Carleton Bass

Ernest Carleton Bass, best-known as Carleton Bass, born 1876 in Ireland, was a notorious bullfighter who billed himself in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as the "first North American bullfighter."^[1] In reality, he was an Irish immigrant who never became an American citizen, and his anemic bullfighting skill led to him being booed from bullfighting rings in Mexico.^[2] Though he had learned some swordfighting and bullfighting skills in Spain before his arrival in the United States, he was a poor fighter. In 1903, he suffered an attack of nerves before a fight in Mexico and failed to fight.^[2] In 1904, he was a key figure in the St. Louis bullfight riot, which led to the destruction of a 14,000-seat arena by fire. Three days after the riot, he shot and killed fellow matador Don Manuel Cervera after the other man attacked Bass with a knife over a dispute regarding the bullfight canceled by the riot.^[3] A subsequent coroner's inquest found Bass acted in self-defense and should not be charged with murder.^[4] Following his acquittal, Bass went on to star in several bloodless bullfights.^[2][5] These involved enraging the bull, causing it to charge and miss, but not spearing it or cutting it with a sword.

References

1. Sherwood, Lyn. Yankees in the Afternoon: An Illustrated History of American Bullfighters. McFarland: 2001. p. 22.
2. Hail, Marshall. Knight in the Sun: First Yankee Matador. Boston, Little Brown: 1962. pp. 5-6.
3. "Bullfighter Murdered," The New York Times. June 9, 1904. Retrieved Sept. 13, 2014.
4. "Releases Cervera's Slayer," The New York Times. June 12, 1904. Retrieved Sept. 13, 2014.
5. "Woman prevents bullfight," The New York Times. June 27, 1904. Retrieved Sept. 13, 2014.