St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1868-01-17

EPIIANr.-The particulars of terrible
fight with Tippoo Sahib, the well-known
elephant, now SO years old and weighing
10000 pounds. which occurred at Con-
nersville, Ind, are thus related by the
Cincinnati Commercial:
The battle resulted from n change in
his keepers. Frank Nash, his keeper
for ten years, was supplanted by Charles
johnson, formerly of Barnum's Menag-
erie The elephant was in particularly
bad humor with all mankind. He would
allow nobody in his quarters, striking at
ev cry intruder with his trunk and tusks
most viciously. 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 subduing Tippoo. The
first thing done was to fasten brickbat
to the end of a rope and throw it over
the end of the tuSk-chain, which latter
is fastened to one leg and one tusk. BY
means of this rope Il twenty-ton cable
chain, formerly used to subdue the fa
nous Hannibal, 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
attracted to the other side of the room
by pail of water poured into his trough
the cable chain was passed through the
| excavation and fastened TO heavy stakes
outside. All this time the infuriated
monster struck at all around him with
terrible ferocity, and tugged at his chain
with incredible momentum. The next
thing accomplished was the snaring Of
by the singing of fresh ropes around
those two stately pillars of elephant flesh
and bone, and muscle, and finally, by
slealthy strategy ef the keeper and anOth-
cr man, these ropes were fastened to
stumps outside. The elephant was now
sufficiently pinioned to allow the order
charge pitchforks' to be given. The
men, armed with those ugly implements
of offence, plunged them into the ram
paging beast, taking care of course, to
avoid penetrating his eyes or joints. The
tenderest spot in an elephant is Just be-
hind the fore legs, and that locality was
prodded most numerically.
BY means of hooked spear sunk i'll
his back Tippoo was brought to his
knees, but he surged up again with such
awful strength that he swept his tor
mentors off their feet, and made his
chain whistle like fiddle strings, After
an hours fighting he was down on his
side. but for two hours longer he tuggod
at his chains with frenzied obstinacy.
He pulled SO hard at times that his hind
legs were straight out behind him, and
three feet from the ground. AT the end
of the three hours the giant gave in by
trumpeting, which is the elephant way
of CRYING enough. The moment this pc
culiar crv was heard the battle ceased.
The keeper made Tippo get up and lie
: down number of times, and he was as
: obedient to the word of command Is a
gentle pony The animal was then
: groomed and rubbed off with whisky.
t He allowed all manner of liberties with
: out so much as Tapping an ear. He was
subjugated elephant. AT one stage OF
? the fight the dog Jack, Ia companion OF
the elephant thought some of the ticing
> business foul play. He flew upon john
| sons back and tried to sink his fangs in
: to his neck, but was pulled off and drag
ged out of the room. Jack evidently
: sympathized with his big friend.