Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-06-29
THE cow CATCHING FIASCo.
IL is Not Likely 10 Become Popu-
lar as an Esthetic Spectator
lar Novelty.

During the COW catching exercises
at Olympic Park evening before last
one of the brutes was caught around
the horns, as it run, with a lariat.
The moose dropped over the horns
very nicely, drew taut quickly and
overthrow the animal all in a heap.
head under, twisting the neck so that
the snap. of the vertsbral column was
plainly heard By the spectators on the
stand. Many thought the brute
neck was broken short of, but il
turned out that only fore leg was
badly famed, as was proven By the
limp of the animal after it rose
Another brute had one of its horns
jerked of by the lariat catching il
while on the run like the other, and
q spectator declares that the pitiful
moan OF the wounded and bleeding
beast was heart sickening to many who
heard 1t. One lady actually came near
tainting at the sight, and she retired
from the grounds without delay. In the
work Of catching cattle out on the
stock grazing plains of Texas and the
tar west, where it is q matter of neces-
sity to check their movements all at
once, accidents of the kind mentioned
are doubtless unavoidable, but where
1t is carried on only for show the
funny features are not apparent, and
the prevention of cuelty gentlemen
might well take hand in the work of
stopping the inhuman business.
You'll never want to see them
more than one time" is the way one
of the bull fighting audience expresses
it to friend who did not 60 to Olym>
pic Park to witness the show. The
same person declares that the only
interesting features connected with
the alleged sport was the performances
of the mustangs. When lariat was
cast by cowboy lift caught square on
the horns of the animal aimed at, the
mustang would come to sudden halt,
plant his fore feet firm at a straight
angle, and brace up stiffiy to hold
himselfsolid against the strain brought
upon the line By the running brute.
This part of the exhibition was really
novel, aud but little less so was the
course of the mustang when he would
gallop rapidly in circle to wind the
lasso about a captured COW with
view of entangling, and tripping it on
its side. The trained ponies appear
to understand exactly what course
should be pursued, and they proceed
to business with as much knowledge
of the demands Of the sit
uation as do their riders. 1t goes
to prove the correctness of the remark
Of an old and practiced horse trainer,
which in effect was: THE horse is
the most intelligent Of all dumb ami
mails. Teach him SO that no will un
derstand what you want him to do,
and he will invariably do it, and do it
willingly too. He never fails to do
his duty if he understands what that
duty is"
1t is stated that several of the
rancheros and COW catchers have sold
their mustangs at about SIS each, with
the intention of quitting the show
business and returning to the broad
prairies, where their occupation, if
cruel, is useful. AS a spectacular ex.
ercise COW catching and bull fighting
is not likely to become either popular
or profitable in the region east Of the
Mississippi river, and the boys en-
gagged in the scheme, many Of them at
least, appear to have come to about
the same conclusion.