The Penn's Grove record., 1912-02-02
BULL FIGHlING IN MEXICO DESCRIBED
A Penn's Grove Boy Witnesses A
Sunday Sport.
Cindad Juarez, Mexico,
Sunday, Jan. 81. 1912

Dear Mr.. Summerill:
The last time | wrote yon | was mp il
North Western Canada, but now | am il
Sunny Mexico, "Viva lie Republic"
Since that time | have covered abou'
10000 miles coming back thru the states
OF Washington. Oregon, Utah, Colorado
Wyoming and on to the Mississippi
River. | have spent the last three weeks
in Texas, aud covered about 5000 miles
in this state. ! 1t is difficult to appreciate
the wonderful size of Texas. From the
most northern point to the southern point
it is as far as New York is from Jackson.
crest East to Ell Paso it is as far as New
York is from Chicago. | am nov on my
second transcontinental trip to the coast,
which is. unusual for any company to
make in one season. | am going out this
time by the way of the Southern Pacific
Railroad and then up the coast from Los
Angeles to Frisco, Portland. Seattle and
! back thru Canada as far as Montreal by
the way of the Canadian Pacific Railroad.
The most interesting thing have ever
witnessed and which gave me The first
real Thrill | have had for years occurred
this afternoon here in Cindad Juarez
where | attended that most cruel and
barbarous sport known in civilization, a
Bull Fight.
Bull fighting is to Mexico what base
ball is to the United States. 1t is the ma
tional sport. 1t is the most brutal and
cruel spectacle now in practice. One has
! to have a good nerve circulation to sit
thru one the first time. The excitement
| OF it all and the surroundings and local
color, the fair senoritas with gay mantil-
las make you forget for the time being
and ~sottens this particular feature and in
a way you are facinated by the perfor-
nance.
In this city they have them every Sum
day afternoon during the winter or tour
list season. One-third of the audience to-
day was people rom the states. Grin
goes' the Mexicans call us. To a large
number of these today it vas evidently
their first bull fight, because several OF
the ladies tainted and had to be carried
out after the killing of the first bull
which included the killing OF four horses.
However, il did not affect the fair Span
ISL and Mexican senoritas this way, as
the more cruelty afflicted on the tortured
animals the more they applauded, laugh
ed and joked.
The fights are held in a large amphithe-
alter seating about 10000. / was fortu-
nate enough this afternoon to secure a
seat along side of a very intelligent Mex
lean merchant and his daughter. The
girl, by the way, was pretty for a Next
can. They spoke very good English and
gave me much detailed information.
They said the chief bull fighter, or ma.
tador must court,danger and must always
treat the bull fairly. 1t is not enough to
be able to stand in the arena and kill the
JUL at HE ilSO OilClOtSnb liz Dutt IIuSt
be given every reasonable opportunity to
kill the matador first. The bull must be
played with and tormented as a cat tan-
tallzes a mouse, just as long as the audi
ence wishes and then when it feels that
the matador has shown sufficient skill in
avoiding the bulls furious charges he is
allowed to slay the enraged apimal.
There are Jour classes of bull fighters.
The alguaciIes, are attendants who clear
the ring of Ioafers just before the fight
starts and sees that no outsiders intrude
while the fight is in progress. They do
no fighting themselves and run no risk of
losing their lives unless, as sometimes
happens, the bull should take it into his
head to jump the barrier, in which case
the alguaciles often have difficulty in es-/
Gaping alive. The next higher class is the
capeadores, or cloak bearers, whose bust
ness it is to madden the bull by waving
red cloaks OH all sides of him until l.e is
almost beside himself with rage. They
also flutter around the bull with their
scarlet capes whenever the furious animal
has succeeded in dismounting a picador,
in order to divert his att ention from hie
PROSTATE victim. This had its element of
danger, for it requires considerable skill
to avoid the onslaught of the bull when
his eye has fastened itself on some partic-
ular objectiOnal cloak.
Then there are the picadores. This
occupation requires more nerve and agili-
ty. The picadore rides a horse aud car
ries a spear which he must plant in the
bulls shoulder in order that the brute
may still be further tormented into a
murderous mood. Sometimes the bull
with one toss of his sharp horns tumbles
both horse and picador into q heap upon
the sand and it is only by an exhibition OF
the most remarkable skill that the plea
dor can %disentangle himself from the STIR
rups and get away without being gored to
death.
Then the matador comes on the scene
and takes his life in bis hands and PLAYS
with the furious brute after the picadores
have got him into a state where they no
longer dare to stay in the ring with him
He toys with the beast just as long as the
audience may require. He amuses it with
sticking darts, to which are attached col
Ored streamers, into the bulls neck and
shoulders and by Turing him into attack
ing him.
At 4 p. m. today the audience was as
sembled; the first blast OF a trumpet an
bounced the clearing of the ring. The
idlers who had been ~lounging around i'll
the arena were swept out by the algnaci-
les, and the hum of conversation gave
to expectant silence. Then the great gate
was thrown open and the procession of
toreros entered. They advanced in a gilt
tering line. First the marshalls of the
day, then the picadores on horseback,
then the matadores OH foot, each sur