Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1868-01-23
MisteIaneuns &eading.
TERRIFIC SCENE,

THREE HOURS COMBAT WITH AN ELEPHANT
Mr.. Hyatt Frost, of Van Amburgh's menagerie,
gave us, yesterday, the particulars of a terrible
fight with Tppo Saib, the well known elephant,
which occurred at Connorsville, Indiana, on Tues
day last The menagerie went into winter quarters
at that place. and the colossal animal is chained in
small building, where he will be kept till the
show season opens next year. Tppo Saib, by the
way, is the largest elephant in America. he is
thirty six years old, and weighs ten thousand
pounds. ...........
The battle with Tippo resulted from a change in
his keepers. Frank Nash his keeper for ten years,
was recently supplanted by Charles johnson, for.
merly of Barnum's menagerie. The elephant will
not accept new master without battle, and Mr..
johnson fully prepared himself for an encounter.
The elephant was in particular bad humor with
all mankind. He would allow no one in his quar-.
ters striking at every intruder with his trunk and
tusks most viciously.
On Tuesday morning last, at ten o'clock, the
combat opened. The new keeper, with nine as,
sistants, had fully equipped himself with chains
and cables for tying and spears and pitchforks for
subduing Tppo The first thing done was to fas-
ten brick-bat to the end of rope and throw it
over the end of the tusk chain which latter is fas
tened to one leg and one tusk. By means Of this
rope, twenty ton cable chain formerly used to
subdue the famous Hannibal was sip-noosed a.
round the tusk. Next an excavation was made
three feet deep under the sill of the house, and
while the elephants attention was attached to the
other side Of the house by pail Of water poured
into his trough, the chain was passed through the
excavation, and fastened to heavy stakes outside.
All this time the infuriated animal struck all around
him with terrific ferocity, and tugged at his chain
with incredible momentum. The next thing ac-
complished was the snaring Of his legs. This was
consummated by singing fresh ropes around those
two stately pillars of elephant flesh, bone and mus,
Gle, and finally, by the steathy strategy of the keep
er and another man. these ropes were fastened to
stumps outside The elephant was now sufficient,
ly pinioned to allow the order, "charge pitchforks'
to be given. Ten men armed with these ugly i'm
plements of offence, plunged them into the ram
paging BEAST taking care, Of course, not to pene-
trate his eyes and joints. The tenderest part of an
elephant is just behind his forelegs, and in that To-
cality he was probed numerically. By means Of
a hooked spear sunk into his back Typo was
brought to his knees, but he sursei up again with
such awful strength, that he swept his tormentors
off their feet, and made his chains whistle like fd
dlestrings After an hour sighting he was brought
down on his side but for two hours longer, he tug
ged at his chains with phrenized obstinacy. He
pulled az hard ut tirrr1 t4,ss 3o,ro.t
straight out behind him, three feet off the ground
At the end of three hours, the giant gave in by
''trumpeting," which is the elephants way Of cry,
ing enough" The moment this peculiar cry was
heard the battle ceased. The keeper made Tppc
get up and lie down number of times, and he was
as obedent to the word of command as gentle
pony. The animal was then groomed and rubbed
off with whiskey. He allowed all manner Of liber-
ties without so much as the tapping of an ear. He
was a subdued elephant
At one stage of the fight the dog, "Jack," q
companion of the elephant, thought some Of the
tying business foul play; he few upon Johnson's
back and tried to sink his fangs into his neck, but
waspulledoff and dragged outof the room. "Jack"
evidently sympathized with his monster friend.
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