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Bliss Breeze

BILL PICKETT IN THE BULL RING

Display of Nerve Startles Old Mexico

HOLDS BULL WITH HANDS

“The Dusky Demon of Oklahoma,” Star Attraction With the 101 Wild West,

Does a Spectacular Stunt with Wild Bull

January 7, 1909—The Bliss Breeze--The following account of the daring attempt of William Pickett, the Negro Steer-thrower with the 101 Ranch Wild West Show, to hold a ferocious bull with his bare hands, is taken from a recent issue of the Mexico Herald, published in the City of Mexico.  Those who know Pickett in Ponca City will be interested in the account:

          Before what was undoubtedly one of the largest crowds ever assembled in the El Torero bullring William Pickett, “The Dusky Demon of Oklahoma,” with the Miller Brothers’ 101 Ranch Wild West show yesterday grappled in a death struggle with a strong and fierce bull from the Tepeyahualco ganaderia for fifteen minutes.  During seven and half minutes of that time, by the watch, he was clinging between the bull’s horns with his arms fastened around the bull’s neck and his legs dangling like cotton rags with every attempt of the powerful animal to shake loose his little human antagonist.

          Finally worn out by the struggle and probably discouraged by the unceasing hoots and jeers of an enraged population, which seemed unable to appreciate the exhibition of almost unparalleled daring.  Pickett turned loose his hold and staggered back.  The bull rushed to gore the Negro but missed his arm by a hairs’ breadth and ran over the Negro’s body without inflicting serous wounds.  As the bull turned to attack again, bullfighters employed for this act, led the infuriated animal away with their capes.

          The crowds greeted the Negro’s efforts with hoots and jeers, all the orange peelings, cushions, sticks, stones, and bottles in their possession already having been thrown. 

          One bottle, which was thrown a few minutes after Negro obtained his hold on the bull’s neck struck Pickett in the ribs and in addition to causing him a serious loss of breath, already bad on account of the high altitude, made a wound from which the blood flowed freely and Pickett did not know how badly he might be hurt.

          Permission had been obtained in ample time from the authorities for Pickett to go into the ring and face the famous bull Bonito, which on account of its unusually fierceness, was spared from the “espada” of the matador last year.  But at the last minute the governor of the Federal District changed his mind and revoked the permission.  Thus, while other members of the Wild West show were being presented it was necessary to have a sign displayed announcing that Pickett would have to face another bull.  The sign unluckily was badly worded.  This was a sore disappointment to those who had come to see the man, who challenged a bravery of the bullfighters, prove his strength and courage.  They hooted and yelled during all the rest of the performance, paying absolutely no attention to other features of the show and yelling during the home entry intermission for the men and the bull.

          Pickett was advertised positively to throw the bull but he was advertised to stay with the animal regardless of its fierceness for fifteen minutes unless he could throw it in less time.  The performance was suggested by a wager with the management of the Wild West show and was accepted by the bullfighters and lovers of the Tauromachicart in Mexico as a challenge that it is not hard to fight a bull and that the bullfighter is not necessarily brave.  Whether or not it was meant in this light is another question.  The crowd went desirous of hooting a failure and incidentally both by hoots and missiles the crowd assisted materially in preventing the daring Negro from succeeding in an attempt that is without precedent in the history of bullfighting in Mexico or any other country.

          When finally the cowboys, who were to accompany Pickett, entered the ring, there was silence for a few moments.  Then Pickett, mounted on a good western pony, entered.  He was greeted with whistling.  Then the bull came in with a snort and a rush.  The bull never ceased attacking the horses from the moment he entered, even when no attempt was made to attract his attention.  That shows something of his quality.

          Pickett at once found himself at a disadvantage, for in his usual performances the men are able to chase the steer so that Pickett can ride up from behind and drop upon the steer from the rear.  He tried several times to get the bull in the right position, but the cowboys had all they could do to protect their horses by firing blank cartridges from their pistols in the face of the bull when he attacked them.  Finally Pickett made an attempt from an awkward position and failed to get hold of the bull and narrowly escaped a horrible death.  He rode out of the ring, the jeers and howls increasing.

          Receiving permission Mr. Miller, of the management, to sacrifice the horse if necessary, he entered again and rode straight at the wildly charging bull and caught it by the horns, but they were bathed in the blood of his horse and he could not hold them.  Three attempts won more howls and misses of all kinds.  Finally determined to give the unappreciative spectators their money’s worth if it cost him his life, Pickett flung himself between the bull’s horns.  It was providence and not skill that he lived another moment.  He caught the bull in a second, and while being tossed from right to left in a manner that left no doubt in the minds of the onlookers that he would not live another moment, he managed to fasten his hold so that the bull finally stopped, puzzled.

          For a few seconds the bull would remain still and then shake his antagonist like a servant does the tablecloth.  The wound in Pickett’s cheek, which resulted from a struggle with a steer several nights ago, was opened.  He could have put his tongue through it.  The blood streamed from his face.  Then the bottle was thrown and the blood streamed from his side.  Finally he fell back.

          The crowd was not even interested in the miraculous escape, which again save him from being tossed to his death.  The crowd was to busy howling imprecations upon his head.

          Then a bullfighter entered the ring in trousers and shirt, attempting to use his vest as a cape to attract the bull.  Another bullfight entered the ring and pushed the first one out.

          Pickett said last night, while his wounds were being dressed, that the bull’s neck was so short and thick that he was at no time able to get his hands together under it.  Thus the uncertain manner in which he held on can readily be understood.

          “If I had ever gotten the kind of hold I usually get and the kind I wanted,” declared Pickett, “I would have stayed with that bull until it starved to death, if I had been unable to throw it before.

          Foolhardy as it may have been, Pickett faced one of the most ferocious bulls, selected by the empresa after the refusal of the authorities to permit the renowned Bonita to appear.  It was not in the power of the cowboy trying to accomplish a feat which has never been attempted before but which undoubtedly cannot be accomplished by any professional bullfighter in the republic even under the most favorable circumstance, to say nothing of being under a constant fire from an infuriated mob who were so far prejudiced as not to give the slightest recognition to the bravery of man who has taken the almost certain chance of death never before approached by an professional bullfight produced by either Spain or Mexico.

          It is true that the cowboys who had their 45’s strapped to their waists, were prepared for any emergency, and had it come to a question of death would have been prepared to have rendered speedy assistance to their comrade who braved the horns of one of the most ferocious specimens ever seen in the local ring.

          The presiding judge objected to the presence of cowboys within the ring, and not without reason, for the announcement read that Pickett would go in alone.  The people added one more boisterous protest and asked the alderman to order the return of their money.  The presence of the cowboys was intended as a protection to Pickett in the event of his life being in danger and was by no means calculated to deceive the public for the management of the show is not acquainted with the strict regulations of the bullring and did not consider that a light deviation from the program would make them liable to be fined.

          The public was prejudiced from the start by the display of the wrongly worded announcement and by the unexpected action of the authorities in forcing a change in the program at the last moment, but exclusive of this disappointment they felt, in their majority that Pickett did as much as many could have done, although it is the consensus of opinion that he will never throw a fighting bull, even if he tries again.

          The uncouth behavior of the mob on the sunny side was partly checked by the police through the arrest of several men who threw oranges, cushions and stones into the arena, but once again the refined element surpassed the pelado element in an elaborate display of good breeding by spitting on the backs and shoulders of several members of the show and some of their employees.  Their feelings, some said, were aroused with envy and hatred by the conceitedness of a bunch of foreigners who dared to overshadow the sport of bullfighting and they went to the ring armed with a prejudiced mind and a resolution to exact the life of a human being in order to be satisfied.  A Herald representative heard such remarks before the performance began.

            Yet, the general comment outside of the ring two or three hours after the show was favorable to Pickett and many of the most boisterous kickers acknowledged that they had been unjust in their attitude, which they themselves classed as too extreme and extravagant.