Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-04-05
A MEXICAN HORROR.
TERRIBLE SCENES In A BURNING
AMPHITHEATER.
A Bull-Baiting Turned Into Holo-
caust-A Score of Lives Lost
and Hundreds Injured.
ESPECIAL DISPATCHER TO THE sxooRD-uslOs.l

CITY or MEXICO, April 4th This city has been
shocked by accounts from Celaya of 6 terrible
calamity there on Easter Sunday. As is the
custom In mos Mexican cities the latter part of
the day is given up to pleasure and sport, the
chief feature of which usually consists of the
national pastime of belibaiting. On this occa-
sion an exhibition of this kind YVES in progress,
attended by all classes, including the best So
ciety Of the place, with the usual large repre-
sentation of women and children. During the
performance in the afternoon fire broke out
and panic ensped. resulting in one of the
most frightful calamities ever known in this
vicinity. The circumstances are thus detailed
in the public Journals:
DETAILS OF THE sIcKESING AFFAIR.
On Sunday afternoon, about AS O'Clock, the
bull-ring of Celaya was crowded with spectators
of the general national sport. The company of
bull-fighters from Leon was still playing with
the first bull. when fire suddenly broke out on
the sunny side of the amphitheater. panic
seized upon the vast assemblage, and fright
full catastrophe was the result
The amphitheater was constructed of wooden
masts, reeds, ETC., and it was due to this fact
that the majority escaped without injury, they
at the different points. but many women and
children jumped from the top. a distance of two
hundred to three hundred feet. and over one
hundred persons were seriously wounded.
EIGHTEEN LIVES WERE LOST.
The side of the amphiteater being lined with
mating as dry as finder, and there being
slight wind blowing, the amphitheater was in q
blaze in a few seconds.
Nine dead bodies, in some cases SO eharred as
to be unrecogniZable were taken from the ruins,
and nine persons were SO badly burned that
they died in few hours
Sixty-eight persons were very badly burned
orlA OF taoc on nf hon tryf1 Hot hi
Fifty persons in escaping were knocked down
and trampled upon by the panic-strcken
throng and are very seriously, but not fatally
injured.
GoRED BY THE BULLS.
The bulls, maddened by the roaring of the
flames, broke loose from their stalls and rushed
wildly through the surging mass of humanity,
tossing aloft and knocking over all who stood
in their way.
Among the eighteen dead were two women
who were first gored to death by bulls and their
bodies afterward burned.
HEARTREEDING scenes.
The scenes in the neighborhood of the bull
ring were sickening beyond description.
Women and children, Invested of their cloth
ing and erazed with suffering from their burns,
ran aimlessly through the streets and could
scarcely be oveTtaken by their friends.
Several persons lost their reason from the
severe mental shock to which they were sub
iected.
THE FIRE WAS INcENDIARY.
In the Celaya Jail were number of prison
ers army deserters ETC., who had obtained per-
mission from the authorities to attend the bull
fight. They were accompanied by strong
guard OF soldiers to prevent their escape, but
one of the deserters surreptitiously struck
match and lighted one of the dry petdtcs palm
mats. In an instant the sol, or the sunny side
of the ring, was ablaZe. In the confusion and
excitement the prisoners succeeded in making
good their escape, taking their chances TO effect
their ends.
The best society of Celaya was in attendance
and as it was Easter Sunday, the return of the
season of gayety, after Lent, there was an I'M
usual number of ladies and little children pres
ent, and these were the sufferers. No man lost
his life. The helpless little ones and their
| mothers, who would not desert their offspring
were the victims of the appalling catastrophe.
THE PLACE IN MOURNING.
Celaya is in mourning to-day. On every side
is heard sounds of wailing for loved ones dead,
dying or suffering
1t is the saddest tragedy that has occurred in
the three centuries of the citys history.