El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-01-05
} LIVE TOPICS
! ABOUT TOWN
Written for the HERALD.
wv

recent years Is Senior Alberto Zayas,
'Zayisas, (Which translated liters lly
means 1.-THE first killer Senior Zayas
is an interesting fellow, as all such
reckless, daredevil fellows are. ne
has history, too. as most OF them
have. His family Is one of the most
prominent aud aristocratic in Old
Mexico. His father Senior j. A. Zayas,
is deputy in the Mexican congress.
His uncle, Senior J. N. Zsyas, is con-
sui at Laredo. His ancestors have
figured conspicuously in Mexican
history and the family is one OF the
proudest in the republic.
/ 1t Is necessary to say that Senior Al
berto Zayas is the black sheep of the
family. He was educated in the city
of Mexico but when mere boy devel-
oped the wild traits and love OF ad-
venture and excitement that finally led
him into the bull ring. He ran away
from school and went to Spain. where
under the tutelage of Gav1ra he be-
came toreador. Ae remained three
J ears in Spain, fighting in Madrid,
He became very expert as fighter and
won much applause for his reckless
feats. He soon became matador and
one of the first fighters in Spain. 1t
was there that he gained his title.
"Zayitss.'
Half q dozen years ago he returned
to Mexico and fought in the City of
Mexico, in Pueblo, Quad ala jara, Chi
hushus, Monterey and other Mexican
towns. Three years ago he appeared
first in Juarez. In May last, in Chi
huahua, he was seriously wounz e. by a
bull, but escaped with his life. The
accident did not destroy his nerve and
he went back to the ring as soon as he
had recovered. He has engaged in
more than three hundred fights and
averages fifty fights year. He has
probably had as many hair-breadth es-
cspes as any man living, but, like the
balloonist, his time will come some
day.
He is comparatively a young man,
but twenty-siX years old. He is small,
being not over five feet six inches in
height, and weighing not over 100
pounds. He is built like a steel spring
and has wonderful nervous force and
physical power. His thrusts demon
strste besides his skill his great
strength.
he said shat he is bull figh ter simply
because he likes it. Il couldn't live
without tie excitement" he said, 81
expect to keep it up as long as, 1 can.
Barring accidents I am good for
several years yet" He will fight in
Juarez again Sunday.
When Major Fewel and Dick Rule get
together it is certainty that some good
stories will be told. These two gentle
men have an iuexhaustable supply and
each is always able ID go the other one
better. Here is one that the major
told the other DAY:
This happened some ten years ago."
he began, 81 was st Galveston attend
ing the convention that nominated Ross
for governor. There was quite crowd
of Ell Pasosns there, among them
Judge Dean. We were all in the
Three Brothers. l had never been in
there before, nor have l been since.
Every body was more or less happy.
except myself of course. [ was talk
ing to somebody, had to talk you know,
and was making some sort of speech
about something. Presently | saw
Dean whispetin to the FL Paso group
and L knew something was up. Dean
is always up to some joke or other. l
saw them leave and Jump QUITO a car
left too, and junped onto the car at
the next corner. They ell had secured
seats, but l had ID stand.
81 was hanging onto the straps talk
ing to every body within hearing when
suddenly the car gave a lurch going
round a curve and 1 was thrown against
the window. Looking out 1 saw the
breakers from the Gulf of Mexico along
the shore. The car makes a circuit of
the Island there close TO the shore.
1 might explain that it was the first
time | bad been in Galveston and |
had no idea where the car went. See
ing the breakers L said, Hello, what's
this?'
There was Galveston man on the
car and he kindly volunteered the in
formation that the breakers were from
the Gulf of Mexico. He must have
thought me jay. Said 1: oh, no.
That isn't the Gulf of Mexico. That's
the Rio Grande river
He began to explain that the Rio
Grande river emptied into the gulf sew
eral hundred miles south of there.
replied; You cant fool me. 1 live
about twelve hundred miles up the
Rio Grande and l know the color OF
the water. That's the Rio Grande.'
"Still he tried to convince me that
WAS wrong. Finally l said: IN bet
you the drinks for the crowd that that
is the Rio Grande river Said he:
'I'll take the bet. How will we settle
IT.? Said l: I'm a stranger here and
don't know any body. Well leave it to
right; it's 60.
Then said l. pointing toward Dean
What is this, the Rio Grsnde river or
the Gulf of Mexico?' Dean promptly
replied. The Rio Grande river I
asked the man sitting next to him. who
was also an Ell Pssoan, the same cues
tion aud he answered, The Rio Grande
river From this the other passen-
gers took the cue and every one of
them, in turn, said it was the Rio
Grande river.
1--WE alighted from the car at the
nearest saloon and went in. The
drinks were poured out and every body
was bursting with laughter. All ex-
cept the Galveston man. When we were
ready to drink he raised his glass and