The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-05-19
4 REV OITIN G sPl) 1T
The HORROR % x TIL SAyAGERY
or THE RULEFlGH hi.

leo City ms Graphically bescrfbed
by nm American Spectator.
.The better the day the better the
deed. is not Mexican maxim. for
Sundays and feast days are given over
to bulIfghrs, cooking mains and gam
bling.
a beautiful Sunday afternoon found
me in ny seat, facing an audience Of
over 5000 people, to witness the great
buIfight that had been extensively adj
vcrtiscd for that occasion
The Plaza de Toras is the bullring, q
great circular building with an Interior
that is an i1n1n ense amphitheater, seat
ing thousands of people. The seats are
circular and in tiers, rising from the
ground to the top, where the private
boxes are. There is no roof except
over the private boxes, ana as the sun
beats down there is of course Il shady
side and one side in the blazing sun.
Prices in the sun are AS low as %
and 80 cents and graded upward to 50
per sea t. Boxes are from 80 and $40
per seat, eight persons occupying
box Our entire party Of over sixty
occupied boxes, and they were all in
their seats ready for the greatest nov
CITY OF their life. us not one i'll our par
ty had ever Witnessed such scene.
The ring itself is an arena over a
hundred feet in diameter, enclrcled by
Il strong board fence about I'VE feet
high, with Il foot rail OF the inside two
feet from the ground This is to assist
the capeadore too closely pursued by
the bull to escape by q leap over the
fence to a passageway that extends
around the ring between the fence and
sc <rnrrrno,ISlV decorated box
near tie center of the shady side down
low near the ring is for the president
of the republic or for some state or
municipal officer. who must be man
OF executive ability and we'll posted in
managing and deciding all questions of
the bu!Ifght he is the umpire, and
the more bulls and horses killed and
the bloodier and ficrcer the lighting
the more h, is chcered and the more
popular hc bccoms with the people
He hns full sway and power. and oil
look to him for Il bloody fight. It it is
going tn lnely. the great throng hiss and
show their displcusure in DO unmlsta X
able manner. He must then demand
more vigorous action from the nuiner-
GUS perform ers-tierccr bulls and more
horses Gored and slain
The box we occupied was at the top,
immediately over this box of honor,
and as the entrance OF the bull was
through 81 dark passageway just to the
left of the president S box. we could
see the back of the bulls as they enter
cd and looked right down on the gov
ernor OF the state, WHO on this Sunday
afternoon was the only occupant of
this great seat OF honor ut Il Mexican
bullfiglt The entrance of the perform
ers was through 4 gate exactly op1,o-
site the presidents box.
All is now ready. The immense band
is playing, but the music is drowned by
the noise and bowling OF all the thou
sands present. Impatiencc seems to
make them mad fer the battle to begin
A blast from bugle pierccs the air of
this beautiful Sunday afternoon. at
this signal the gate opposite the presi-
dents box opens, and all tie perform
ers enter just within the inclosure.
Then Il single gayly costumed horse
man, called the alOuazil, mounted on 4
splendid horse, rides directly to the
front Of the governor and asks permits
sion to kill the bulls. Permission grant
ed, the governor losses to him the key
of the Coor at which the bulls enter.
which he catches. and backs his fine
horse clear across the ring to receive
his company in waiting. Now there
is grand flourish or 'ifHDlpet&, DILL
liant spectacle. finely formed athletes
in costumes of silk and satin, gold and
velvet. They march quickly across TIE
arena. bow to the governor and then
to the audience. First in the gay pro
cesSon as they march around the ring
are the matadorcs. the stars, who haA-
die the swords to the Death Of the
bulls: next the bandcriilecCs. second
in honor, who place the b;!Adcri!luS
in the bulls shoulders 70 enr,isrc them ;
next, and third in rank. tie CapeI
doreS, who manipulate the c;!pes or
colorcd flags to distract the bulls at
tentiou when any OF the COMPANY are
being pressed too hard and in unusual
danger: next the pic;ldors on horse
back. thoit: lance in hand; next four
mules g;ayly harncsseG: behind these.
two men with wheelbarrowS, Shove!ss
and then some attendants called wise
monkeys from their good suggestions
and advice to the performers.
All now retire from the ring except
the capeadoreS to enter in their turn.
Again We hear the DuGle blast, the
door IS thrown open, and the bull is
entering, coming from L dark stall
where he has been kept three days in
darkness. AS he enters under the rail
a barbcd steel point covered with flow
ing ribbons is placed in bis shoulder.