His Last Fight.
FAMOUS BULLFIGHTER'S
DEATH
The following particulars of the death of the famous bullfighter, Matillera, brief reference to which was. made in the cables at the time, appear in a New -- York Sun message from Ei Paso, Texas, dated January 11th:— Francis Matillera, a native of Madrid, and a famous banderillo at the Jaurez Plaza del Toro, was mortally injured this afternoon at a bull-fight, in the presence of 5000 spectators. The crowd was composed largely of Americans, and many, of those who attended were women, who accompanied their husbands and families to this city to attend the carnival, which opens to-morrow.
The first two bulls were spiritless creatures, and not enough excitement resulted to repay the trouble of crossing the river. But when the gates were open for the third encounter it was seen that the animal selected was a fierce bull. ; » Matillera and his associates pursued the usual tactics of their craft,, and for five minutes they worriect the animal. Suddenly
the bull turned on one of the men
who were tormenting him and jammed him, against the inside fence of the arena. Matillera, seeing the predicament of his companion^ attempted to distract the animal's attention by wounding
him with his sharp-pointed instrument. The bull turned upon his new tormentor, and with a single flirt, of his head threw the man against the fence. Before the others could be of any assistance to the bull-fighter, the animal succeed.cd in goring him. in the side and thigh. The ' bauderillos then managed to rescue him. He was carried out, and the killing of the bull proceeded without further incident. ;.
When Matillera was examined in a near-by drug store, it was found that pofeh of his legs were broken, and the bloodvessels \n his thigh were ruptured. He V§s removed to \ha l^exifa-n Hospiial, and died th at n igb t ,' Matillera was' well ko^wn thibughovit Mexico.variil haJ taken part in scores of bloody ciiq«>niiters in that country and Spain.
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Bibliographic details
Ohinemuri Gazette, Volume XIII, Issue 1079, 23 March 1903, Page 3
Word Count
331His Last Fight. Ohinemuri Gazette, Volume XIII, Issue 1079, 23 March 1903, Page 3
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