Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1866-08-15
au Surts Of 6uO0 8ra0ing,
Thrilling Adventure of a Lion Tanner.

BATTY, the great lion, while performing il
the den of wild animals at the Cirque dC
| Champs EIvses, Paris June Sd, made mar.
row escape from death. He was in the act
OF applying his whip to a lionesS, who sulE-
lly refused to jump over the tanners head as
usual, when suddenly the animal turned up
on him, clawed bis face and forehead and
burying her talons 20 Batty's shoulder, tore
of the flesh, at the same time dragging her
PROSTATE victim (for by this time she had
pulled him TO the ground into the center OIL
the den. The other four lions, hitherto spec
tators, seeing their masters blood flow, his
! flesh lacerated, his clothes torn, at once join
ed the ioneSS in her assault, and attacked
her unhappy victim, who, though thus COM
| pletelv in their power, never for one moment
! lost his presence Of mind, but seemingly less
excited than the audience around him, kept
! the five lions at bay with his powerful horse
whip. Although momentarily expecting to
! be torn to pieces, covered with blood, writh-
/ ing in pain, he still retained his self-posses-
| sion. At length-that is to say in a minute
or two, though il seemed an age to the horr-
orstricken spectatOrs-a crowd OF grooms and
keepers rushed in, armed with pitchforks,
| lances. and bars of iron, with which they at
! tackled the iniuriated brutes, who, turning on
their new assailants, would fain have broken
the bars cf the cage to get at them. For an
instant their whole attention was directed to
their new foe, and of this momentary diver
sion the indomitable lion tanner took advan-
tage, and, 10 the surprise Of all, sprang sud
denly to his feet. Cries now resounded on
every side, calling on him to leave the den :;
but. though evidently weakened and pale
from the loss Of blood, he at once attacked
his wild subjects and by his stentorian voice
Of command and the strongly applied casti-
CATION of his whip, reduced them into a surly
obedience. Then and only then did he allow
himself to be led forth and placed under med
ical care. At last accounts his case bad tax
en- a favorable turn, ahd he is soon expected
to reappear in public.
Batty is now about 80 years OF age. He
is an American by birth bnt early left the
United States to enter the. service of his I'M
Gle, who was for a long time the principal
manager Of Astley's Amphiheatre at Lon
don. From his earliest years he had p
strange affection for wild animals He would
enter their cages without fear and his infu-
ence over them was such that the boldest
caujl not Withstand it. They seemed laScin-
atcd by the powerful glance Of his piercing
eyes. His father was frightened at the pc
culiar and dangerous procliviies OF bis son.
and did his best to restrain him, but without
effect Threats ard blows were alike una
vailirg and at length Bauy Ged t. Africa,
to avo 4 The harsh treatment to which he was
expos d. There, for wears, he led a wild
and solitary lie, and wandered from forest
TO forest, and from one savac tribe to annth- /
er. His deeds of intrepcdiiy were incredi-
hle in their audacitv. and the rude svmpa-
thies of his restless and untamed nature, found |
abundant qualification. Among the wild /
beasts Of Africa he was perfectly at home. |
and he left them with regret. Some two or |
three years ago he made his appearance at
Paris, that great caravanseTa of the world /
and he and his lions were received with un- |
bounded applause. His muscular develop |
ment is wonderful and in strength and agilI- /
ty he almost equals the monsters with which /
so much Of his life has been spent He can .
run ike iawn, and leap ike leopard: and |
often it has been his fortune to struggle for /
his lie, as he has Just done, face to face. and |
to shoulder, and often has he gained
the victory by sheer force of muScle. In /
spite of the severitSS and painfulness of his
wounds Batty would not see physician
His ind1mjtabe courage and solitary instincts
led him to seclude himself like a sick or
wounded lion. from the rest Of his species.
and trust to the recuDerative powers CT ma
.ure.-NelO York Clipper.