Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-07-01
DEATH In THE ARENA.
The Thrillisg Incidents Described BY an
Eye-witnsss-Earrow Escapes from
Death Assssntini's Expert
Methods.


"Spanish bull-fghts are the most hor-
ribly brutal and at the same time the
most fascinating sights that / eyST wit
messed" said prominent Importer tre
other day. The speaker was Mr.. i. u.
GoodseIl, O member of the Foreign
Fruit Exchange, and whose business ne
cessitates frequent trips to Spain. he
has witnessed many buil-fgbts, aud is an
enthusiast on the subject. His Office In
this city is hung with illustrations OF
many celebrated battles in the ring, and
portraits Of the leading matadors. His
description OF the popular Spanish
amusement is interesting,
In all the large cities a place is spe-
cially provided for bull-fghtlng. Ii is
called the plaza de toros. The largest
ones are those OF Madrid, Valencia,
MalaQn. and Seville. They arc built OF
stone and brick. aud are indestructible
by fire. In Madrid the amphitheatre is
alsbaped and capable OF seating
5000 people. II is constructed on the
plan OF the Coliseum at Rome. The
spectators occupy stone seats, rising like
steps from the ring outward. In front
of the lower tier of seats solid brick
] PARTITION eight feet high separates
! the audience from the ring. A second
partition or barrier, eight feet in
front OF the first one, leaves q mar
row passage-way all the way around the
ring. The barrier is of wood, end is six
feet high. When closely pressed by the
bull the men escape by vaulting this
barrier, and remaining in the passage
way until the attention of the bull is at.
tracted in another direction. The am
phitheatre is entirely open above. The
seats on one side are directly in the sun,
and are occupied by the middle and
lower classes. There is an old saying
that Spsniard will sell his shirt or 60
without his dinner TO see bull-fght
This is literally true The brutal sport was
introduced into Spain by the Moors and
has been kept up in much the same
manner that the Roman games were.
The populace demand something to
amuse and distract them, and the insta-
bility of the Spanish monarchy has made
it good policy to please the people. The
bull-fghts take place every Sunday.
This is the feast-dsy, and the only day
that all classes can be in attendance.
| The public go en- mGsso-men, women,
and children. They crowd the vast
place full. The heat is something intol-
cradle. The seats are slabs of stone. yet
for over four hours the crowd will sit
there and yell with delight when any
unusually bloody spectacle occurs.
On the shady side OF the arena the
cite OF the city are gathered The royal
box is usually occupied by some men,
bers of the reiening family other pri
vate boxes are filled with the rank and
/ fashion Of the town. Bellies and their
attendant cavaliers are numerous. The
prices of admission are two pesetas,
equal to forty cents, for the sun seats,
and twenty pesatas, or four dollars, for
the box seats.
The bulls that are used are bred ex-
pressly for the purpose. They come
from stock OF warlike tendency, and
every effort is made 10 increase their
fighting ability. They are large, weigh
ing from 1900 to 1920 pounds, and of
great strength. Their horns are long
and branching and sharp at the points.
While still young the training of the
bulls is begun. Red cloths are flaunted
before them and their temper is tried by
pricking them with pointed sticks They
soon learn to regard anything red as an
antagonist, and when they enter the ring
they are as ferocious as hons.
HOW THE BATTLE is FOUGHT.
A governor Of the fight is chosen TO
see that the rules OF the ring are OBJ
served. These rules are as explicit as
those OF baseball game. The right Of
the bull to be killed, according to the
customs that have prevailed from the
earliest times, is rigIdly observed. Al
though he enters the ring never to de-
part, be is given fair play to the very last.
The Incidental slaughter Of half dozen
horses, and the manning, or even the
killing of a man or two does not inter-
fere with the rights of tOro the bull.
The fight begins at p. NJ. A bugle
note sounds the warning, ond the gates
are thrown open TO lively music by the
band. Two mounted princes enter first
They are dressed in gorgeous costrmis
OF velvet, embroidered with beads and
tinsel. Silken hosiery and lace at
sleeves and neck are worn. The horses
are gayly ceparisoned. Following them
are the matadors, who are the most
slxilfuI performers in the ring. They
are likewise dressed with great magnih-
cence. Mazzantini, one OF the most
celebrated matadors, wears n cos
tune costing S7G0, and diamonds
that are worth many thousands. Three
picadors, half dozen torreadors, and q
number of assistants, bring up the rear
OF the procession. The picadors are
mounted, and carry long spears with
| heavy, round-pointed heads. The part
which they play is the most dangerous of
any. They are prepared for it by a
heavy steel armor from their hips to their
feet. The torreadors wear red mantles,
with which they santalizo the bull, and
distract him when he has any of the
other performers at disadvantage. The
procession marches around the ring, and
pauses in front OF the Governor, whom
they salute. He throws the keys of the
pen, which have been in his possession
10 insure the salety Oh inc Dulls, 10 tDe
princes. They take them with much
ceremony to the custodian of the bulls,
and Immediately get out of the ring.
The bugle sounds, the gates Of the pen
are swung back, and the bull enters. AS
he does so the keeper throws q sharp
pointed barbed hook with a percussion
cap at one end and tuit of gay ribbons
at the other. AS the barb enters the
flesh the cap explodes. This infuriates
the cnll SO that he is ready for the fray.
He makes dash for the nearest matador,
who jumps over the barrier, and the
crowd cheers the bull. The red
nantes madden him, and ne dashes
at the wearers until no has cleared the
ring. Frequently he gains SO much mo-
mentum in his wild rushes that he brings
up with terrible force against the wooden
partition just as his tormentor escapes.
Sometimes a mstador is caught so that
he rams across the ring with the bull in
hot pursuit. This race for life or death
ELECTS bowls OF delight from the excited
crowd. If the man does not vault the
barrier in time the bull losses him over.