The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-12-08
SAW A MEXICAN BULL FIGHT.
A GreenvilIe Man Describes a Cruel Spectacle
Witnessed in the City Of Mexico.

A GreenvilIe Man Describes Cruel Spectacle
Witnessed in the City Of Mexico.
Marshall Orr, of Greenville, who is
spending the winter in Mexico City, gives
the following account of bull fight in a
letter of which an extract is printed be.
low:
"Last Sunday I saw my first bull fight,
by the most famous matador of the day,
Mazzantini, and he claims it is his last
public appearance. We reached the
arena at 2:45 p. M, and at 2:55 the Spanish
ambassador arrived and was greeted with
cheers and great demonstration. At three
o'clock President Diaz came into his box
and on his appearance the crowd of 12,-
900 fairly went mad with excitement.
You would have thought all the kings in
the world were present from the greeting
they rose to their feet, barred their heads
and shouted to the top of their voices.
President Diaz looks a good deal like
Capt. o. P. Mill, and is remarkably
handsome man. When he was seated,
the judge ordered the fight to begin.
Call Of the fighters paraded around the
ring and were then introduced to the
spectators. Then the bull was admitted
to the arena, and at the entrance spike
with large streamer hanging from it
was driven into the bulls shoulders as he
passed, to infuriate him, and it did. he
made charge at one of the horses, caught
him on his horns just behind the right
fore leg, raised horse and rider over his
head and threw him to one side. The
horse fell dead, and pinned the picador's
leg under him, which I thought was
crushed, but ascertained afterwards that
the leg was encased in steel all the way
up to the hip; so that the rider was not
injured. The bull was then directed to
another fighter by throwing a dark red
cape around his head, which he charged
and did not miss the man more than two
feet. In fact, none Of them missed over
two feet and frequently only few
inches.
"There are six fighters or toreros, and
each took his turn at worrying the bull.
A second horse was killed by the bull,
which is the worst part of the whole bust
ness. The horses are blindfolded over the
right eye and this side is always kept to-
wards the bull. He is ridden up in front
of the bull, and as he charges springs to
one side, and the driver sticks a lance
into the the bull TO keep him off the horse,
but generally fails to DO so, for the bull
always gets the horse, for the rider con-
tinues to give him chances until the horse
is killed. When the bull kills two horses
bugles are sounded and then comes the
really dangerous part for the men. They
take little spears about two feet long and
covered with different colors of fancy
paper, one in. each hand, and as they
charge the bull or the bull charges them,
they step one side and stick the little
spears in the bulls wethers until six of
these have been stuck in, when the bugle
sounds again and all the toreros annoy
the bull and excite him with red caps or
flags.
"Then one of the fighters gets piece
of crimson cloth on stick in one hand
and sword about 3 1-2 feet long with a
very sharp point bent down. He walks
near the bull, waving this red flag in
front of him for few minutes and jump.
ing from side to side until the bull makes
a charge, and he sticks the sword just in
front of the wethers and clear up to the
hilt; this stroke proves fatal; it is regard
ed as q great feat, and cheered vocifer-
ously, but if it does not kill him, they
throw their red capes around the hilt of
the sword, and draw it out so as to use it
again; but if it is so firmly fastened in the
bull that it cannot be drawn out, they
take another sword like the first and if
the bull charges they stick this one just
behind the horns down into the brain.
One of the fighters made poor stroke,
and the sword stuck out foot beyond the
wethers of the bull.
"When the bull is killed, he is dragged
off and another is brought in, and this
was kept up until seven bulls and four
teen horses had been killed. One of the
horses was not killed outright, but his
whole stomach was torn open and his
entrails hanging out on the ground. Not
withstanding this, the rider continued to
force him in front of the infuriated bull
until the people Kissed and howled and
raised such row that they had to take
the horse out. The effort was made
always to wound the bull in the wethers
and frequently both shoulders and fore
legs were dripping with blood and when |