The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-08-19 00:00:00

A FEROCIOUS ELEPHANT.

On the 27th If January a mad elephant from the :
Rewab territory entered the Mandla district at the vil-
lage of Tarraj (says the Pioscer). The villagers at once
took refuge on the roofs of their houses, but a woman
and child attempting to escape by running attracted
the brute's attention, and were pursued and killed.
On the next night it went to the village of Mungah,
where it killed a boy. Two days after it appeared
at Barbaspur, where it killed a woman, and on
the following night at Karmia, where it killed a man
and woman. It then made its way to Dongria,
whence all the villagers tried to escape on its ap-
proach, but two women were overtaken by
the elephant and killed, while another was trampled
on and seriously. injured. From there it. went to
Manori and killed a woman and two children, and
paming on.to Kam-bell, killed a baby, snatching it from
its nrother's bosom, and on the same evening and in the
same place it killed a man. On the next night itkilled an
old woman at Nighori, andonthenext another at Bann.
On the 7th of February it came past the Ranegurh
Tahsil, where it was fired upon and driven off towards
Bijori, where it revenged itself by killing a man and a
boy. On the next night it surprise4l in the jungle a party
of villagers who had escaped f coin Nanda, and killed
another baby winch it snatched from its mother. On
the following day it killed two more men, one at Bel-
gium, the other at Belgara. It next visited Malaya,
whence all the villagers escaped, except one boy who was
rolled about and apparently played with by the elephant,
which left Lim withontkilling him, and then went into
the village and avenged itself by pulling 110S111 houms.
On the 15th the brute was reported at Mohari, where
it wounded a man and woman by rolling them about
and inflicting various injuries, but did not kill them.
On the lfith it was at Naraingunge, where it killed
one man and wounded another. A party had, how-
ever been organised in pursuit, and the brute was
pursued across the Nerbudda and driven into the
jungles on the hill called Daldrili Pehar, when it was
found impossible to dislodge it. It is mid to be a
magnificent beast, with tusks nearly three feet long.
The total of its victims between January 27 and Feb.
17 was 21 persons killed, besides several wounded.
The most horrible (and almost incredible circumstance)
however, is that tlds elephant was seen to devour at
least five Of its victims, after tearing them limb from
limb. In ISIP4 and also 18fi9 a mu4th elephant, pos-
sibly, it is said, this very brute, appeared in the
Mandla district, but did little or no mischief.

A woman hao recently been admitted to the Lunatic
Asylum at Paris, who had seen a young relation shot because
he would not serve under the Commune. Shortly after she
had stood by whilst a young girl of her acquaintance was
burnt alive in one of the houses sacrificed to Communistic
zeal. Then she went mad. Her haidt was to fill with water
all the vessels she could get hold of, and when the gas on the
staircase was lit at night, she would pour their contents down
tile stabs, believing the place was on fire. This soon became
intolerable to persons living on the lower floors, and, on the
authorities being dommunicated with, attendants from the
Maison de Santfi came to take her away. When they ap-
proached she jumped up shrieking, 'The assassins ! the
assassins !" and taking a knife out of her pocket drew it
across her throat, and then jumped out of the open window,
anti by a miracle she escaped with her We,