Daily national Democrat., 1861-03-16
A Man Killed by a Lion.

Nednesday morning an alarming circum-
stance occurred at y tley's Eoyal Amphi-
! theater, owing to the escape Of the whole of
| he lions, the property Of Air Crockett, from
their den, which occupied place very near
tic stage At about Quarter before eight.
She men who usually attend to car. away the
manure, we've startled by the loud roaring of
the lions, but as they had ON former occasions
heard somewhat similar sounds, they proceed.
ed with their work as usual The noise, how
ever, did not suOside, but on the contrary in
creased. and in few minutes the men were
horrol-struck at beholding one of the lions
struggling with a man named Jaryey. a yard
| helper in the establishment Mr.. CrUckctt's S
auimal keeper was instantly sent for, and ar
rived III very few minutes, but he not hay-
ing the power over the infurated beasts that
Mr.. Crockett had they Immediately sent for
that gentleman. On the arrival of Crockett
he rushed on TO the stage, where the lion
was running about with the unfortunate man
Jarvey, in his mouth, to all appearance quite
dead
Mr.. Crockett instantly seized a stable fork
and dealt the lion heavy blow on the side
Of the head which caused it to let the man
go but instead of running away. he turned
round and seemed inclined to spring upon his
master. Another powerful blow, however
made the enraged animal turn and run away
Medical aid was Immediately brought for
poor Jarvey, hut on the arrival of the sur
geon life was extinct. After the body of Jar
vey had been removed, Mr.. Crockett went in
search of the three lions, who were now
roaming about the theater. One was seen
running about at remote corner of the stage
another was In the arena, and the other could
not be seen. The lioness was the first that
was attempted to be secured, but this was
work of extreme danger and difficulty, as the
assistants were all afraid OF even approaching
the beast. On seeing Nh Crockett, the ioness
made Il dash through the pit saloon, whence
she rushed up the box staircase and entered
one of the private boxes, and took up a most
threatening attitude.
Nothing daunted Mr.. Crockett entered the
box placed leather collar round her neck,
and having secured her head, she was hauled
out of the place by ropes, and finally placed
in security. From the private box, Mr.. G.
saw another of the animals playing on the
stage with a quantity of ribbons and stage
properties, and with comparatively little diff
Guilty it was placed again in the cage, and af-
ter few minutes search the third was re-
.ptured. At = in the morning, the watch
man of the thcater, who is on duty all night
left, at which hour, he says, all was perfectly
quiet and safe. In consequence Of the large
lion being unwell, it had been parted from its
companions, and it is supposed that in en-
deavoring to join it one of the three must
have broken down the partition, and thus
displaced the iron bars. The greatest ex-
element and CONSERVATION prevailed for some
time in the theater, and it required Mr.. C.'s
utmost persuasion to convince the attendants
that no further danger need be apprehended.
OPERATIONS IN THE CONTRA COSTA Coal
MINES Our readers have before noticed al
lusion to the coal discoveries near Monte III
ablo Recent intelligence serves to confirm
the great extent of those mines and the good
quality of the coal, where 1t the public have
occasion to rel ice. There is not much occa
sion, though, for rejoicing over the iniorma-
ton that the original discoverers and work
ers of the mines are liable TO be ousted from
their possessions. 1t appears that the mining
claims are numerous, that the owners are
poor and that they DO not seem to under
stand the policy Of consolidation and associ-
alton. In this condition of affairs the specu-
lative sharks see opportunity to exercise their
| pecu ar genius i'll the devUuring line. Some
'ndeavor by new surveys and changes of
| boundary lines to obtain possession of good
nlll'Ss hlii'S W Ibll'l litlll3 Ql-liI ana
lealousies among the miners, seek to buy, ca
lole or boost them out Of their possessions,
and thus obtain monopoly of the greatest
source Of wealth yet discovered in California.
Of these may he mentioned the "Paciic Coal
Mining Company" and the "Caiforuil Min
ing Company" both composed Of Phoebe,
Bayerque, Levi Parsons and associates the
last mentioned Company organized with a
capital of $1,000 0O9 The object of these
uig Companies is TO swallow up all the little
mining fish, and obtain complete control of
the best coal mines on the Pacific coast The
interests Of the miners and of the public are
alike opposed to allowing these cormorants
to swallow the mines. The original discov-
erers and miners, by the exercise of a little
wis om, can easily keep control of and work
their own mines, and secure independent for
tunes for themselyes-S. +. call.
WoRnY Don't you know that mutitudes
Of human beings turn away from the many
blessings of their lot, and dwell aud brood
upon its worries? Don't you know that
multitudes persistently look away from the
numerous pleasant things they might con-
template and look tiXcdly and almost con-
santly, at painful and disagreeable things
You sit down, my friend in your snug IL
brary, beside the evening fire. The blast
without is hardly heard through the drawn
curtains. Your wife is there, and your two
grawn up daughters. Y on feel thankful that
after the hustle of the day, you have this
quiet retreat where you may rest and reit
yourself for another day, with its husile-
But the conversation goes on. Nothing is
talked of but the ftilings Of the servants, and
the idleness and impudence of your boys;
unless indeed, it be the supercilious bow
with which Mrs Snooks that afternoon pass
ed your wife, and the fact that the pleasant
dinner party at which you assisted the eve
ming before at Mr.. Mr.. Smiths, has been as
certained to have been one of a second rate
character, his more houored guests having
dned on the previous day. Every petty
dsagreeable in your lot in short, is brought
out, turned ingeniously in every possible
light, and aggravated and exaggerated to
the highest degree. The natural and noces-
sary result follows An hour or less Of this
discipline, brings all parties to a sulky and
snappish frame ofmind And instead Of the
-heerful and thankful mood in which you
were disposed to be when you sat down, you
find that your whole moral nature is Jared
and out of gear. And your wife, your
daughters and yourself, pass into moody sui
len silence over your books, books which GU
are not likely for this evening TO much APP
preciate or enjoy Now put it to every
sensible reader, whether there be not great
deal too much of this kind of thing. Are
there not families that never spend quiet
evening together, without embitterin@ it by
raking up every upleasant subject i'll their
lot and history? There are folks who, both
in their own case and that Of others, seem to