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The St. Louis Crowd That Rioted And Burned An Arena Down Because Of A Fake Bull Fight
In 1904, a businessman lost his entire newly constructed property to arson after he staged a fake bullfight hoping to make a lot of money
When people attend public shows across the entertainment spectrum, quality and authenticity are usually two of the expectations most frequently demanded. If they aren’t fulfilled, there may be a lot of boos, and in some cases, much worse. That’s certainly what happened in St. Louis more than a century ago when a crowd that was disappointed in the lack of authenticity of a bull fight they were watching burned the arena to the ground and started a riot.
The June 6, 1904 issue of the Chicago Tribune dutifully reported a flagrant case of crowd violence and arson in Missouri. A crowd of more than 8,000, which was said to include women and children, had paid $1 each and gathered to watch a highly promoted bull fight. Expecting danger and action, they were instead greeted by a total of seven emaciated bulls, and six aging horses; none of which had any interest in participating in this cruel and illegal show.
As the hands from the show continued to trot the world weary animals around, without the slightest hint of excitement, the…
