The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-04
GEN. wooDFoRD,s ESCAPE.
How the BuIIGghters Saved the Ex-
Minister'S Life

New York Commercial Advertiser.
Gen. Stewart l.. Woodford former United
Slates minister TO Spain, owes his life to
an act OF courtesy that he once paid to a
spanish toreador or bull fighter. There is
no moral IN the story, the act of courtesy
was entirely unntentional and the toreador
was dead.
One afternoon during the Spanish Ame~i-
can crisis, few weeks before war was de-
cared, General Woodford, accompanied by
his wife and niece, went for drive in the
embassy carriage through the streets of
Madrid; noted Spanish torea6cr had died
q rev DAYS previously, and it happened that
MS funeral was being held that day. Owing
TO ms wonderful success in killing bulls the
man mad become a popular idol, and his
luheral was attended by all classes of Span
ism society, even the grandees sending their
Carriages to swell the procession.
Miss Woodford having expressed the wish
TO see the funeral, the general ordered his
coachnlan TO drive to d certain point where
the procession would pass. When they ar
rived there 1t was found that a great part
OF the procession had already gone by. Gen.
W2odford ordered his driver 70 turn about
ana go home but the man misunderstood
MIN and drove on. He attempted to drive
Ilght through the funeral procession.
such an act is not considered good taste
IN any European country and in Spain it
is heinous offense. To make matters
worse General Woodford, owing to the I'M
pleasant relations then existing between
Spain and the United States was a marked
man ana by no means popular one with
the people. The embassy carriage was one
OF the best known vehicles in Madrid
realizing how the mistake would be mis-
interpreted by the populace, General Wood
FORA directed his codchman when he had
reached the middle of the street to turn and
accompany the procession, intending at the
1 1 opportunity to leave the procession and
urlVe 70 ms residence The opportunity did
not offer. Owing to the dense crowds that
lined the sides of the street the minister
was compelled to accompany the funeral to
the cemetery SO long as he was there
General Woodford made the most of it, Ac-
companled by Mrs. Woodford and his niece
ne Iett the carriage and went into the ceme-
tteTy intending to remain there until the
lulleraI party mad gone and the streets were
once more quiet.
After waiting for about an hour they
sstSaFited 70 leave the cemetery and go to
their carriage. At the gate the general
found to his surprise that a company of the
civic guard was drawn up on either side
OF the path leading to the carriage As the
americans approached the officer in COM
mand OF the guard gave an order and i'm
nlSulateIy the swords of the men rose in
salute. Wondering what on earth it all
meant, the general returned the salute and
re-entefed his carriage. He passed several
soldiers and officers on the way back and
his establishment was intensified. for they.
100. stopped faced the carriage and saluted
as 1t passed.
Shortly after he had returned to the en-
basSy he learned the reason of all the I'M
usual respect that had been shown him. A
population of toreadors called upon him and
thanked him for the honor that he had done
their profession In attending the funeral of
their chef darmes in person instead of only
sending mis- carriage. They assured him that
they would never forget it, and that their
feeling of affection was shared generally by
the people of Madrid.
The toreadors were appreciative; the peo-
pie OF Madrid were not. A week or so aft
erward when international matters had al
most reached CLIMAX, and nearly all the
Americans had left Madrid, mob formed
for the purpose of destroying the American
embassy, and, it was feared, to assassnate
the minister and his family The toreadors,
VINO I'VE IN certain part of the town by
themselves, heard of the intention of the
n rms t1.r4rp
Ihey got together and went to General
Woodford's house to assure him of their
protection and advised him to send for mill
tary aid. Then they went out to do their
part. They walked down the street a few
blocks, drew the terrible little whip-like
swords, in the use of which they are so
expert, formed a. double line across the
street and waited. The mob came up, saw
the toreadors with their swords ready for
use and cheered them. Then they saw that
the bullfighters had their backs turned to
the embassy and their swords pointed at
themselVes-and they halted.
They couldn't understand it.
The leading tOreador explained matters.
He said that General Woodford had once
taken the trouble to do honor to a dead
tOreadOr. He had gone with his wife and
had driven all the way TO the cemetery
as a mark of respect. The toreadOrs were
going to protect the American minister with
their swords and lives if necessary and
asked the mob what they were going to do
about it.
The mob stared. They looked the torea-
doris up and down, at their faces and then
or that General Woodford had military pro-
lection night and