A HORRIBLE SCENE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume V, Issue 222, 3 August 1877, Page 7

A HORRIBLE SCENE.

[From the London Standard."] Madrid, April 17th. — A horrible scene took place on Sunday in the bull-ring, in the presence of the Royal Family and of the most numerous gathering of this, season. King Alfonso had asked the Archduke Regnier of Austria to be present, with the Archduchess, at the national game in the Plaza de Toro3. His Majesty, with the Austrian prince, drove straight to the ring, accompanied by the Xpke of tiesto, Count Morphy, and other members of the Royal Jjfcisehold. The Princess of Asturias, after taking the Archduchess t&the popular concert early iv the afternoon, also drove out to join the King in an open carriage, with postilions and outriders & la Daumont

Frascuelo, the bull-fighter, is one of the youngest men in hit profession. Born in 1844, he had displayed from boyhood grea daring and uncommon agility in pursuit of his dangerous calling. His fame was great, and the aficionados of Madrid generally greeted him with a cheer when he advanced, hat in baud, to salute the president of the ring In the course of his career Frascuelo had often been in great danger of his life. Twice seriously hurt, several times wounded, often warned against his reckless habits of courting peril, spurning even in many cases the rules of his profession, ever apt to ravish from his competitors the applause of the multitude; every feat of his was always saluted, not only with applause, but by showers of cigars, and the most enthusiastic would throw their hats at his feet.

On Minday a bull had knocked over in succession two picadors and disposed of their horses, when a third tumble called for the assistance of the cuadrilla. The bull was a large and ugly beast, -with long sharp horns, and he was in the habit of returning to goad his fallen foes. Seeing him menace the picador lying helpless

under the horse, Hermosilla, as was his duty, sprang to the rescue, closely followed by Frascuelo. The two bull-fighters got too close to one another, and caused in their feint a moment of pause, which enabled the bull to come at them like lisrhtning, with head lowered. Hermosilla managed to escape, but Prascuelo was caught from behind and raised off the ground, shaken on the horn, which had entered his thigh, and then again gored. The others hurried up to the rescue, and drew off the bull, which was on the point of again goring the wounded man. The whole scene lasted but a few seconds, and a loud cry of horror burst from every part of the rino-. Everybody sprang to their feet, from King Alfonso in the royal box to the lowest rabble down near the barriers. Shrieks of anguish burst from the women, while others covered their faces with their hands or fans. Men of every rank and age could not refrain from uttering expressions of dismay and consternation, which were again renewed when the wretched sufferer, after rising to his feet, staggered a few steps and fell down, pale and covered with blood, which streamed over his brilliant costume. The guards and soldiers had much trouble in keeping the people from rushing into the ring, and going from the galleries toward the door at which the wounded man had been carried out by the attendants. The confusion lasted some time, and no one cared much for the bull or his tormentors, who went on relentlessly arid sternly in their brutal struggle. Eye-witnesses told me that when Frascuelo was laid down in his own room before he could be removed to his bed from his litter, his poor wife sprang up and clasped her arms around the wounded man, -while his poor little children had to be taken away. It will hardly seem credible, but among those who went to inquire after his condition, I saw the chamberlain, in the name of the king ; and among the names written down on a book for that purpose were one-third of the grandees of Spain, generals, ambassadors, deputies, governors, artists, writers, and many ladies of rank. Telegrams have poured in by dozens from the provinces and from celebrated bull-fighters, his former rivals. Already the impressavio has informed the public, through the Press, that a famed espada will succeed to Frascuelo, and next Sunday the crowd will soon forget the wretched man who is now dying in his darkened room of the Calle Jacometrez.