A 23 January 1859 New York Clipper newspaper account of a dogfight held in New Orleans in 1858:

One of the great features of Christmas Day in New Orleans was a contest between a Kentucky coon and a famous terrier dog, known as "Fighting Bob," which came off. . . before a refined, fashionable, and aristocratic audience. . . . At the hour appointed . . . the two animals were brought into the arena and pitted after the. most approved style. The first attack was tremendous, the dog going in confident, while the coon backed to his side of the ropes, and stood on the defensive. The terms of the fight were, that the dog should kill the coon,or that the coon should cause, the dog to run and throw him out of time, which, in this instance, was two minutes. The betting at the start was two to one on the dog, a...