The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-04-12
BULL W. LION.
The Great Fight Mt san Antonio In which
Texas triunphed over Africa.
w. W. M.
GSan Antonio ExpresS.1

Texas trlumphed over Africa.
ISan Antonio Express.l
Never, perhaps, since the days when impe-
| rial Rome was in the zenith of her military
| renOwn, and the fame OF her gladiators rang
throughout the whole worId-when from her
| Coliseum there went up grOans of wounded
and dying animals and men, trained to fight
to the death-has there occurred q similar
scene to that witnessed yesterday 10y 5000 per-
sons, at the amphitheatre constructed espe-
rially for the purpose. about one and half
miles west of the Mission Conception ami
three miles distant from this city's limits
AT IL m the gate was thrown open, but the
seats filled slowly until about p. H., when a
steady stream of visitors OF both sexes poured
| in and increased the attendance to about 5000
I There were seats for between 1000 aud 5000
people.
| The Germana Band has arrived ON the
ground early, and dscoursed it's most stirring
melodies. The cage where the lion and Iioness
were confined Was surrounded by throng of
excited lookers-on, who alternated bet ween
| taking squlnt at them and measuring the
power and courage OF that nOble-loOking
| specimen OF Texas bull which so quietly
grazed about in the great iron cage, and strobe
hither and thither or reclned with the utmost
unconcern as to what the evening might bring
forth
At 5 o'clock the back end of the cage con-
tanning the lions was CLOSED up to the gate of
the grand cage and the bars removed.
The bull is a powerfully built animal Of his
Species with horns about sixteen inches in
length, culving slightly inward, and having
very sharp ends. The lioness Jennie, is
about seventeen years old. small specimen,
in poor condition, and from long confinement
WAS no doubt, as che looked to be, too weak
for the encounter. After a few moments of
delay she bounded through the open door of
the cage, avoiding the bull at first, but sud
denly coming upon him from behind, she bit
his leg and attempted at the same moment
to leap upon him. But by we'll directed
kick, accompanied by snort Of terror, the bull
sprawled the lioness and, turning, charged
upon her and tossed her against the side of
the cage, shaking it so violently that many of
the excited visitors prepared to leap from
their seats and take to the chapparal Retr-
ing few steps the bull seemed DESTROYS of
several turns around the open space cycling
the bull as il she had rather not tackle him
again; but, being aggravated from the out
side with poles, she turned, and the bull per-
celving her determination to attack, made an
other onset and held her to the earth, with her
body between his horns, she attempting with
all her might, but Intellectually, to leap upon
his neck and fasten her teeth and claws into
his body. This lasted but few seconds
when the bull, by powerful wrench, caught
one horn under her throat and lifted her from
theground as easilyas a cat would have lifted a
mouse, she giving vent ut the same time to q
smothered roar. The liOness then retreated
to the other side of the cage and leaped up
and down against the bars in a vain endeavor
to get away from her powerful antagonist and
dashed the ground with her tail
IN frenzy OF rage and despair;
! me bull. squarIng himself and
her and butted her against the side Of the
cage, disabling her so much that she could
not rise, and lay painting, apparently dying.
The bull retired d few steps, when the at
tendants threw water in the face of the lion
ess. She Immediately advanced towards the
bull, when he horned her twice in quick sue
cession, appearing to pass his horns through
her body, and walked over her as she lay
prostrate kicking ut her the while. Blood
Issuing from her mouth. and she being I'M
able to rise notwithstanding the efforts to
rouse her, the audience, most of whom had
ran forward or were standing on their seats
In great excitement yelled, "Save the lion
ess! save the lionessp' which was almost inn |
mediately done by inserting planks between
her and the side Of he cage
AT this juncture the band struck up lively
strain, and amid hurrahs for the BULL men
mounted the cage with ropes in hand and
larated the bull, finally leading him from the |
arena. In passing out, he had to approach |
the cage of the lion, ''Old George" and on
seeing him made a tremendous dash at the |
king OF beasts nearly upsetting the cage In
which he was confined.
In the entire encounter the bull did not re-
ceive a scratch, while the lioness, on being
examined, was found to have been but slight
ly wounded in the tongue by the bulls horn,
and will soon recover.
1t Is proper to say in this connection that
the majority of those who were present were
not citizens of San Antonio Those Of our
residents who did go we're led to do SO at the
last moment by curiosity. The main attend
ance was from the country adjacent Our
citizens, as mass, are far from looking with
favor upon such entertainments. /
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