Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-08-04
NO. 2l7
BULL-BAITING,
Foolish attempt to Introduce the Spnn-
fsIt Sport tn Ne,c York.
New York Special, July 81. I

d foofSh AJtentpt 70 introduce the SpGH-
fsh Sport tn Ness York.
New York Special, July al.I
The Central park bull.fght arena was
thrown open at 8 O'Clock p. II. The great
body of spectators did not arrive until
o'clock. Three thousand persons lined the
steep galleries of the circus building. Nearly
every seat was filled many hundreds OF
women, mostly Spanish, were In the throng.
A large number Of the men were Spaniards.
MIR. Henry Bergh stood by the rail In front
of the body of the spectators. He protested
against the flying of the Spanish flag In tho
circus. The toreros strobe about under the
galleries that circumscribed the ring. The
dress OF these men was remarkable for its
gorgeousness, and they moved among the
spectators silently smoking Spanish cigar
ettes. Sixty police officers were in the
building. Some delay occurred, and it was
rumored that Mr.. Bergh would stop the per-
formance, and the audience hissed him. At
half f-past o'clock the tall red gate that led
from the auditorium into the erena was
opened, and presently
THE ToRERos APPEARED.
They walked in pairs, with their great cloaks
of bright silk streaming behind them. The
sunlight fell upon the center of the arena,
and as each man walked into 1t his gold en-
broidery seemed to burst into flames. II
was binding to look at them. Each man
uncovered his head and bowed to the people.
Then all walked forward, still In procession,
with an easy, loupging step.
Each man took of bis gorgeous cloak and
handed 1t to an attendant, who stood on the
outer side Of the fence. The toreros leaned
against the fence in the shade, still IN silence,
watching the gateway next to the one By
which they entered the ring. This second
gateway closed the mouth Of wooden tuu-
mel, or shaft that led to the darkened stalls
where the Texas steers were kept. This
gateway was opened, but no steer came.
One Of the toreros, tired Of waiting, saun-
tered toward this open gateway, leaned
against the fence, and presently opened con.
vsrsation with Spaniard, In the foremost
row OF spectators. Suddenly
WHITE STEER
With black neck-a long, tall gaunt ami
NAL, the tips Of whose horns were nearly
three feet apart-strode into the ring. The
light blinded him an instant, and he stood
still. The torero, who was not three feet
distant, did not see him. An instant later
the steer, with the elasticity of body and the
wickedness of purpose of mustang pony,
leaped into the air, described half a circle,
and landed with his horns an inch from the
torero's back. At the same instant, the
torero, without having turned his head or
exhibited consciousness of his danger,
leaped over the five foot fencs in front of
him. The bulls horns struck the fence and
scraped along it with sound that made the
women shiver. The torero in blue gprang
towards the bulls head, feng out his cloak,
wrapped it around the bulls horns and fed
as il for his life. from the arena, with
the bull behind him, moving by little runs
and long leaps. The first torero sprang
lightly back into the ring, and every man
and woman in the galleries applanded. Then
the first torero bowed, and the second
vAULTED THE FENCE
to escape the steer. The steer was both
angry and astonished. After the first episode
he had the ring to himself for minnie, and
he improved the time by staring around him
at the people on the fence and the toreres.
They surrounded him and danced at his head,
and then away from it. Instantly he scat
tered them. He made an ugly lunge at one,
and would have gored him, but another one
flung his robe across the brute's eyes, and
he ran at that and carried it away on his
horns. When it fell from
his head another torero was before
hina, snatching at his lowered horns. The
wiry Spaniard fairly leaped between the
wooden tipped crescents and yet escaped
them. The torreros swarmed again and
bothered him with their floating cloaks and
defiant motions. Suddenly he sprang at the
man in green, Angle Valdermore, and
WONDERFUL DISPLAY OF AGILITY
followed. Valdermore sprang at .he animal.
holding his cloak before him. The brute
dashed at the cloak, but Valdermere stepped
aside, holding the cloak with one hand at
arms length. The steer turned, and Valdez
more kneeled before him. The animal
dashed forward, and the Spaniard blinded OF
bewildcred him with fiirt of the garment.
The Spaniards shouted, laughed, clspped
hands and waved handkerchiefs.
The throDg changed character. For
a minutes time 1t was Spanish. The
air was filed with foreign sounds, Spanish
words and Spanish cries, but there were
ascendancy, the Spanish "bravo' gave way
to the purely American "bully for you."
The toreros grew augrer as the sport in
creased. The bull jabbed and lunged vi
ciously with his horns. Then the game was
repeated, with five other bulls, with more or
less excitement. Mr.. Bergh was virtually
manager of the circus. He was surrounded
by Spaniards. Cobans, police officers and re-
porters. Mr.. Bergh had seen enough of the
animals. He beckoned for their removal.
The spectators thought the affair tame, and
roared for more savage steers. Everybody
regarded the performance as sham bull
fight, and Mr.. Bergh retired, evidently dis
gusted that he had no arrests 10 make.
PROFEsSIoN COURTESY.