Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1888-04-05
SADDEST TRAGEDY
m THREE CENTURIES OF A CITIES
HISTORY.
4 Panic at q Bull Fight in Celaya, Mex
leo - Eighteen Women and Children
Killed and Sixty EIGHT Injured - A
Frightful Spectacle.

CIrY OF MEXICO, April 5.-The following
particulars of the horrible catastrophe at
Cclaya have been received;
Sunday afternoon about forty-tive min
utes past four o'clock the bull-ring here
was crowded with spectators OF the great
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 plaza. A
panic seized the vast assemblage, and a
frightful spectacle was the result. The
plaza was constructed OF wooden masts,
reeds ETC., and that il was due to this fact
that the majority of the people escaped
without injury, being able TO force an open
ing permitting an exit at different points,
but many .women and children jumped
from the top, a distance OF two hundred to
three hundred feet, and over one hundred
of them were seriously wounded. Eigh-
teen lives were lost.
Tho sides of the plaza being lined with
mating as dry as tinder, and there being a
slight wind blowing the amphitheater was
in a blaze in a few seconds Nine dead
bodies in some cases SO charred as to be I'M
recognizable, have so far been taken from
the smoking ruins. Nine persons were so
badly burned thht they died yesterday,
This makes eighteen deaths IN all up TO to-
day. SiKty-eight persons were very badly
burned, and, though they still live, at least
ten of them will die this week. Fifty per-
sons, in escaping, were knocked down and
trampled upon by the panic-stricked throng
and are very seriously but not fatally in
jured.
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
the bulls and their bodies afterward burned.
The scenes in the neighborhood of the
bull ring were sickening beyond descrip-
ton. Women and children, divested of
their clothing, and crazed with suffering
from their burns, ran aimlessly through the
streets and could scarcely be overtakcn or
collected by their friends. Several persons
lost their reason from the severe mental
shocks to which they were subjected. The
fire was incendiary.
In the Celaya Jail were a number of pris-
oners army deserters, &C., who had OBJ
tanned permission from the authorities TO
attend the bull fight. They were accom-
panied by a strong guard of soldiers TO pre-
vent escape, but one OF the deserters sur
reptitiously struck match aud lighted
one of the dry petates (mattsh and in an
instant the sol side of the rink was
ablaze. In the confusion and excitement
the prisoners succeeded in making good
their escape, taking chances to effect their
ends.
The best society of Celaya was in attend
ance. 1t was Easter Sunday, the return OF
the season of gayety after Lent. There was
an unusual number of ladies and little chill
dren present, and these, as is often seen in
such events, 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 this most
appalling catastrophe.
Celaya is mourning to-day. On every side
is heard the sound of wailing for loved
ones, mourning for those doomed to die of
suffering, by those whose wounds will not
prove fatal
1t is the saddest tragedy that has ever oc-
CURED in the three centuries of the city's
history.