The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1899-04-12
AN INTERESTING RECITAL.
Col Ben Wilson of clarksburg
tells Of his Mexican trip.

sss-geaS -IBf ssiipfsi character
ist,rs- Butt fights What ~ thi.,ks
OF them iDiisreare bet cen thu cas-
tons il Nike. saa ,is- : .;,e. Vivid
d segipi's..s Il ths seen-S ii ;iis side
sfiae arsa4.
tx Congressman, Gil. Ben Wilson
! Cisfs~iasrg recently returned from
as 81 ssi.d visit III Mexico whittier
be wetli a. visit his sons. The Col
cEe talks very cntertainingly Of all
FEATURES Of he Mexican government
bat one OF the most interesting things
he describes is Mexican bull fight.
When interviewed he gave the follow
ing description:
II attended bull fight with my
son. Matt, in San Louis Potosi In
order To make my statement about it
lintelligibie, let fiie explain that there
is an arena, circular in form and 100
or more feet in diameter surrounded
by strong fence about six feet high,
with two outlets for men on horse
back, on foot and for bulls TO pass in
and out. In this arena the fighting
is done. Above this fence is an am
pitheater with receding elevated seats
for the accommodation of the thous-
ands of people who are charged high
prices for admission. On the inside
of this fence are perhaps half dozen
relief stations made Of wood for the
men TO take refuge behind when press
ed by the bulls. A band always fur
nishes the music and squads of sol
diers and policemen are stationed at
different points to suppress riots and
keep the peace. When all was ready
an order was issued by the Chief Mag
istrate of the occasion for the fighting
forces to enter in the following order,
two pickadores mounted on horses
and dressed like Spanish Knights, in
olden times, with a spear in hand Of
each to protect the horse and rider
| from charges from the bulls which,
however, are not generally successful;
! following these came footmen, each
carrying a large. scarlet or red cloth,
resembling flags: then came the MAT
ador," the bull fighter, also with a
scarlet cloth in one hand and a long
spear or sword in his other hand, all
these men are dressed in most hand
some, costly and gaudy styles.
'After short impatient waiting a
medium sized ferocious black bull was
ushered into the arena with a barbed
wire dart thrust in his shoulder as
he came in TO irritate him, but he
stood motionless and showed no incli-
nation to fight. The footmen flashed
their scarlet flags before him and the
horsemen did what they could to fur
ther irritate him, but all to no pur-
pose, for he would not fight and hence
the "Chief Magistrate" ordered him
to be lassoed and taken out which
was done amid the most unearthly
Mexican hooting and yells that the
bull was disgraced. In few minutes
another bull of apparently the same
size and color and description Of the
first was driven into the arena with a
barbed dart in his shoulder also, he
did not stand on ceremony like the
first, but commenced the fight with
great vigor by attacking men and
horses; he gored one horse throwing
him aud his rider several feet in the
air, the horse falling dead in one di.
rection and the rider escaping in an
other direction; some of the footmer
approaching him, making loud noises
and exciting anger, by the scarlet
color, to detract attention from thu
rider and giving him chance to es
cape. The bull was SO furious in thi!
charge, that some of the men had tt
escape over the fence and Others tool
refuge behind the relief stations
He killed the second horse, chased al
the men, tore up number of thu
flags, when verify "the bull fight wa
on"
Upon the return to the arena of TIN
men few more barbed darts were in
serted in his neck and shoulders wher
his rage seemed to know no bounds
then the order came to 'kill the bull.
Then the Matador with sword in on
hand and a scarlet cloth in the othe
attached to stick several feet lons
attracted the bulls attention. Th
vigorous plunges and assaults by tn
one and the miraculous lodging ant
stepping aside by the other, must b
|, seen to be appreciated; several time
, / thought the bull had the man OF
his horns but he did not. The killinl
is not allowed except when the com
batants are confronting each other
In the bulbs last charge he plunged a
the scarlet colors at the end of tn
stick when the Matador lodged to on
side and drove his sword down between
the animals shoulders inflicting
heart stab from which be dropped dea,
and was drawn out by a pair of mules
at this juncture the yells Of the peo
pie, the commotion and music mad
the amphitheatre fairly tremble:
great majority of the spectators seem
ed to be emotional, many turbulent
and others inclined to violence.
Gin all, six bulls entered the 1gh
and all but the first was killed, but
none so skillfully as the one just de
} scribed. Five horses were also killed
The Matador said to be the mos
, dextrous. fearless and successful
bull fighter in the Republic wa
cheered and lauded by the crowd a
first as though he was great ruler 0
military commander, but this homo
did not last long.
sIn the third or fourth fight b.
made several unsuccessful stabs in
flicting only lung wounds, and persist
: ed in the fight after the Chief Magis
trate had ordered the wounded bul
to be taken out. For the disregard 0