The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-04-13
MEXICAN BULL RING.
/ YANKEE NEWSPAPER MANS VIEW
OF THE NATIONAL SPORT.
The Rules Of the Game Favor the Men.
Cruel Treatment Received by the Horses.
A Disgraeed Animal-The Jersey Bull
That Beat the Game.

Everybody who has been trouting in C
Connecticut owes the bull one at least, If I
not more, and every boy who has lived on u
"A New England farm has wished he might I
see the beast come up with. So, with re- :
yived thoughts Of the rough fences l had
climbed and the tempting pools had has
tily abandoned, went 10 bullfight in
San Luis Potosi one Sunday with far less
concern at the fate of the bulls than at the
fact that this was IA Sunday service. 1t did
not seem exactly appropriate even If we
admitted that with the churches opened
every day and the bull rings only on Sun
day, the odds were TO l in favor of reli-
gion.
The bull ring is several times as large
as "a circus ring and is down at least five
feet below the level of the lowest seats. 1t
Is circular space, set in solid masonry
wall, and the seats range upward like
Roman amphitheater. The bulls are let
into the ring one at time through tun-
mel that comes out under the seats, and
inside the actual ring is "A stout board
fence built all the way round, so that the
fight is conducted in the inner circle, and
| all around that is IA narrow outside pas
| sageway. The first qualification of bull
|
| At the least chance of being ripped open |
he cuts for it and is over like jumping |
| lack. And, as if that wasn't enough, there |
| are at convenient intervals barriers set in
the ring near the fence, and the light
ers," when close pushed, step behind these
| and let the bulls horns rattle on the other
side. So much for the geographical layout
asked the friend who accompanied me,
n resident for years in Mexico, why the
fence was broken by gates. He said 1T was
so as TO let the bull back into the ring II
he should Jump over. / laughed at the
absurdity of a bull taking such flier, and
then the trumpet sounded, and the process
sion entered and marched to the judge.
There were two men who alternately give
! the fatal thrust, the fellows who stick the
ooads into the beast, those who flout
rloaks at him and the men on horseback,
who carry great boathooks with fishhook
minis 70 drive him off when he charges
, their horses The bull is given just one
chance. He can only be dealt with wnlie
charging. So long as he stands still the
atiouctte of the ring protects him, and
whom il comes to stabbing him only one
. man can do that. =,
Toot-tootr' went the bugle, and In
= rusbed the first bull amid the cheers OF at
least 600 people. He was jet black, about
t 2 vears old and as full of life and vigor as
. any Young creature on the plains. lie TOOK
, a corcfnl look at the enemy lined up be-
fore him. trotted gently about for MN,
: ute. then put his head down ana stlrteu
u on dead run-for the fence. lie TOOK II
o like n goat and landed in fine shape III ths
!, intervening space. What had seemed iii
:, possible was done within minute Oh open
ing the game. He was driven BACK am
d made a new survey and seemed HUN
D. ashamed that he had failed. Iheli SUI
donIv. he rallied second time, and VIII
u a fiercer dash than before he not only clear
od the fence, but the intervening space
- cot bis front feet on to the place
It where till that instant, crowd was seat
"a Tbov were not there when he landed
He fell back into the passageway ana re
ortered the ring. If he had tried again,
tbink he'd have gone clear up ana loine
tho snectators. But he evidently though
re - was the other fellows turn, so he Jus
r. stood and looked at them. They nourlsbe
their cav cloths at him, but he only shor
oa .,C'ome onp' and the rules OF the gam
forbode Soon a new "toot" was sounde'
y, and that meant, "Take the bull out.
V. He had saved his life, but he wasn't OF
90 tho zinc He had no idea of leaving
The fighters couldn't touch him, since u
.;anaI had been given, and two fine
ns e',,+od covboys came in. One lasso'
I'm ~ horns and tried to pull him out, bl
~ hull weighed the most and leaned u
.Lor yav Then the other lassoed n
,,r heel. and the two started OH III opPosi
''' directions. This threw the animal dow
ne and no was hauled out on his side 10
hack 10 the plains in disgrace.
He ought to have been decoraueu al
nor dedicated to the founding OF race
100 neacemaking, high kicking and iast ru
''o ming cattle. Instead he VIII De uscu
the boys who hope to be pulihghters
nractice on on the ranch NO pun Is PC
a for till after the battle, and II one laiis
TO- charge his owner can charsc az. =
w There are seven bulls at each iight
80 t,no ont Of those are not killed you
49,. : w. FROG IN the next fight. This til
md tha otber six were killed, one after the
Vs. Tbev fought fiercely, charged arou
III .ho ring scared the fighters over the lei
ti,,,os yitbout number and died hard
tha odds were too many. 1t ism e very
the Yleasont to see q bull killed. lie does
sis a;ncb He is game till it's over but
shameful. inexcusable barbarity Oh
whole thing Is in the fate OF the ho'
r;ddcn by the picadors. Ihese III
ii. scrubs. weaker than the old stage nors'
i.Ae his very last stage, are ripped ana torn
ster the bulls most horribly. Four were Nj
ME Mt the fight ard others dreadiuiiy ihu,,
eS The whole ring would be cleared
g, 1 men. horses and everything else uono y
lied these Texan bulls had the brains 10 III.
= of their bodies. They lack continuity
,;na thought just as their opportunity co
c.. thew turn aside when dozen steps
for RIGHT along the line and they would :,
ior ON their horns the fellows they WERE q,
row NV friend told of some Americans
ose, brought down Jersey bun 10 oneir ra
t by like his kind, he soon became o, hop '.,
an. naly. They were going to XII ,, n,in'
me. were asked to give him to the bulilig n
nos 60 there he went. They sent nun ln'.
, M ring. Up went his tail, ana dow Sn
yh'' his head. He tore after whatever nc :.
oses Nothing could stop him, and the Nv "
heir fghting force found themselves ou
the fence and unwilling to go BACK.
SIGHT would have been fun, pue UNIV
netelv it didn't happen in our day. mo
lrant II is probably well to see one uun.i
high .hon Won know what they