The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1848-01-21
A Terrific Scene at a Menagerie.

Escape Of the Elephant COiumbus.--O One
of the elephants in Raymond & Warng'
extensive menagerie, exhibiting in Phila-
delphia, turned on his keeper. We find the
following particulars in the Philadelphia
papers:
/ AS his keeper, VIM. Kelly, was preparing
him for the afternoon performance, and in
consequence Of being struck. be seized Mr..
X. with his trunk and raising him into the
air dashed him twice TO the ground with the
utmost violence, breaking his right leg aud
thigh, in a most shocking manner, and
causing many other very serious injuries.
The peculiar cry of the enraced animal, as
he seized Mr.. Kelly, warned those in the
other part of the building of what was going
on, and rushing to the quarter where the
elephant was kept, they succeeded in
sna'chng the wounded man out of the way.
as he was about being seized a third time.
The elephant then commenced regular de-
| molition OF every thing within his reach.
tearing number of cages TO atoms and
hurting their fragments in every direction.
AT this time the utmost terror and en-
element prevailed. The furious animal.
ed round the room as in search of some one
and then returning seized with his trunk a
large cage, containing two hycnas, a wolf.
n jackall. and some twenty monkeys, car.
ried /, into the room, and, after whirling il
a moment in the air, dashed it into thou
sand fragments upon the floor, scattering
the animals and killing the smaller ones.
Some ran away and hid themselves. while
others terror stricken and furious, ran abou,
the room bowling hideously. Two cle-
phant-doGs were then procured and thrown
into the ring. These dogs are used in In.
dia to hunt the elephant, and are their train.
ed to avoid his feet and trunk while they
actively fly about, attacking him in the
most vulnerable parts, and holding him till
he can be secured. But ON this occasion
they were both struck by the elephant and
so mained as to be entirely useless. They
were accordingly removed and preparation,
made for shooting the animal, by order Of
Mayor Swift. who, having been sent for
shortly after the accident to the keeper. i'm.
mediately proceeded TO the scene with q
large body of police. A great crowd had
by this time assembled around the door
both on Walnut street and George. and the
large police force was hardly sufficient &c
keep back the crowd, who, despite the dan.
ger, seemed anxious TO rush in and witness,
the terrible scene of havoc.
! In the meantime the elephant was doing
great damage 10 all the fixtures of the es.
Enlistment within his reach, tearing dowi
ratings, demolishins the arena, and SILVER.
I ing everything like woodwork 10 atoms
Herr Driesbach used every effort to imtmi.
: date and subduc the animal by his well
known voice, but in vain. A grapplpc.
hook, with strong rope attached, wa,
thrown into the ring, with theviaw of catch.
| ing il in the animals hide, the thickness ~
which, however, proved inpervious to tn,
assault. Thirty or forty muskcts had also
been procured, and these were loaded aud
kept in readyness fer use intho event of the
animal escaping.
! AT length plan was suggested, which
proved successful. A strong rope was tied
in n running moose in such position, that
the elephant, in running at those who plac.
ed il in its position. must tread in the moose
This he did, and Immediately the person,
who had hold Of the rope pulled, and sue.
ceeded in catching him by one Of the for,
legs. when strong force was AZ once mus.
tered. and efforts made to pull him 10 the re-
cess at the southwest corner ofthc building
But the animal, now more furious than ever
ran towards the boxes which descend frou
the front gallery to the arena. and. in en-
deavorinc to ascend, crushed the steps, SC.
to atoms with his immense weight. tearing
up the benches on either side Of him, huri
ing the pieces at the same time in ever,
direction. and leaving the place pcrlec
wreck. Finding that it would not sus,ai,
his weight, he retreated into the arena
where, after some trouble, n number o
large hooks attached TO ropes were yer,
ahroi,y fastened into his ears, and he wa
then hauled up into the recess before men
toned, where, by the sclfpossessicn an,
courage Of Herr Driesbach, he was com
plciely subdued.
Tho two six Founders that were placed
one In front md the other At the hack Of IN
menagcrie, were retained there with view
10 shoot the animal should lie attempt I
mako hi, exit a, either point.