Mahoney Gulls

BY E. J. LAKE.

A  casual  running over of  the various game fowl  journals of the past and near past reveals a surprising lack of uniformity in the opinions of different authorities and would-be authorities as to the histories of some of the prominent fighting strains.

And in inverse proportion to the reticence of the originators and breeders in those cases where they have, for reasons of their own, said little about their fowl is the verbosity and variety of their lineage as described by those who took upon themselves the burden of explaining to a confiding public what the originators did to create and perpetuate the strains.

One of the best examples  of  this  is  the  lack  of  agreement  among  the numerous writers as to the origin of the Mahoney Gulls.

Dennis Mahoney was a practical cocker and was  not interested in broadcasting to the world the breeding of his fighting fowl. He seldom sold one,  and  if  he  had  cared  to  he  could  have  disposed  of more  than  he  had without any paper advertising. He bred them to use and not to sell. The very fact that he said so little left open a fertile field for others who secured a grain of truth and then wrote a good story around it.

It would be of little use to attempt to review all that has been said to little avail on the subject, but I will briefly refer to a part of it.

Not so long ago a writer stated that Billy Lohman furnished Mahoney with some  of  the Gilkerson  fowl that whipped him (Mahoney) at Syracuse  after that main and  that a cross of  these on  the Mahoney Ross fowl produced  the Gulls.

About ten years ago a writer, talking of the Gulls,  stated that their origin was from the Gilkerson  fowl and  that  the  latter  started  from  the Derby. He further states that “you might as well ask the ‘winds’,” as Mahoney as to their other  blood. He  goes on, however, and outlines his own theory as  to the source from which they came. Here it is: An English jockey known as “little English George” came to Hamilton, Ont., to ride for John Martin. He brought with him some pure Derbys. A cocker by the name of Reid fought some of them in a main and Mahoney saw it and was so impressed with them that he wanted some. He finally bought a cock known as  the “Old Fairy Cock” and two hens for  $50. This was the start of the strain.

In 1912 another writer stated in Grit and Steel that the Gulls did not have a drop of Whitehackle blood in them.

One often  sees  the Ross Gulls referred to, and  as I didn’t know the distinction between  these and the straight Gulls I started out to determine if there was any difference. I found one writer who recently stated in Grit and Steel that the Ross fowl got their name because Denny had a valuable cock stolen at the time of the nationwide search for the kidnaped boy, Charley Ross, and that later the cock was returned and was named for the lost boy and was a brood cock which perpetuated the strain which became known as Ross Gulls.

A late historian in writing of the Gulls disclaims all knowledge of their blood origin except that he is sure they have a cross of Whitehackle in them.

In the early days of the Feathered Warrior a versatile writer, apparently sighing for other worlds to conquer, pounced upon the Gulls and added some further embellishment to history. After making inquiry, as he stated, among Mahoney’s friends and acquaintances he deduced a  line of descent of which the following seems to be a fair statement:

About 1860 John Mulholland imported from the North of Ireland two strains of fighting fowl, one gray and the other black-red. He gave  the  latter to Mahoney and they were the ancestors of the Gulls. He goes into the matter to great length, however, and says that about a year before his death Mahoney told him  “in  the  course  of our conversation * * * ‘The Gulls came from Dromore, County of Down.’ ” Then it is conjectured whether they were bred as imported or crossed with other fowl. Finally reference is made to the Reid stock. Here  is what was “said” to have happened. Denny rented five cocks from Reid for $5 apiece if they won, and nothing if they lost. Three of them were impressive winners. Mahoney wanted some of the stock to breed and so he bought a hen for  $15. She was bred to one of the Reid cocks, but she laid nothing but  soft-shelled eggs that season, therefore no chicks were secured. At this point where “the memory of man runneth not to the contrary” no further facts were available, so it was “presumed he bred her to the Irish cock, and from them the Gulls were obtained, as  the  hen was  known as a ‘gull hen.”

Then the writer discusses the name and its origin. It is considered probable that the cocks as cut out for battle bore such a resemblance to the gulls flying up  the Genessee river toward Rochester, N. Y., from Lake Ontario that the appropriateness of the name became apparent and stuck  from then on. As a further probable reason for the name it was recalled that at about that time a pugilist  by the name of Gulley was very popular in England  and  that  his name, shortened to Gull, may have been used to perpetuate the memory and fame of both the man and the birds.

As a matter of fact there was a strain of cocks in the western part of New York state some years  ago known  and  fought under  the name Gulleys,  and Mahoney fought against a full main of them  at least once, but I know no reason  to think they were crossed onto the Gulls. It might be that Mahoney fought  them  at  some  time,  as  he  did  a great deal of fighting, and they are more liable to be the fowl to which the last writer above is referring.

The same writer continues with a discussion of the Ross fowl. Apparently he knows little about them. Of course it is a well known fact that there must be a reason for everything, and a poor one is better  than none. So  the writer continues  with  this  offshoot,  as  he  calls  them,  of  the  Gulls.  He  says  that Mahoney  had  a  small Gull  stag  stolen  and  he  searched  for  him  for weeks.

Finally he found him, and a friend who was present in the bar-room said that Denny said, “Here is  the long lost Charlie Ross.” The  name  stuck and  he became the progenitor of that strain or offshoot of the Gulls. He was the lightweight  in a main against Tom O’Neal and after he won his  battle Mahoney held him up to the crowd and  stated that this was his twenty-first victory (no less) and he never would fight him again.

When P. W. Carew was editing the Game Breeder at Toledo, Ohio, he was breeding and selling game chickens. He was a friend of Mahoney’s and at different  times  received  fowls of all  the strains  that Denny bred as presents.

He kept after Mahoney for a history of his fowls, but it was some time before he could get any results. Of course, it will immediately occur to anyone why he wanted to print this  in his paper when he was  selling the fowl. Finally Mahoney “came across,” if I may be pardoned the slang, and sent him what, so far as I have been able to discover, is the only article written by Mahoney on his fowl’s breeding in existence. This article was reprinted in the Breeder once at a later date if not oftener. The original article appeared in November, 1892. It has been copied in other game  journals but has apparently escaped the eye of some of the historians above, or else they would have made some changes in their manuscript.

It was sent to Grit and Steel and reprinted in April, 1910. It was furnished at  that  time  by Mr.  Frank Wilson of  Faun Grove,  Pa., who, if I am not mistaken, had some of the Mahoney stock from Carew. I believe Mr. Wilson still breeds game fowl. In setting forth the original article as printed  in  the Breeder I am quoting at length.

Here it is:

Gulls and Genet Pyles.

Ed. Breeder:—Yours of recent date to hand, and in reply to your queries in reference to the Gulls and Genet Pyles, will say that those parties who claim they  have  the  Ross  Gulls,  and  received  them from  one  “Col.  Ross,”  are frauds. The Gulls and Ross are the same strain, only the difference in name.

About twenty-seven years ago I fought several cocks  which  I  received from a man by  the name of Baird, residing in Toronto, Canada, and  fought his fowl for three or four years. Among them was a fine brown-red, white-leg cock, which Baird called the “Gull,” and this cock was grandsire to the cock “Charley Ross.” I never made any inquiries about the Gull, and Baird died several years ago, and I believe  in his day he had as good  fowl as any man owned.

Now, in regard to “Charley Ross” taking that name, it was at the time there was such excitement about the boy, Charley Ross. I had a young man by the name of William McNiece helping condition and care  for my  fowl, and  the cock having won a good many battles  this young man named him “Charley Ross,” and  that  is  just how he got  the name. The Ross and Gull  fowl were black-red, with yellow and white  legs. Of course, I did  some crossing back and forth, and some will show willow legs now.

In regard to the Genet Pyles, or “Nigger” Pyles, as they used to be called: They got their name from a “gentleman ob colah” who raised them in Jersey for Harry Genet. Mr. Genet was quite a politician, and  being  in with  the Tweed  gang was forced to flee the  country  at  the  time of  Tweed’s arrest.

Prior to leaving the country he presented a trio  of  his Pyles to a Mr. Wadsworth, of Genesee, Livingston  county, N. Y.,  about  thirty miles from Rochester, and he, Wadsworth, gave them to Henry Faulkner, of Danville, N. Y. I was working a horse, “Tom Walters,” for Faulkner at that  time, and of course I could get anything  I wanted  from him in the fowl line, and that is how I got the Genet Pyles. I had seen them fought  in New York for  years before that, and I must say that they are  the best pit  fowl  I have ever  seen.

One thing remarkable about them, I never saw a blind Genet Pyle lose a fight if he could stand up; the best blind fighters in existence today, if I do say it. I do not know of anything else to say, as you have as good an idea about them as though I filled two pages of the Breeder.

DENNIS MAHONEY.

I have not written this to start any “hilarity,” but am setting forth the facts and  those who read can use their own judgment. I know no reason to doubt Mahoney’s sincerity in the matter, and he should know what he is talking about. The usual result of anyone’s statement on a question of this kind is like the declaration of a Roman holiday, but here is hoping no casualties result. I am making no final conclusions. Help yourselves. 

MAHONEY GULLS.

BY E. R. CARPENTER

To begin with, let me hasten to assure the readers that I am not writing for advertising  purposes. I have carried an advertisement regularly in Grit  and Steel  for many years, and this has always  sold all the birds I could spare.

When I quit using paid advertising space I shall quit selling birds.

Having read the article by E. J. Lake, published in February Grit and Steel, I am surprised that Mr. Lake fails to support his many statements by reference and dates. Such dates as he attempts are so palpably erroneous that it would be an error  to all  interested in game fanciers to let  the  article go without comment, in that he purposely or unintentionally  neglects to throw any light upon the origin or “Blood Lines” of the Mahoney fowls, which, of course, today are accepted as  the  Gulls and  Commodores.  While  not apologizing for Mr. Lake, his mistake, it occurs to the writer, arises naturally from his limited information, based upon the undated letter, assumed to have been written by Dennis Mahoney. The unfortunate feature of the Mahoney letter is the total absence of any data, whatever,  upon  the very  important essential of the  blood  lines of the cocks obtained from Baird, Toronto, Canada, and their crosses.

The writer hopes  that  the  subjoined  information  may  place at rest  all controversies concerning the Mahoney fowls and their progenitors.

Just after the Civil War in 1866 and 1867, Mahoney was living  in Rochester, New York, and was working  in New York City with Bud Doble.

They had a stable of horses, one horse in particular, was Dexter, the greatest harness horse of his day. Dexter was owned at this time by Robert Bonner of New York City. Mahoney’s, Doble’s  and  Bonner’s main quarters were at John Morrsey’s Ginn Mill, as it was called in those days, at Summit Street and Hamilton Avenue, South Brooklyn, New York. Denny had cocks from John  Morrsey,  John  Maholland  and  Harry Genet. This was the greatest combination of cocks ever in New York City. In 1868 Denny was working a horse for McCarthy of Dunkirk, New York, by name of “Bay Tom,” at the Brown and Kenilworth tracks, at Buffalo, New York. Denny had fought many of McCarthy’s cocks years before  this  and  obtained what  fowls McCarthy had. These Pure Irish Derbys McCarthy  brought direct from Ireland in the fifties. Denny had many friends in Buffalo, New York, and Toronto and Kingston, Canada.

Medcliff, a great cocker and breeder, had many of Mahoney’s Irish Derbys and was breeding cocks for Mahoney at  this time. In 1869 Mahoney got many cocks from Tom Baird, of Toronto. These were  Earl Derbys, which Medcliff  claimed Baird brought  from England in 1862. Mahoney, in 1870, crossed one of these Baird cocks to his Irish Derbys.  This  proved  a  nick.

From these he bred a cock, when a stag, that won many battles, and as a cock was a repeated winner. This was  the cock Mahoney called his Charlie Ross, and being the first named “Gull” and first named “Ross.” In 1875, Kilcourse had this cock one season to breed to Mahoney Irish Derby hens. From 1875 Medcliff had this cock until he died. Medcliff and Kilcourse passed this blood back and  forth until 1884. “Hank” Rice was devoted to following the circuit and shoeing trotters for Mahoney. Denny presented  Rice,  uncle  to writer, many of his best cocks and tested hens. As Mahoney could have all stags  raised at  any  time he  desired  them,  it  was  in  this  way  that  the combination  of  breeders  could  keep  these  old fowls  at  top  notch  shape  by infusing  blood back  and  forth  from  each  other’s  yards hence the  “Gulls.”

Just why they were called Gulls Rice never seemed to state, but undoubtedly from the Baird fowl.

Long before Mahoney ever moved to Buffalo he had cocks they later called his Commodores.  These he obtained from John Maholland, John Morrsey and Harry Genet. This was the best combination ever entered the Philadelphia Cocking Club; John Maholland Grays from Ireland; John Morrsey’s brass back Irish fowls; Harry Genet Pyles.  It would make a  long story to write history of all these men. Morrsey, New York, old-timers should know much about. He was a great, gentle, fighter. He fought Heenan at Crown Point, Canada, and Heenan defeated him. Morrsey quit fighting and later was elected to the Congress of New York State. Genet said his fowls were white Georgians, brought from the South to the North and crossed on Earl Derbys. This made a beautiful Pyle fowl (white Georgians and Earl Derby cross) and great cocks for short heels. Denny had many of these Pyle cocks  long before Genet was  ever mixed  up in Bill Tweed’s  arrest. After Tweed’s arrest, Genet left New York and was never heard from again, as  to my  knowledge. Mahoney got all his knowledge from that old New York bunch of cockers and Maholland taught him his  best cocking  knowledge.

Denny was a feeder and handler. He never bred fowls. He could get furnished cocks from any man. He got many cocks for short mains. But when Mahoney wanted a main for real money he got his cocks from his old reliable breeders like Medcliff, Kilcourse, and Rice, that had his Gulls  and Commodores  at that time.

The Gull and Commodore of today, in color, appearance, characteristic marks and action in battle correspond exactly with all authentic accounts of the  originals.  At  the  request  of Grit  and  Steel,  J  can  furnish  any  details concerning the right records of these celebrated cocks.

Permit me to state, in conclusion, that my uncle, “Hank” Rice, aroused my interest many years ago in game cocks, and started me in business in Potter county. The relations between my uncle and Mr. Mahoney were of the most confidential character, and the Gulls  and Commodore fowls thus passed to my uncle. At the death  of my uncle I acquired, by  purchase, all the game birds he owned, and while others may guess what  they possess of  the Gulls and Commodore fowls, I know what I have.