DISGUSTING SPECTACLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11430, 21 July 1900, Page 2 (Supplement)

DISGUSTING SPECTACLE.

HORRIBLE SCENE AT A PARIS BULLFIGHT. ■

Fora bull-fight" were held -in the environs of Paris on Whit-Monday afternoon, but the inexpertness of » the matadors excited the derision of the spectators, who expressed their disapproval by hooting and shouting. A Swedish visitor was so disgusted by what he termed the useless butchery that he fired three shots from a revolver, and slightly wounded two matadors by way of protest. In describing the fights, the Standard correspondent, after giving particulars of the Erst animal's initial wound, says:—The banderilleros then attacked the beast, each seeming to take a special delight in planting his sharp-pointed streamers in the already gaping wound. Mad with pain, and bleeding and groaning, the bull dashed here and there, until some of the spectators took up the cry, "A mort!" The killing of the beasts had been especially forbidden by the Prefect, and it had even been asserted that any attempt to do bo would be followed by an intervention of the gendarmerie. Ignoring that decision, the matadors then produced their swords. Felix Robert, a Frenchman by birth, undertook to complete the butchering of the first bull. Having thrown his hat to the gallery, lie appeared to demand the President's permission to despatch the animal. The President, however, did not respond, and Robert finally took the responsibility in his own hands. With the red handkerchief in one hand, and the glistening steel in the other, he faced the wounded and, it should, be said, weakened animal. Suddenly, with a mad rush the bull was upon Robert, who fell to the ground. For a few seconds tho greatest excitement prevailed. Women shrieked, and some, already sickened at the sight, fainted. But the matador's comrades quickly drew the animal's attention away, and, to the relief and astonishment of everyone, who had expected to see a mangled body, Robert rose and coolly put on one of his silk slippers which he had lost in the fray. The people cheered, whilst the small minority made themselves conspicuous with their shouts of" Bravo, Toro. Whether the fall unnerved the matador or not the correspondent cannot say, but he was unable to despatch the beast with his sword. The weapon seemed also to enter the wound already made, and there it remained, half the glistening blade, with its ornamented handle, swaying about, The spectacle had now become most revolting, and cries of " Assez" could be heard on all sides. In all. six bulls were killed, the performance in each case being similar to that described for the first bull. The death in some cases was more speedy than in others, but the scene throughout was one of horror. Whilst the men cheered and seemed to revel in the proceedings, many women fainted as the bulls wero put to death. It is certain that this display will decide numbers of people to bring pressure to bear on deputies to support the Bill now before Parliament forbidding bull-fighting on French territory. The attendance at the arenas was said to be close upon 8000 people. At the close of the spectaole there was much cheering and counter-cheering, though the supporters of the movement were evidently in a large majority.