Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-07

ctIOH phOtOgT0ph.
of that country begin their training in boy-
hood. This intensive policy is not followed in
Mexico. The country boasts of having five
men in the profession who are equal in skill
to the best Spaniards. One of these is Gaona
and another Is Franklin.
His reputation must be deserved" his sister
says, because he has signed contracts to ap-
pear in the largest bull rings in Spain It's
like obtaining an engagement at the Metropon-
tan Opera House"
Franklin is tall and slender. He weighs
about $50 pounds and has light blue eyes and
light curly hair. when he returned from
Mexico City for visit last Winter" his sister
says, "he did not give us the impression that
he was engaged in dangerous sport In q
foreign country, but when he CARRIED himself
for the edification of the family in a costume
of gold and held his sword, he looked entirely
different"
Franklin has explained to his family that the
toreador and the matador are practically the
same thing. There is really no toreador.
People in this country have the idea that
bullfighters use the red cape because red
enrages the bull more quickly" he says This
is not the case. A bull will charge at any OBJ
ject that is moving whether it is red or white.
That's why we matadors keep the cape con-
stantly waving We know from our knowledge
OF bulls that they will 60 after the cape and
not the man. The red color is used to attract
the crowds in the stands.
"TN Spain the matadors use capes of lavender
and white" Franklin says. Bulls will not
charge at men so long as there is a moving
object in sight. That is, of course, bulls that
are bred for the profession.
"Joselito, the greatest bull fighter in Spain,
lost his life under unusual circumstances He
was invited to test new type of bull in
Valencia which breeder thought would be
ideal for the ring. Instead of charging the
CAPE however, the bull went after Joselito and
killed him."
Franklin does not talk much about his
achievements in the bull ring. His family con-
fidante is his sister, Helen During odd
moments he has told her about many of his
experiences, and she has described her brothers.
version of how it feels to come face to face
with an enraged bull
"A bugle signals the final act Of a bullfght,"
she says. And the audience is then keyed I'D
for the moment in which the animal is to be
killed. The cape, which has been hanging
from the matador's slender sword, and which
has been used to tantaliZe the bull, is now re-
moved and dropped to the sand.
THE matador takes his stand before the
paving, believing beast and stares fixedly into
its eye. Some say this has hypnotic influence.
Then the natador raises his sword slowly
deliberately. Some people think that the bull
is killed by striking it anywhere on the head,
This is not true
The sword is pointed at the animals head
but slightly above It. There is a vital spot
directly behind the horns-an unmarked SPOT
which the sword must pierce It is a tiny
crutch formed by the bones of the shoulder.
Within that aperture the blade must 60 I'M
impeded, to the hilt Anywhere else and the
bullfighter will find himself In trouble. The
bull will not die but in a plunging rage attack
the man.
1.-THE blade thrust must be sure The mark
must be found in split second, otherwise the
matador's life is as good as doomed If the
1t has reached the vital spot is seen when the
bull sinks to the ground with glazed eyes and
that's the end Of the battle"
Franklin has fought bulls before the King and
Queen Of Spain and members of the nobility.
He has fought in Mexico before high state
officials and in various parts of South America,
including Panama, Venezuela, Colombia ana
Peru. A year ago he made tour of these
Latin countries and was well received every-
where.
He is now in Spain and this season hopes to
emulate the achievements of such great swords
as Joselito, Belmonte, Bombita, Guerrita and
La Gartijo-an names to be conjured with in
the arena Of blood and sand.
All Spain is awaiting his early engagements
with the greatest interest. American tourists
are common sight in the land Of the bright
shawl, but an American bullfghter-wen, he's
a curiosity.
Copyright, 1929