Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-08-23
GREAT BULL AND BEAR FIGHT
a. AT VIRGINIA CITY.
A BarharOus, Exciting and Demo
~ MAC Spectacle In Nevada.

was raised ana
THE BEAR ENTERED THE ARENA,
1t was jammed. The bear, large Coast
Range animal of the cinnamon species,
walked leisurely into the huge cage,
shifted at the bars for time, then went
and took up his stand near the opposite
sliding gate by which the bull was to be
let in. The bear was loudly cheered.
He began smelling about the door of the
bulls stall. :" He smells the bull, F" was
the cry. "Oh, no, he amt no fighter"
He smells the bull and wants to get at
him." Such were the cries heard, and
bear stock began to look up. 1t was a
matter of difficulty to get the bear away
from the door long enough to let the
bull into the arena. At last the bear
left the door.
| IN sTALKED THE BULL.
No sooner had he entered than he
caught sight of the bear covering at the
opposite side Of the cage. There was
Just time for a slight hum of applause
and approval when the large, frmly-knit
ferce-looking bull stepped forward and
shook his head, when he made dash at
the bear and gave him a tremendous dig
with his horns, causing the bear to utter
a loud roar. The bear clawed the bull
about the head for second or two and
then got away.
THE FIGHTING,
if such it can be called, did not progress
at very lively rate. Turning, the bull
made charge the second, which much re-
sembled the first, but soon after the bull
charged third time upon the bear when
he was in corner, when Bruin, for a
short time made lively use of both teeth
and claws, showing more fight than at
any time during the evening. The bear
went off and got into another corner of
the cage, when the bull approached and
stood looking at him, and paving the
ground for nearly ten minutes before he
made another dash and jammed him
against the side of the cage. The bear
clawed little, uttered roar and skunk
away to another corner. The bear was
evidently afraid of the bull from the
moment he first caught sight of him.
From thisltime forward it was necessary
to stir the animals up in order to get
them together, when there would be
rush by the bull and roar or two by the
bear and the round was ended. Persons
got upon the roof of the den and poured
blood upon the bull, who stood paving
and gazing upon the bear A red cloth
was fastened to pole and waved about
the bear, but both animals stubbornly
kept their peace. Driven from the rear
corner of the cage, Bruin posted himself
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with sticks, whipped with foils and
prodded with iron bars, but all this only
caused him to roar and strike at those
who were tormenting him. Some one
now got upon the top of the den, in obe
dience to the clamorous cries Of a hun
dred "to stir up the bull, and with a
pole stirred him up.
A PANIC AND RIFLE SHOT.
Upon being "stirred up" instead of
darting upon the bear, the bull made a
dash upon the bars forming the front of
the cage, causing the whole fabric to
shake, and bending one of the large bars
until quite gap was made. Instantly
there was grand stampede among those
seated in the parquette--even in the dress
circle many rose to their feet, and some
prepared to leave. As the bull drew
back his head, the man standing on that
side of the cage fred at him with a
Henry rife. The shot produced no Wis
ible effect so far as the bull was con-
cerned, but added greatly to the terror
of those in the lower part of the house.
1t seems that the ball struck one of the
iron bars in front of the cage and split
it, piece of it striking j. p. Smith, who
was stationed on the opposite side of the
den with a Henry rifle, but not hurting
him. After this the bull was let alone,
and the business of stirring up confined
to the bear, who stood it we'll. 1t seemed
impossible to get the bear upon his feet,
and Charley Palmer, chief engineer of
the show, came forward and said that
the bull had whipped; that the bear was
about dead and could fight no more.
An immense hooting followed All was
a confused uproar of voices, some cry
ing one thing and some another. About
all that could be understood was that
the many-headed monster " was fear
fully angry and awfully dissatisfied, and
the fight must 90 on. The gas was now
turned off, and many left the house, but
the majority remaining, there being a
dim light, Just sufficient to render the
arena and the forms of the animals Wis
ible.
THE AUDIENCE TAKE THE SHOW INTO THEIR
OWN HANDS.
Chairs were thrown from the parquette
and orchestra against the bars Of the
cage, and soon a rush was made for the
stage by men carrying chairs, and what
ever else they could get hold of, which |
they thought could be used TO good ad-
vantage in stirring up the animals. Soon
over hundred men were upon the stage, |
crowding against and bearing upon the
bars, regardless of either bull or bear. |
The lights we're now turned completely |
out, but matches were lighted in all parts |
of the house by those who had them. And |
the crowd yelled fiercely for the house
to be lighted. The gas was turned on,
and Charley Parker came upon the |
stage. At first he was Kissed and hooted; |
but he stood his ground and was finally |
allowed to speak. He said he had done |
all he could to make the animals fight.
II the audience thought they could do |
better, they could appoint a committee |
and 90 at It. He would pay for the gas,
even though they wished TO run the fight
all the night. Soon a sort Of volunteer
committee began operations.
CRY OF FIRE-cRAcKERs
was at once raised, and the cry was in
stantly answered by big bunch being
thrown upon the stage. The package |
was opened, and a man was about to
light the lot when the property man Of
the theater intsrfered, saying they would
set the building on FIRE. Had the crack
ers gone into the den, the chances are