Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1867-11-21
Fight With an Elepi,ant-A
Three Hours, GD,slbat.

Mr.. Hyatt Frost OF Amburr,ls mcnag-
erie, gave us yesterday the particulars of a
terrible fight with Tippoo Saib. the well
known elephant, which occurred ut Con
nersyille, Indian, last Thursday The
IN menagerie has gone into winter quarters at
that place, and the colossal animal is Chain
ed in q small building, where he will be
kept until the show season opens next
year. Tippoo Saib, By the way, is now
the largest elephant in America He is
thirty-six years old, and weighs over ten
thousand pounds.
The battle with Tippoo resulted from a
change in his keeper Frank Nash, his
Keeper for ten years, was recently sup
planted by Chas. johnson, formerly of
Barnum's mcnagerie. The elephant will
not accept Il new master without n battle,
and Mr.. Johnson fully prepared himself
for an exciting encounter. The elephant
was in particularly bad humor with all
mankind. He would allow nobody in his
quarters, striking at every intruder with
his trunk and tusks most vicieusly.
On tuesday morning last at ten o'clock,
the combat opened. The new keeper,
with nine assistants. had fully equipped
himself with chains and cables for tying
and spears and pitchforks for subdnng
Tippoo. The first thing done was TO fast
en- a brickbst TO the end of rope and
throw it over The tisk chain, which Etter
is fastened to one lee and one tusk BY
means of this rope, 4 twenty ton cable
chain Formerly used osubduc the famous
HannibaD was slip noosed around the
tusk. Next, an excavation three feet deep
was made under the sill of the house, and
while the elephants attention was attract
ell 10 the other SIDE of the room by pail
of water poured into his trough, the cable
chain was passed through tie excavation,
and fastened To heavy stakes outside. All
this time tho infdriated monster struck all
around him with terrific fsrocity, and tug
ged at his chain with incredible momen-
tum.
The next thing accomplished was the
snaring of his hind legs. This was cum
summated by the Singing of fresh ropes
around those two stately pillars of elephant
flesh, bone and muscle, and finally, by the
stealthy strategy ofthe keeper and another
man. these ropes were fastened to stumps
outside. The elephant was now sufficient
ly pinioned 10 allow the order charge
pitchforks' to be given. Ten men, armed
with these ugly implements of offense
plunged them into the rampaging beast, ia
king care Of course to avoid penetrating
his eyes or joints. The tendcrest spot in
an elephant is just behind the fore legs
and that locality WAS proddcd unmerci-
fully. BY means OF a booked spear sunk
IN his back, Tippoo was brought to his
knees, but he surged up again with such
awful strength that he swept his tormen-
tors Oft their feet, and made his chains
whistle like fiddle strings After an hour 6
fighting he was brought down on his side,
but for two hours longer he tugged at his
chains with frenZied obstinacy. Hepulled
so hard al times that his hind legs were
straight out behind him, and three feet of
the ground. a-asl
AT the end of the three hours, the gian,
gave in by ''trumpeting," which is the ele-
phant way of crying enough" The mo-
ment this pecuculiar cry was heard, the
battle ceased. The keeper made Tippoo
get up and lie down number of times,
and he was as obedient to the word OF
command as gentle pony. The animal
was then groomed and rubbed off with
whisky. He allowed all manner of hber-
ties without so much as Tapping an ear.
He was subjugated elephant.
At one stage of the fight, the dog "Jack, "
"a companion of the elephanD thought
some of the tying business foul play He
flew upon Johnson's back, aud tried To
sink his faLgs into his neck, but was pulled
off aud dragged out Of the room. "Jack"
evidently sympathized with his big friend.
= Cincinnati Commercial, Sth.