Back in the day men fought dogs against other men’s dogs, If you come onto a mean dog and wanted to know how mean he is, take him down to the pit some Sunday. Or, maybe Wednesday night out to Allred’s place. He had a fine fighting pit, well lighted and both you and the dogs could see well. The law didn’t bother him no more since that time they were going to raid his place for the third or fourth time but he got wind of it in advance and when they came onto his property, Allred and some of his friends shot up a city police car and two deputy’s cars. Ambushed them. A couple of deputies had pellet wounds but nothing serious but the cars had their lights shot out and all tires flattened and rifle holes in the radiators. Later, after a night time discussion between the sheriff and Allred and Allred agreeing to a monthly donation to the Sheriff’s Fund, it was settled. One of the meanest pit bulls in the county belonged to one of the Davenport boys. Their daddy and my mama were first cousins. Mama always thought the Davenports were a little uppity. but the old man had operated a neighborhood grocery store for many years. His store was crowded up but he catered to to the folks in our part of town people thought his prices mostly fair and he always had a good looking meat counter, fully stocked. Davenport’s youngest boy, Chester, now grown, worked in the store with his daddy. That’s the only work he knew, all he had ever done. The other two boys were twins. I never knew what either of them did for a living. And rarely had seen either in the grocery store. Both had made good looking men. They dressed well and drove better looking cars than most folks in our neighborhood. The tallest Davenport twin owned the pit bull. The dog was kept in a fenced yard behind the grocery store as a guard dog. Everyone in the neighborhood knew this dog was back there and that the dog sometime fought on Sundays. It was a sporting event and betting was usually heavy. Big money changed hands. So I was surprised one Thursday afternoon while walking home when one of the twins I spoke to, said to me, “Hold up a minute, Bill. He said he and his brother were going to take a trip and be gone for a while and wasn’t going to be able to take care of their dog. Would I like to have him. “ I took the the dog home on a leash, told mom and dad what had occurred. Dad said something is going on. I thought no more about it. I worked Friday and Saturday. Dad took the famous neighborhood pit bull and sold him. It was on Sunday morning we found out what was going on. The Wichita Falls Record Mews, the morning newspaper carried the story. It’s large headlines said it all, FBI Arrests Davenport Boys For Bank Robbery, Steeling Railroad Payrolls and Cattle Rustling. They were sentenced to time in prison but I don’t remember how long. Except for their families they were both soon forgotten. I think their dog was better thought of in my community on the east side, across the tracks in Wichita Falls, My home town.
@Bill Boggs well look at you - you handsome devil, glad to see your smiley face for a change good story Bill