The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1908-05-06
CHICO DE MAYO
FESTIVITIES
Bull Fights We're the Leading
Feature of the Day.
-Four Fierce Bulls Fight for Their Lives.
but Fall Victims 10 the Matadores'
Sword Elaborate Program for
Oay Carried Out.

h0l1Qay QaWncQ clear ana Drign
in our sister city of Matamoros yes
terday, and the festivities begar
most auspiciously at dawn, with
the usual ringing of bells, parade
of bands of music and hosting oil
the national colors.
The program for the municipal
and military exercises both morn
ing and afternoon was carried out
to the letter. Large crowds partic-
ipated in the reunions before the
municipalpalace and listened to the
addresses and Rotations. as we'll
as the fine musical program by the
band. which had been arranged by
the Junta Patriotica" At night,
the fireworks display, the concert
by the military band at the Plaza
de Hidalgo, and the "fiestas" at
the Plaza de Allende diverted thou
sands of spectators.
1t must be confessed, however,
that the great drawing card of the
celebration was the bull fight.
which began at half past three
o'clock, Mexican time. The great
amphitheater at the bull ring,
which will accommodate between
5000 and 5000 persons. was filed
10 its utmost capacity, and it is
probable that fully half of that
number went from Brownsville.
THE BULL FIGHTS.
Thrilled with enthusiasm and
expectation, the audience eagerly
cheered when the cuadrille of bull
fighters entered the bull ring. dress
ed in typical bull fighters costume.
the same that has delighted the
eyes of Andalusian spectators from
time immemorial. The clash of
music announced their coming.
This was the signal for the crowd
to begin cheering, and it was done
with good will.
A hush fell upon the crowd. as
they awaited the coming of the
first bull. With a mad rush. the
animal burst into tie ring. goaded
to fury by the dagger thrust given
it by the picador as it passed
through the gate.
Almost before the men could |
collect themselves for the fight,
the maddened animal had slain |
three of the poor horses that bore
the picadores. The first was gored |
through the heart and fell dead at
he first rush. The others were not
put out of their agony so quickly.
This bull jumped the wall sur
-ounding the ring twice, in its mad |
,ndeavor to get at its antagonists.
It was no use. however. The bull
1ad no chance. The tips of is
lorns had even been sawed off,
Ind, although it struck one of the
men full in the side, he was only
bruised and knocked from his feet,
,ui not gored. He made a noble
light, though, and it was not unit.
ie had slain the three horses and
ripped two others that the four
succeeded in piercing
lis hide with their maddening,
,e-ribboned darts, after which he
vas dispatched by the matador's
word thrust.
This fight lasted half an hour.
t was bloody enough to suit the
most sanguinary taste. and mum
yer of the Americans left the ring
It its conclusion. Their curiosity
vas more than grati6e6.
The second bull was larger and
more ferocious than the first. He
,ut up a fercer fight, but he was
likewise doomed animal. While
10 horses were slain in this fight,
ret the excitement was kept at
white heat throughout, as both
nen and horses had a number of
# narrow escapes from being
everely hurt. 1t required As min
ties to put him out of his misery.
Bull number three was small
,ut wild specimen, and gave the
enough to keep them &C.
.upied for about rs minutes, with
lis wild dashes. One of the horses
vas crippled so badly that it had
o be taken off the field.
The fourth bull dashed into the
ing so madly as to create the
widest excitement from the start.
)ne of the picadores jumped en-
irely over the animal in avoiding
me of its vicious lunges. The
.rowd cheered this feat wildly.
The men fought him valiantly and
everal times were caught in very
lose places, narrowly escaping
,eing caught on his horns several
lines. But the feroc;ous animal
Don followed his companions of
he fields, and fell pierced to the j