Omaha daily bee., 1902-07-17
BULL FIGHT OVER IN IOWA
Picadsr Sullivan Has Mstsorio Career for
About a Minute.
ToRtADoRs FAIL At CRITICAL STAGE
Finally the Pic"dOr'- Mount Plants
Pair of Firm, Gallons Heels
on Bulls Nose with Re-
markable Precision.

-
Iowa has had a bull fight II was pulled
of late Tuesday afternoon on one Of the
vacant lots that skirt the right Of way Of
the Omaha & Council Bluffs car line, a
short distance beyond the Gun clubs park
at the eastern terminus Of the bridge, and
several people coming from the Iowa town
to Omaha on an open car were spectators Of
the combat.
Tommy Sullivan, a youth of the neighbor-
hood, was the principal performer, except
ing, OF course, the bull himself. Neither
the construction Of his name, the multi
plicity Of his freckles nor the color of his
hair would mark Thomas as one OF Spanish
descent or instincts, but he appears to be
like that other Thomas of Mark Twain's
conception and a leader Of no small fol-
lowing among the lads of his locality. He
had FIVE with him yesterday.
Just how the performance opened no pas
senger learned, for it had reached the crit
zeal stage when the car neared the lot.
Tommy was on a donkey with a lath lance
and his subordinates were scattered about
on foot, armed as was their leader. The
bull was still in awkward infancy and
without horns, but not without temper.
And its temper was showing, for It was
warm and painting. Evidently It had been
annoyed for some time.
Spectators Arrive on scene.
AS the car neared the scene something
went wrong with the "thingumbob," which
is a very delicate part Of the motive APP
paratus, and the motorman stopped for re-
pairs. Tommy saw that he had spectators
and rose to the occasion. He charged madly
for the bull, his mount t~rotting fully as
fast as an average man could walk. The
bull at that particular moment was looking
at one of the other boys and Tommy drove
his whitfield lance into the source OF the
| best roasts. The other boys cheered and
Tommy grew very proud, but the bull
seemed resentful. 1t wheeled and started
after the donkey and its rider.
Now ordinarily this is where the torea-
doris would rush In and blind the beast to
save the picador, but Tommy's men failed
him utterly. The game was becoming too
earnest on the bulls part.
The rider and his steed seemed to realize
this and 1t isn't on record that any half
breed mule ever before showed such a burst
of speed. The brave bull fighter dropped
his lance and reached desperately for the
donkey's neck. Seeing this the other fight
ers fed for the fence.
Becomes Running Fight.
From that time on Il was distinctly a
running fight and the people In the car
grew a bit uneasy. The lot is enclosed by
a fence and 1t isn't much larger than an
Ohio farm, so the course became circular.
The donkey was doing It's level best, but
It's level best was so very unlevel that the
rider spent about two-thirds Of the time in
the air. The bull galloped behind still
more awkwardly and not quite fast enough
to overtake the pursued. Round and round
the lot they went, and 1t could be seen
that batless Tommy's eyes were protruding
in a most uncourageous way. The other
boys looked on from across the fence.
speechless.
Finally, Just as the conductor and another
man were starting for the fence as a re-
lief expedition. the bull spurted for the
fence and the startled burro forgot to make
the proper swerve. The result was that
the three headed straight into a corner Of
the lot. The donkey saw the fence and
came to an abrupt pause. Tommy didn't.
Tommy kept on going. He went up like
a rocket and came down in the graceful
arch Of a meteor's descent. He reached
the earth at q point several feet outside
the lot.
Just n LattIe Bruised.
TWO or three people ran to his side and
found him we'll shocked and a little bruised,
but not seriously injured. A benevolent
man asked the boy his name and Tommy
told him, but when the benevolent man
wanted to assist Tommy home, Tommy said
mix! Ma thinks I'm down town, workin.' -
Meanwhile the donkey had planted a pair
Of firm. callous heels on the bulls nose
and the bull had desisted from further pur-
suit. Tommy and his band started for
the tall grass. TIL passengers climbed
aboard and the car moved on. The Iowa
bull fight was over.
CourtIand Beach Items.