Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-07-26
DEATH IN THE ARENA.
Graphic Sketch OF Bull Fight in
a Spanish Plaza De Toros.
Thrilling Incidents observation-disclosures Es-
capeS From Death-8Iazzantini'S Ex-
pert acknowledgements the
POPulace for the Sport.

''Spanish bull fights are the most
horribly brutal and at the same time
the most fascinating sights that l ever
witnessed" said a prominent importer
the other day. The speaker was Mr..
+. l.. GOodsell. a member of the
Foreign Fruit Exchange. and whose
business necessitates frequent trips to
Spain. He has witnessed many bull
fights and 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 matadOcs. His description of
the popular Spanish amusement Is in
1eresting.
La all the large cities place is
specially provides for bull fighting. 1t
is called the pIa-u de torOS. The largest
ones are those of Madrid. Valencia,
Malaga and i;eyille. They are built
of stone and brick and are indestructi-
bic by fire. In Madrid the amphi-
theatre is oval shaped and capable OF
seating 10000 people. 1t is constructed
on the plan of the coliseum at Rome
The spectators occupy stone seats ris-
ing like steps from the ring outward
In front of the lower tier of seats,
a 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 a narrow passage
way all the way around the ring. The
barrier is of wood, and is six feet high
When closely pressed by the bull the
men escape by vaulting this barrier,
and remaining in the passageway until
the attention of the bull is attracted in
another direction. The amphitheater
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 a
Spaniard will sell his shirt or go with
out his dinner to see bull fight. 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 in
stability of the Spanish monarchy has
made it good policy to please the peo-
pie. The bull fights take place every
Sunday. This is the feast day, and the
only day that all classes can be in at
tendance. The public go en- masse-
men, women and children. They crowd
me vast place full. The heat is some
thing intOlerable. The seats are slabs
of stone, yet for over four hours the
srowd will sit there and yell with de-
light when any unusually bloody spec
tacle occurs.
On the shady side of the arena the
elite of the city are gathered. The
royal box is usually occupied by some
members of the reigning family; other
private 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 pesetas, 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 to increase their
fighting ability. They are large, weigh
ing from 1000 to 900 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 Haunted
before them, and their temper is tried
by priclSing them with pointed sticks.
They soon learn to regard any thing
red as an antagonist, and when thew
enter the ring they are as ferocious as
lions.
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 a baseball game. The right
of the bull to be killed, according to
thecustoms that have prevailed from
the earliest times, is rigidly observed.
Although he enters the ring never to
depart, he is given fair play to the very
last The Incidental slaughter of half
a dozen horses, and the manning, or
even the killing. of a man or two does
not interfere with the rights OF toro, the
bull.
The fight begins at three p. m. A
bugle note sounds the warning, and