Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-06-26
EXCITING SCENE.
A Tiger at Large In Antwerp.

FROM the EscaUt, June 3.
A frightful mishap, accompanied By the
most tragic circumstances, spread terror on
Sunday morning last through the district
of st. Jacques. The Geological Garden
has for long time been in possession Of
two magnificent Bengal tigers, one of which
was to be forwarded to London. To avoid
accident, the animal was placed in wagon
secured with strong iron bars. The great
est precaution was therefore taken to avoid
a catastrophe. AT $3.50 in the morning the
railway servants perceived an enormous
animal clearing at bound the wall which
separates the Geological Gardens from the
railway station. The tiger had, in fact, es-
capped, having bent and broken two of the
iron bars Of his cage. The first object of
his fury was the cart-horse Of nightman
which happened to be passing. The tiger
bounded on the unfortunate horse, biting
him in the flank and tearing the straps
which attached him to the cart. The driver,
who at first sought safety on the horses
back, hid himself under the cart but not
before receiving wound in the leg from
the tigers's paw. Meantime the horse, mad
with terror and pain, galloped furiously to-
wards the market Of st. Jacques, pursued
BY the tiger Here another deplorable event
occurred. A gardener, who was passing the
street, attracted the fury of the beast. The
tiger sprangat him, tearing his breast, legs
and neck in fearful manner. Having in-
ished his victim the animal dragged the body
some distance; he then abandoned it and
rushed into st. Anne's court, where his
presence caused indiscribable terror. M.
Vekemans, the director of the Geological
Garden, having been informed of the es-
cape, proceeded with his staff in pursuit,
and came up with the animal at the corner
Of St. jacques street, near the house of
Verstrepen. A nightwatchman and three
or four other persons took refuge in a small
shop opposite this house The tiger spied
them and slood for moment as though he
intended to rush at them through the win
dow. He pursued his course, however,
through the market M. Vekeman with
his assistants, after the animal got into st.
Anne's court, barricaded the entrance and
placed trap in it with view Of taking
him alive. They then got into the houses
Of the court in order to frighten him into
this trap. The tiger lay couched against
the door Of The ateIier of NJ. De BraekeIeer,
the sculptor, but perceiving one of the men
in pursuit on the roof of house, he leaped
on the roof of a lower house, and assumed
q most menacing position. M. Vekemans,
De Braekleer, Werbrouk and Verhoven
were armed with guns. The tiger having
perceived them descended from the roof,
evidently bent on making an attack, and
when about four metres of he couched to
make his spring. The order to FIRE was
given, and three guns were discharged in
succession. The first shot appeared to have
missed, the second struck the animal, the
third inflicted a mortal wound. He tot
tered back TO the entrance Of the court,
where M. De Braekleer finished him with
a fourth shot. These gentlemen behaved
with great intrepidity, and but for their
GOODNESS and the measures they adopted
much greater injury would have been done.
The gardener who was attacked never
spoke, and died in the hospital the same
morning.