Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-04-12
AN EASTER SUNDAY HORROR.

Awful Holocaust In a Mexican Bull Ring
Women and Children Tossed and Gored
by Inruriated Buiis and Then CreInated-
A Score of Victims.
CITY OF MEXICO, VIA Ell PAso, Tex. April
4.-The Isro Republics publishes the follow
ing article dated CeIaya, at five p. m yes
terday: Sunday afternoon ut about 4:4j
O'CLOCK the bul[rIng here was crowded
with spectators OF the great national sport.
The company of bull-ighters from Leon
was still playing with the first bull, when
a fire suddenly broke out on the sunny side
OF the plaza A panic seized upon the vast
assemblage and a frightful spectacle was
the result The plaza was constructed OF
wood masts, reeds, etc., and it Is due to this
fact that the majority OF the people es-
capped without injury being able 10 force
an opening permitting an exit at different
points, but many women and children
jumped from the top, distance of twenty
TO thirty feet, and over 100 of them were
very seriously wounded.
The sides OF the plaza being lined with
mating as dry as finder. and there being a
slight wind blowing, the amphItheater was
IN blaze in a few seconds. Nine dead
bodies, in some cases so charred as to be
unrecognZable, have, so far been taken
from the smoking ruins. Nine persons
were so badly burned that they died next
Jay. This makes eighteen deaths in all.
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-stricken 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 throug the surging
mass of humanity, tossing aloft and knock
ing over all who stood their waV
Among the eighteen dead were two
women, who were first gored to death by
the bulls aud their bodies afterward
burned.
The scenes in the neighborhood of the
bull ring were slckening beyond descrip-
ton. Women and children, Invested Of
their clothing and crazed with suffering
from their burns, ran amlessly 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 wero
subjected. The fire was incendiary.
In the Celaya Jail there were number
of prisoners, army deserters, etc, who had
Obtained permission from the authorities
10 attend the bull fight. They were accom-
panied by a strong guard of soldiers to
prevent escape, but one of the deserters
surreptitiously struck a match and lighted
| one OF the dry petates (mats) and in an ln-
slant the ''sol' side of the ring was ablaze.
In the confusion and excitement the pris-
oners all succeeded in making 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 gayety after Lent.
| There was an unusual number OF ladies
and little children present and these, as of.
ten as seen in such events, were the suf-
| ferers. No man lost his life. The helpless
little ones and their mothers, who would
not desert their offs pring, were the victims
OF this most appalling catastrophe.
Celaya is mourning to-day. On every
side is heard the sound of wailing for the
loved ones mourning for those doomed &c
die, or suffering by those whose wounds
will not prove fatal. II is The saddest
tragedy that has ever occurred III three
centuries of the city's history.