The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-17
A Toreador on a Bicycle.
From the PhlIadeIphia Press.


The bicycle, which has crept into al
most every path Of human life has at
last found its way to the bull-fghting
ring, There are few bicycles as yet in
Mexico. The people of the neighbor re-
public are inclined to regard the riding
OF wheel as very similar to work and
a good many Of them are opposed TO
that sort of thing. Stlll, there are
number of Americans down there who
ride, and a few Mexicans who have tbe
initiative faculty sufficiently developed IN
them to follow suit and enough human
nature in them to like It, once having
done so.
A few days ago Manuel Garcia, who
has been one Of the champion bull-fght-
ers Of the domain of President Diaz. and
who felt that his pride had suffered re-
Gently because of a falling off Of the at
tendance when he performed his daring
feats, determined to begin a new epoch
in the history of the ring and to become
the hero Of 1t.
He had fought bulls on foot and on
horseback from boyhood He had killed
everything In sight with horns In both
ways He felt that he could repeat the
thing blindfolded almost but all that
was an old story. So he made up his
mind to introduce the bicycle in the
ring. He knew well how to ride There
was no better performer in Mexico, and
if he could kill a bull while seated on his
new crown of glory.
The city Of Mexico was touched here
and there with flaming red and yellow
posters from end to end. In big letters
the bills told the story 1t was a simple
one. Manual Garcia, famous for years
as the bravest and shrewdest bull-fghter
Of Mexico, was to meet the biggest and
widest animal seen in the capital city in
the present generation.
The great day arrived. Thousands gath
cred in the great amphitheater and wait
ed until the bovine giant was driven in
He looked big enough and mad enough to
eat a man. One of the lesser lights rode
in and prodded the bull once or twice
Then few darts were fixed in his culver
ing flesh, and he rushed madly up and
down, while Manuel looking very hand
some in his bright costume, rode in on a
glittering bicycle. The bull eyed It, and
then rushed for II. Manuel lodged once.
There was almost a punctured tire but
the horn just missed the wheel and no
damage was done. The bun went far
past the bicycle. and, turning at the other
end of the ring, watched il for a moment.
Then the old fire came back into his
eve, and he moved toward the uncanny
thing again as though shot from a gun.
The toreador rode slowly along with his
sword ready and, as the bull approached,
prepared to dodge and strike him in the
side.
But bicycles do not dodge like horses.
They have not that keen, personal in
terest in their work that a horse has.
The front wheel struck some slight impe-
dlment and the front wheel stopped just
long enough to get a horn in each wheel.
He lifted bicycle and rider together high
in the air, and, still rushing madly on.
pitched both far over the fence among the
spectators. and the fight was over. The
toreador looked, after II was over. as
though he had passed through a printing
press, and the bicycle reminded the on
lockers more of n tangle in a wire fac
tory than anything else. The bicycle viii
probably not be used further in this way