Mexico weekly ledger., 1904-06-09


would not be permitted they stormed
the office OF the company, breaking
all the windows, and then set fire to
the amphitheater, burning it to the
ground. A majority of the $500 peo-
pie who bad paid the admission price
Of 81 formed the angry mob which did
the work of destruction.
Richard Norris, the promoter of the
bull fight, and his employees are said
to have left the Office In disguise, TAX
ing the gate receipts with him, after
the Infatuated mob began to demolish
the windows and loudly demand the
return of the admission fee. An at
tempt to arrest one OF the men who
was seen throwing a rock through a
window precipitated a riot, in which
there were dozens OF revolvers drawn.
Several officers stood together, how
ever, and after clubbing some Of the
men with their reyolvers and threat
ening to shoot the disturbers down,
the crowd was dispersed.
BUILDINGS L ON FIRE
A riot call was turned in TO the St.
Louis police department and a mes
sage was sent to Sheriff Hencken, at
Clayton. In the meantime, the build
ing been fired and the fire was beyond
control and the fury Of the people
seemed to have been appeaSed. This
was about ! O'Clock, and the people
stood about watching the flames shoot
up from the pine structure. The cost
of the arena, including the amphithe-
alter, it is said, was nearly SIC, 900.
At . O'Clock, the time announced
for the opening Of the show, the seats
were nearly all taken. Deputy Sheriff
John P. Ossenfort, Of Clayton, with
Deputies J. viii Andrae and Henry
Hyde, from the sheriff's office, and
Roster G. Meigs, OF the Humane So
ciety, with st. Louis detectives, &C.
cupied seats near the entrance to the
ring. Mrs. Mary W. Calklns, Mrs.
Emma BARLEY, Mrs. Belle Nation and
Mrs. S. ]. Marks, all Humane Society
workers, occupied a box next to the
officers.
For n curtaIn-raiser the manage
ment introduced IN aggregation Of
Wild West performers. The show be-
gan at 3 O'Clock. The crowd soon be.
came impatient, and from every cor
ner came calls for the bull.
WANTED TO SEE THE FIGHT.
Just before the managers were ready
to introduce the bull and the torea.
doris the people loudly renewed their
calls for the bull fight, and when the
announcer attempted to state that the
fight was the next number on the pro-
gramme he was compelled by the jeers
and yells to retire to the background.
After abandoning efforts to address
the people, the management gave the
word which caused the gates to open,
and two horses, with riders c0stumed
In flaming red jackets, followed by
six Spanish t~oreadors, entered. They
went to the center OF the arena, where
the manager stood. Then the order
to bring In the bull was given, but
Deputy Sheriff OSsensort stepped out
with three other officers and read
the warrant to Mr.. Tullige. Members
Of the Humane Society cheered, the
audience Missed, and the manager be-
came frantic. Mr.. Norris stepped up,
however, and, after saying a few
words to his manager, the latter &C.
companied the officers out of the ring.
Mr.. Norris told the officers that he
believed they did him a great injus-
tice 10 not allowing him to proceed
until they saw whether the law was
being violated. He declared bis in
tention was to give an imitation bull
fight that would not punish the ami
mails in any wise.
DEMANDED MONEY BACK.
BY this time the crowd was pass
ing out OF the arena and the people
were lining up In front Of the little
Office. There were calls for the re-
turn OF the admissions, and then came
stones whizzing through the windows.
The mob became excited and neon
trollable. Some began to crowd up to
the door and demand the return Of
their money. Deputy Sheriff ossen-
fort saw one OF the men who heaved a
stone through the window and placed
him under arrest. In an instant there
were dozens Of wild cries demanding
his release. The crowd threatened the
Office, but the other deputies pushed
through with drawn reyolyers. They
stood together and, using their guns
as clubs, knocked men left and right
until the crowd dispersed. The man
under arrest was released.
dissatisfied, the people returned TO
the amphitheater and began the des-
truction Of property. They took the
chairs from the boxes, smashed them
over the railing and threw the pieces
out into the arena. Boards were
loose, and using long scantlings
b~atterlng rams, the crowd demollsh-
a great part Of the structure. The
Efforts OF the officers to prevent this
was greeted with threats on their
lives, and as the officers were out
numbered oyer 500 TO one they could
30 nothing.
BULLS WERE FRIGHTENED.
Two small boys we're wildly cheered
when they drove three OF the herd OF
eighteen bulls from their stalls into
he arena. They had battered the
down. The place was soon full
gain and the boys amused the audi
nee by waving pieces OF a red quilt at
he animals, which huddled together
n fear. This sport was soon turned
nto attacks from the people on the
who pelted the animals with
,ieces Of chairs and broken bits OF
lumber takan from the bOx-seat in
losures.