The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1854-06-24
A ruriou. Elephant mt Large.


I Tho large dorhsn, Hannibal, attached to
the RroadSay nenageric, which was on c1'
hibi,ion ut Pnwtucket on the Sd inst, got
! loose from his keeper on the way from Paw
utcket to Fall River carly yesterday morn
ing. Before starting, his keeper made hirs
| lii the hinder part Of tho wagon, loaded
with 300 pounds, for the purpose ofgettinY
| into line. |, is supposed that this, althoug.
not unusual might hsve suggested 10 hin.
the mode Of attack which he afterwards
adopted When about seven miles from
pawtuckct he became furious, turned upon
his keeper, who had to fly for his life ant
take refuge in Il house, got free and rushed
! along the road, destroying everything in his
way Meeting horse and wagon belong
ing 10 Mr. Stafford Short, he thru-t his tusk
into the horse, and lifted horse, wagon and
! rider into the air. lie mangled the horse
terribly and carried him about fifty feet, and
threw the dead body into pond The wag.
on was broken to pieces al d Mr.. Short con-
sidorably hurt. The elephant broke Of his
enormous tusks in this encounter. A mile
further the elephant now grown more furi-
GUS, attacked in The same manner . horse
and wagon, with Mr.. Thomas w. Peck and
son. He broke the wagon and wounded
the horse, which ran away. Mr. Peck wM
pretty badly hurt in the hip.
Willie the keepers were engaged IL &C.
curing the smaller elephant, who had not,
however, manifested any signs Of insubordir-
alton the larger one got oiffrom them, and
went through barneyyillc, when Mr.. Barney
ana auVtuvI Ia n mounted their horses and
kept on the tack as near to him as prudent,
giving warning Of ,iao danger TO the passen-
GERS whom they met on the way. The sls-
"nant would occasionally turn to look At
them but did no. attempt 10 mo!cst them.
The next man in the psth was Mr.. Pesrcc,
who was riding with his little son in . one
horse wagon. He was coming towards the
Il iphant and being warned by Mr.. Barney,
turned around and put the horse 10 his speed
but the elephant overlook him, and sei,rg
the wagon, threw it into Ia: air, dashing i
to pieces, and breaking the co.larbone And
arm Of sir. pearcc. The horse d,seneaged
RON the wagon, escaped with the fore
wheels, and the elephant gave chsse for
eight miles, but did not catch him. The e!.
cphant came back from his unsuccessful pur.
suit and took up his march again on the
main road, where he next encountered Mr..
j. Eddy, with a horse and wagon. Ns
threw up the whole establishment in the
same we- as before, smashed the wagon,
killed the horse, and wounded Mr.. Eddy.
lie thr-w the horse twenty feet over fence.
into the ajoining lot, then broke down the
f-ncc, W ut or,r PICKED up the dead horse
and deposited him in the road, where he had
first net lin. He killed one other horse.
pursued another, who Fed to barn the ei.
cphant followed, but at the door was met BY
a icT.e bul! dog, which bit his leg and drove
him IT. Once on the route, the keeper be.
ing ahead, saw him plunge over wall and
make for a house. The keeper got into the
house br,', hurried the frightened people
within the upper story, ard provided him.
self with an axe, succeeded in driving OF the
tr.,ous beast. The elephant finally exhaust.
ed his strength, and laid himself down in the
bushes, about two miles from SHADES Ferry.
Here he was secured with chains and CARR.
Cd over the ferry to Fall River. A part Of
the time lie ran at the rate o! mile in three
minutes.