, 1888-04-05
A TERRIBLE SCENE.
Fearful Catastrophe at a Bull
Fight in Mexico.
Fire Breaks Out and a Terri
BILE Panic Ensues.
Nine Persons Killed and Sixty
Badly Injured.
Terrible Work of Prisoners.

CINCINNATI, April A special from
the City OF Mexico says: The T,co Re
pu6lics publishes the following adviccs
from Celaya:
Sunday afternoon, about AS o'clock,
the bull ring of the Celaya was crowded
with spectators of the general national
sport A company of bull fighters from
when fire suddenly broke out on the sunny
side of the plaza. A panic seized upon
the vast assemblage and "a frightful catas
trophe was the result. The plaza was
constructed of wooden masts, reeds, ETC.,
and it was due to this fact that the major
lty of the people escaped without injury,
being able to force an opening permitting
an exit at different points, but many
women and children jumped from the top,
Il distance Of 200 to 300 feet, and over 100
persons were seriously wounded. Eigh-
teen lives were lost.
The sides Of the plaza being lined with
mating as dry as finder and there being
a slight wind blowing, the ampitheatre
was in a blaze in a few seconds. Nine
dead bodies, in some cases so charred as
to be ~unrecognizable, were taken from the
smoking ruins. Nine persons were SO
badly burned that they died in a few
hours. Sixty eight persons were very
badly burned, and at least ten of them
will die. Fifty persons in escaping were
knocked down and trampled upon by the
panic stricken throng and are very seri.
ously but not fatally injured.
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 wo-
men, who were first gored to death by the
bulls and their bodies afterward burned.
The scenes in the n~eighberhood of the
bull ring were sickening beyond descrip-
ton. Women and children Invested of
their clothing and crazed with suffering
from their burns, ran aimlessly through
the streets and could scarcely be over
taken or collected by their friends. Sew
eral persons lost their reason from the Sc
we're mental shocks to which they were
subjected.
The fire was incendiary.
In the Celaya jail were a number of
prisoners, army dcserters, etc, who had
obtained permission from the authorities
to attend the bull fight. They we're ac-
companied by a strong guard of soldiers
to prevent escape, but one of the desert
ers surreptitiously lighted a match and
set fire to one of the dry petates in an in
slant. The Sol" side of the ring was
soon ablaze, and in the confusion and ex-
citement the prisoners succeeded in max
ing good their escape, taking chances to
effect their ends.
The best society OF Celaya was in at
tendance. 1t was Easter Sunday, the re-
turn of the season of gaiety after Lent,
and there was an unusual number Of ladies
and little children present 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.
Celaya is mourning to-day. On every
side Is heard the sound of wailing for
loved ones, dead, dying or suffering. 1t
is the saddest tragedy that has occurred
in the three centuries of the city's his
tory