Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1868-10-02
Aliseellamp.
A Tiger at Large in Antwerp, Eng
land

land
The Escaut, Of Antwerp, gives the
following: A frightful mishap, accompa-
MED by the most tragic circumstances,
spread terror on Sunday morning last,
through the district of St. Jaques. 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 acct
dent the animal was placed in wagon
secured with strong iron bars. The
greatest precaution was therefore taken
to avoid a catastrophe. At half-past
three in the morning the railway SER
wants perceived an enormous animal
clearing at bound the wall which sepa-
rates the Geological Garden from their
railway station. The tiger had in fact
escaped, having bent and broken two of
the iron bars of his cage. The first OBJ
ject of his fury was the cart horse Of a
nightman, which happened to be passing.
The tiger bounded on the unfortunate
horse, biting him in the flank, and tear
ing the straps that 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
a wound in the leg from the tigers paw.
Meantime the horse, mad with terror and
pain galloped furiously toward'the mar
ket of St. Jaques, pursued by the tiger
Here another deplorable event occurred.
A gardener, who was passing the street
attracted the fury of the beast. The tt
ger sprang at him, tearing his breast, leg
and neck in fearful manner. Having
finished his victim, the animal dragged
the body some distance; he then aban-
doned it, and rushed into ST. Anne's
Court, where his presence caused hides
cribable terror. M. Vehenaus the pro-
prietor of the Geological Garden, hav-
ing been informed of the escape, pro-
ceeded with his staff in pursuit, and came
up with the animal at the corner of St.
Jaques street, near the house Verstrepen.
A night Waterman and three or four 9TH
er persons took refuge in a small shop
opposite this house. The tiger spied
them, and stood for moment as though
he intended to rush at them through the
window. He pursued his course, howev-
er, through the market. NJ Vekemans,
with 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 fright
en- him into this trap. The tiger lay
couched against the door of the atelier
of nj. De Braekleer, the sculptor, but
perceiving one of the men in pursuit ON
the roof of a house, he leaped on the
roof of lower house, and assumed a
most menacing position. M. Vekeman,
DC DIdChlcbI, w eIDTUuu duu N6THONcu
were armed with guns. The tiger hav-
ing perceived them, slowly descended
from the roof, evidently bent on making
an attack, and when about four metres
off he couched to make his spring, The
order to fire was given and three guns
were fired in succession. The first shot
appeared to have missed, the second
struck the animal, and the third inflicted
mortal wound. He tottered back to
the entrance of the Court, where M. De
Brackleer finished him with fourth
shot. These gentlemen behaved with
great intrepidity, and but for their cool
ness and tho n,oasures they adopted much
? greater injury would have been done
The gardener who was attacked never
spoke, and he died in the hospital at G
O'Clock the same morning.