Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-04-12
a MEXICAN HORROR.

a Bull Fight at CeIaya, Mexico, Inter
rupted by an Incendiary Fire I'm Which a
Large Number of People Lost Their
Lives and Scores Were Seriously Burned
or Otherwise Injured.
CITY OF MEXICO, VIA Ell PAso, Tex,
April 4.-The Too Republics of last even
ing published the following dispatch from
Celaya:
Sunday afternoon, about 4:45 O'Clock,
the bull-ring here was crowded with
spectators of the great national sport.
The company of bull Lighters from Leon
was still playing with the first bull, when
fire suddenly broke out on the sunny
side of the plaza. A panic seized upon
the vast assemblage and frightful spec
tacle was the result. The plaza was con-
structed of wood, masts, reeds, etc., and it
was due to this fact that the majority
of the people escaped without injury, be-
ing able to force an opening permitting
an exit at different points, but many wom-
en- and children jumped from the top, a
distance ot two hundred feet, and over one
hundred of them were very seriously
wounded.
The sides of the plaza being lined with
mating as dry as finder, and there being
slight wind blowing, the amphitheater
was in a blaze in a few seconds. Nine dead
bodies, in some cases so charred as to be
unrecognizable, have, so far, been taken
from the smoking ruins. Nine persons
were so badly burned that they died Mon
day. This makes eighteen deaths in all
thus far. Sixty EIGHT persons were very
badly burned, and though they still live,
at least ten of them will die this week.
Fifty persons in escaping were knocked
down and trampled upon by the panic
stricken thrOng, and are very seriously
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
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, 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
severe mental shocks to which they were
subjected. The fire was incendiary.
In the Celaya Jail there were a number
of prisoners, army deserters, ETC., who
had obtained permission from the authori-
ties to attend the bull fight. They were
accompanied by a strong guard of SOL
diers to prevent escape, but one of the de-
serters surreptitiously struck a match and
lighted one of the dry petates (matts) and
in an instant the ''soP' side of the ring
was ablaze. In the confusion and excite
ment the prisoners all 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 gayety after Lent.
There was an unusual number of ladies
and little children present, and these, as
often is seen in such events, were the suf-
ferers. No man lost his life. The help
less little ones and their mothers, who
would not desert their offspring, were the
victims of this most appalling catastrophe.
Celaya is mourning. On every side is
heard the sound of wailing for the 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 occurred in the three cent
urieS of the city'S history.