Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-01-19
THRILLING Description
OF SPANISH BuLLF|CHT
Many Horses Arc Driven to Their
Death On Horns of Infu-
rated Animal.
BULL is TORTURED LONG TIME
Then Put to Death by skilful Plunge
of iatador's Sword-It Requires
Seven Such "Sport" Events to
Make Spanish Sunday.
ny TEDDY WICK.


Gibraltar Bay. because Gibraltar, as
everybody must realize, is now one
OF the busiest naval bases on the Mcdi-
terr:nean. Algcciras is reaplng such Il
profit as IL never dreamed OF before
For Gibraltar is a fortified town and
has few amusements, u lack which
Its white bull-ring, dazzling the eye
from far out in the bay. and the white
Casino which nestles close TO the edge
OF the water, are it's chief attractions
Casinos the world over are much
alike. but Spanish bull-hghting has u
method OF its own. Portuguese bull
at which IL is esteemed disgrace to
injure hor<. Mexican bull-iighting
whims OF the matadora. Peruvian bull
lighting was. Until recently at any
rate. the nearest approach TO Spanish
bull batting.
NONE PRESENT Skill.
OF SPANISH BULL FIGHT
None OF them presents the panoply
Of primitive skill and the passion for
blood which marks the Spanish bull
sion to which all other passions are
subordinate. civil strife. political
quarrcls and military imbrogaries are
thin notes of the first bull call across
the ring late any sunday afternoon.
The batting OF splendid black bulls
but the plcasantness OF 1t is BESIDE
the point. 1t is distinctly not sport
10 he watched with American eyes and
American notions of sport, hut To criti-
cizc the pleasures OF another people
is both mpoiitc and foolish. There
is probably no ,mavai officer attached
to the base of Gibraltar who has not
seen at least one bull fight in this AL
geciras ring. Many Of them see only
one night Some OF them see only part
of one fight. Some see many fights.
Put those who cannot enter into the
spirit of the Spanish crowd. those who
cannot learn to view the spectacle with
On ,iGl, lon In a. "a
This week has been fair week in
Algeciras. and the two premier bull
fighters of Spain. Eelmonta and Gallito.
have appeared on alternate days.
There is the same dignity about their
names throughout Spain which clinSs
TO the names of Caruso and De Rcszke
prallols of Cobb and Nathewson. for
bull-iShtinG has q dignity which does
not attach to baseball.
To-day the paOcrs in Spain arc filled
with columns of criticism of Gallitos
work In the ring here yesterday after
noon noon, The death of every enc OF his
ing antcccdcnt to their deaths Will be
discussed for weeks in the coffee houses
which surround the old sun-baked
nlaza Of Algeciras. For Spanish bull
night is a SlttcrinS cOmEiunityw ide
festival of Eaicty and movement and
color. surge OF excitement which
pulls men, women and children through
the narrow streets OF the town and
eliminates in swirl!ng nool round
The fight itself is simple spectacle
to watch.
WHEN FAVoRITES.ARE
ON SEATS COME HIGH
Seat yourself shortly after 3 O'Clock
on the shady side Of the ring. When
Belmontc or Gallito are on you Will
pay seven pesctas, or about $3.50. for
your seat. On the way up the dark,
narrow stairs to the top OF the ring,
you may choose, buy a cushion for five
rentavos. You Will need ii. just MS you
need q cushion in the blcachcrs at q
baseball game.
You will find the ring small white
edition OF the Coliseum. with a sanded
rpiiin;, S snEr"unded by waist-high
White stone seats rise atceply ali
around tho arena. Flags wave in the
S str b DreeTe on the bay high above tho
blood and gold banners OF Spain, nov
FADED by weeks OF sunlight, 10 Il thin
red and yellow.
once seated. You may buy wine. lot
aery tickets, shrimps, beer. water.
sweets or Eermouth. You are at the
mercy OF hawkers with red sashcs
mas seen bull-fisht before tells you
c c,'rd ! is inc custom TO cut the vocal
f ,n or horses used in the ring before
tney are brought in. But nobody an
pti cntiS ever has cut the vocal cords
every side. ''i
n
r MORE THAN Az HOUR LATE;
ne ne spectacle is billed to start mt )
80; c.oc in ~ 40 military band strag-
men with Il hose start to wet dawn ,ha
sand OF The arena.
cnter I tbo the nresident and his party
SnIci me ircsidentS box. At G:If tho
o0ors opening into the arena from the
opposite side of tho ring are openeT
ed ON me ma matadors, the picadors mount
padded and armored. and The threay
niue teams gaudily bedeckcd cross the
saiG,e the s Prssiann feast of color to
arc given, their red cloaks. The
ri9u picadors take station at one
out of The The 'i riG:. me ne mule teams dash
the bull-call. 4 man OPENS SCI q S sman
nr ey gate across the arena, Elares
yond il, and leaps aside, AZ The tlrsI
nEli dashes past him into the glare
~ me imS sonit ring with burst of
lnnl appearance strikes across ones
senses like poison turning the blood
cold In ones veins
buil,a great black animal With a
ffread Spr ea Of horns and strengthy
pe,us Of his rush II The 'n CROWD ysrris %
I'm, IN silence, unable yet to appraisc
can hear his heavy breathing.
CHARGES AT A MATADoR.
WHO EASILY AVOIDS HIM
Across the ring he sees the figure
OF matador, and charges in another
terrific rush. only to bring up with n
snort as the matador steps easily he
Elnd the barrier with flourish Of his
rcd cloak. '''"
The crowd begins to murmur ap-
proXal Here is bull worth watching.
The animal turns and sweeps the
arena with his eyes. Across ii three
nicadors wait on their scrawny horses.
The horses right. eyes are covered with
= black blindfold drawn diaGonal!y
down over their heads.
The the bull q, CIRCLES and the crowd begins
first horse suspiciously Thirty feel
away he suddenly dips his rcat head
with snort and charges, sending horse
a mnd, plea, o.. SPRAYING into q heap
repeatedly until ii lies fee6Iy iicking
with its blood squirting in streams,
The crowd n,oy,,ar bowling its appla|se and
Lands, scramblinE in all his padded
arm nor, to safety behind the barrier
sights the lone figure OF ,natador