The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1854-06-22
A Furious Elephant ct Large.

The large elephant Hannibal, attached 10
the Broadway mcnagcrie, escaped from his
keeper on the 9th inst, on the way from
Pawtucket, Il. l., to Fall river, The fol-
loving is the newspaper description Of the
Consequences
When about seven miles from PaWtuchet
he became furious, turned upon his keeper,
whe had 10 ny for his life and take refuge in
house, got free and rushed along the road.
destroying cverythin. in his way, Meet
ing horse and wagon belonging to Mr..
Stafford Short, he thrust his iask into the
horse and lifted hose, wagon and rider INTO
the air. lie maneled the horse terribly and
carried him about fifty feet, and threw the
dead body into n pond. The wagon was
broken ID pieces, and Mr. Short conSidsra-
bly, hurt The elephant broke one of his
enormous tushs ia tins encounter A mile
further the elephant new growing furious,
attacked horse and wagon, with Mr..
Thomas w Peek and his son. He broke
The wagon and wounded the horse. which
ran away. Dir Peek vas pretty badly hurt
in tie hip.
While the keepers were engaged in Sc
curing the smaller elephant, who had not
however, manifested Qns signs OF insuhordi-
nation, the larger enc got of from them,
went through Bonneville, when Dir. Mason
Barney and another man mounted their
horses and kept OF his track as near to him
az vas prudent. giving warning of the dam
ger 10 the passengers whom they met on the
way. The elephant would occasionally
turn to look at them, bat did not attempt TO
modest them.
The next man in the path was Mr.. Pearce
who was riding with his little son in one
horse wagon. He was coming towards the
elephant, aud being warned By Mr.. Barney
turned around and put the horse to his speed
but the elephant overlook him, and, SEEING
the wagon, threw il into the air, 2ashing il
to pieces, and breaking the collar bone and
arm Of Mr. Pearce. The horse, disengaged
from the wagon. escaped with the fore
wheels, and the elephant gave chase for
eight miles, hut din not catch him. The
elephant came back from his unsuccessful
pursuit, and took mp his march again on
the main road, where h. next encountered
Mr., J. Ildy, with horse and wagon. lie
threw ~ the whole establishment in the
same way as before, smashed the wagon,
killing the horse and wounded Mr.. Eddg -
He threw the horse twenty feet over u fence
into the adjoining lot, then broke down the
fence, went over and picked Up the dead
horse and deposited him in the road, where
he had first met him. He killed one other
horse, aud pursued another hich fled To a
barn; but al the door was met by fierce
luii dog, which bit his leg aud drove him or
Once OH the route, tile keeper being ahead
Of him, saw him plunge over Il wall and
make ior a house. The keeper got into the
house first, hurried the frightened people
within the upper story, and provided himself
with IN axe, succeeded III driving Off the
furious beast, The elephant finally exhaus-
ted his strength, and laid himself down in
the bushes about two miles from SHADES
Ferry. Here he was secured with chains
ard carried ever the ferry 70 Fall River.
4 part Of the time he ran at the rate OF a
mile in three minutes.