The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1867-07-19
A Menagerie Sensation-Particulars
of the Attack Of the Lion upon his

From the Rochester Democrat, July 6.
The immense audience assembled under
the canvass Of Messrs. Thayer & Noyes,
Falls Field, on Thursday evening, were
treated to performance they had not an
tlclpated, and which every one present
would willingly have forgone. The enter
talnmen had passed of to the entire salts.
faction OF the spectators, and, as a crown
ing act, the large cage containing two lions
and two lloneSses, was drawn into the ring,
when MIR. Charles White, the keeper, en-.
tered it to exhibit his control over the fe-
rocious beasts. The animals are all full
grown, young and active--in short the best
specimens of their species we ever saw
and one of the lions is remarkably wild and
intractabie. MIR. White, however, having
1ull confidence In his power to control them,
entered with entire fearlessness, and began
to put the beasts through their PAGES. All
proceeded we'll for a time, but at length
one OF the lions began to be fractious and
dlsobedient, whereupon Mr.. White struck
hlm two or three blows with whip. Sud-
denly the animal made spring and seized
MIR. White by the shoulder with his teeth,
shaking him as dog would cat and Fl.
nally throwing him on his back upon the
tioor OF the cage. A thrill of horror pass.
ed through the assemblage of spectators.
Ladies screamed and tainted mapv people
hastened to leave the establishment some
with terror blanched countenances awaited
the result In silence, and some rushed into
the ring, vaguely and vainly hoping to res
cue the adventurous lion-tamer from the
Tate which apparently awaited him. Mean.
while, MIR. White eOolly awaited the issue.
lie was hel pless for the moment, the lion,
with both tore paws upon his breast hold
ing nlm down, and retaining his shoulder
within those terrible jaws. The angry
growls OF the ferocious beast were terrible,
and ne was evidently determined to make
the most OF his opportunity. Mr.. Noyes.
one OF the proprietors Of the circus, hap
pened fortunately to be near, and seizing
an iron bar dashed the end of it against
the hons head with such force that the an
imal was surprised into relaxing his hold.
In an instant Mr.. White had regained his
feet, and his control over the occupants OF
the cage: With few we'll directed blows
OF ms whip he re-asserted his supremacy,
and the recently victorious king of beasts
was reduced to submission. 1t would nat
uraliy be supposed that after such an ex-
perlence, he would be disposed to part
company with his dangerous companions as
soon as possible, but he is not of the kind
OF material to yield point. He was ter
tlbly injured, the teeth of the lion having
penetrated his shoulder deeply and lacera.
ted the flesh in shocking manner, besides
crushing the bones so as to render the left
arm almost useless. Despite his sufferings
and the obvious i'll will of the lion, he pro.
ceeded with the performance to the end,
Luckily, the rage of the other lion and the
lIonesses had not been excited, and he had
only one real enemy to fear. He compelled
the savage animals to 60 through their acts
as usual, and concluded by feeding them a
quantity Of raw beef, handing the meat in
pieces to each animal in turn. He then
quietly left the cage, and not till then was
any one made aware of the serious charac-
ter OF his hurt. Mr.. White did not faint
away, as one Of our contemporaries asserts,
unless he did SO after leaving the arena. =
lie was conveyed to the National Hotel in
carriage, and now lies there in critical
condition. he is under the care of DIR.
,Whltbeck, who has replaced the fractured
bones, and hopes to restore the patient to
comparatively sound condition. In a
previous encounter with the same lion, Mr..
White was dreadfully lacerated in the
breast by the claws of the powerful beast.
lhe animal is of peculiarly sullen dispo.
s!tlon, and has compelled his keeper to dis
clpiine him vigorously on number Of oc.