the pit,
                                    and this time succeeded in getting outside, followed by Pilot, who seized the Louisville pet by the under jaw and, clinging
                                    on to him, refused to loosen his hold, necessitating the picking up of the dogs together and placing them again in the pit.
                                    Pilot threw Crib in the corner with an ear-hold and held him there. Kreiger fanned Crib vigorously with his hat, but did the
                                    dog no good, for he was fast failing. From this time on Pilot did nothing but endeavor to shake the little life out of Crib
                                    that still remained. The fight lasted exactly one hour and twenty-five minutes. Just as the winning party reached the depot
                                    to make their departure for New York, up dashed Kreiger and said to "Cockney Charley" Lloyd:

"I told you I would stand treat if I lost, and I'm here to keep my word."
                                    And he kept his word. No getting away from it, the Louisville gentleman was a thorough sport. He amply proved this when he permitted his nearly dead dog to be dragged
                                    back into the pit by the conquering Pilot.