The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1859-11-22
A MAMMOTH ELEPHANT.

| Intense excitement was caused in Williamsburg
n. Y, last Friday morning, by the escape of an
enraged elephant-the largest ever exhibited in
America-trom Van Amburg's menagcrie The
same animal while in mad fit escaped once be-
fore at Harlem, n. Y, creating sad havoc before
he could be recaptured, and for days past his
keeper had been looking for a return of the attack
The Y. papers describe the unusual scene thus:
A man had been employed to bring some shay
ings to the menagerie, which were brought in
wagon The man drove into the tent, and while
unloading his wagon the elephant was observed to
grow restless at the sight Of the horse, which had
Il white blanket on. The man was advised to take
his horse away but before he could do So the ele-
phant advanced a few steps and knocked the man
down with blow Of his trunk. He next seized
the horse, by means of his trunk, and injured him
seriously. lie then seized the wagon, throwing it
up in the air and breaking it to pieces. His an
ger now fully aroused, and proceeding to the
cage of the prairie wolf, he smashed it with his
trunk and released him. Next in his way was the
cage of black bear. This cage was demolished,
but the bear was chained up and could not escape.
The cage of the zebra being next in his way, he
pushed it through the tent and clear through the
wall Of small shanty at the back Of the tent.
Then leaving the tent, he got into the street, pur-
sued by his keeper and hundreds of people, none
of whom were able to cope with the enraged ele-
seemed to have great aversion to horses, which
he would pursue as fast as he was able, beng hop
pied with a chain connecting of his tu3ks with
his fore-egs. He was finally driven by the crowd
into the stone yard Of South, Fourth and
Tenth streets Here number Of work men were
engaged in dressing stone, and had just placed
upon wooden horses a huge stone weighing about
fifteen hundred tons. In attempting to get out of
the stone yard the elephant caught by his chain
70 ubic oh EoJ
gradually approached him with chains to fasten
his legs but it not until he had received sew
era blows with spears that his attention
could be diverted so as to render it possible to
further secure him.
Finally he was thrown down upon his side,
where he lay for some time believing and thrash
ing about with his trunk. Application was made
to the members of Hook aud Ladder companies
Nos. aud 3, who furnished the keeper with long
hooks One of these run through one of his
ears and twisted round until the poor animal could
not move his head from pain of the wound. When
he was perfectly subdued he was heavily bound
with chains and taken back to the menageric. He
is almost covered with wounds received from the
hooks and spears and it is not deemed safe to ex-
hibit him for few days, nor would it be safe for
his keepers to approach within sight of him.
This elephant was brought to America in 1874
by Van Amburg, and is one of the largest of his
species. His height is 13 feet 4 inches He is
claimed to be one-third larger than any other ele-
phapt brought to this country. Bayard Tay-
lor testfes that he is considerably larger than the
majority of elephants he had met with either in
Asia or Africa. When Hannibal was imported,
in 1874, it was thought that he was already old,
but as he has been growing since, the show
men have concluded that he is still young-the
natural term of life of the species being from 800
to 45O years.