The Sheriff Responds

"Hold the deal, there'll be no fight tonight!"

 In this thrilling melodramatic fashion the cock fights at Constance, Ky., opposite Anderson's Ferry, Cincinnati were stopped Saturday night, according to Sheriff B. B. Hume.

 The sheriff resides in Burlington.  This is eight miles from Constance.  A bunch of sports who call themselves "the Duck Island Fishing Club" have built a big barn in Constance on land on which they have taken a five year lease with privilege of renewal.

 Saturday night was the opening night, and only "members" of the club were admitted to the cocking main. Two Post reporters tried to gain entrance, but they were refused because they were not "properly identified."

They remained around the town long until was after 11 o'clock, and so far as they could learn, cock fights did take place.  In crossing the Ohio River on a ferry, they heard some of the sports say so, and furthermore heard them say that they were so many cocks on hand it might be necessary to have another series of fights on Monday night.  They also saw no trace of the Sheriff, although he had been communicated with at 9:30 p.m.

 "Post reporters are all wrong," said Sheriff Hume Tuesday morning over the phone. "I don't want bouquets tossed at me but I want [illegible] right before Boone County folks.  I drove over from Burlington on Saturday night and got to Constance by a quarter to midnight, good work when you consider the roads.  I went right up to the barn and knocked at the door and demanded admittance."

 "You can't come in," says a man.

 "I can too. I'm the sheriff."

 "No sheriff can come in without a search warrant," says he.

 "Search warrant nothing," says I, "If you don't let me in I'll kick the door down."

 "He let me in and there were some 100 fellows in there.  I saw no signs of cock fighting.  I made no arrest because the county attorney told me not to unless I saw fighting.  I told a fellow who said he was Doc Clark and seemed to be the boss, that no cock fighting would go.  I told him sports from Cincinnati who fought cocks in Kenton co for fifteen years couldn't disturb the peace and majesty of the law in Boone.  Doc said he didn't think the people of Constance would object or he never would have come.  Fact is, I didn't hear any kicks from Constance folks, but there'll be no cock fighting there."

 Are you going over there next Saturday night?" he was asked.

 "No. - Not unless they send for me.  I don't expect to sit around Constance for the rest of my days and watch that barn."

 From the Kentucky Post, December 20, 1910