Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1869-07-15
A Talk with q Lion-Tamer.
LENGEL FIVE TIMES WOUNDED.

Dltten IN the leg Oy l0neSS IN Charleston,
S. c., in April, and is still disabled in con-
sequence of the wound. One of the Char
lesion papers describes visit to him as
follows:
1--WE found Mr.. Lengel lying down read
ing, not suffering much, but very restless
He is apparently about 32 or 33 years of
age. but is really ten years older He tod
us that he is a native of Philadelphia, and
has been engaged in the n-taming busi-
ness for Is years during which time he has
served in the circusses of j. M. June, s. B.
Howe, Phineas L. Barnum, Haight 4 Cham
bers, Van Amburgh. Raymond 4 Co., Cast
clio and Ames, the latter of which he is
with at present. June is dead. Howe and
Barnum have quit the business, Haieht &
Chambers failed in Texas two years ago.
Haight 4 CASTILLO are now showing in Cal
ifornia.
"In answer to question as to his man.
ner of tamirg lions, he replied at length,
saying that it was gift of nature, with
him. Il have no fear OF them. People tell
me every time get wound that it ought
to be warning TO me, and should make
me fear to go in the cage again. But it
does not. When lam away from the lions
get homesick, and when L can go where
they are and my wounds prevent me from
going into the cage, get more homesick
still L never met any lions | could not
tame. Three years ago / tanned five in
New York. which, while in Europe. had
killed one man and badly mangled another,
who had attempted to tame them. In three
weeks after they were put in my charge
they were as tame as / wished, though be-
fore they were considered untamable. L
very seldom use force in tanning them, but
sometimes it becomes necessary-kindness
is my usual plan; 1 am always careful to
keep my eye upon them.
"Evary one who has seen The lion-ta-
mer' leaving the cage after his feat of lying
down among the lions, putting his feet ON
their heads, feeding them, and firing off
pistols, has DOUBTLESS noticed how careful
he was-stepping out backwards very de-
kSerately, and watching closely the beasts
which always advanced upon him. In
speaking of this, he said; If did not
keep my eye npon them they would jump
at me. They have sense enough to know
that am retreating from them, and they
gain courage; there is more danger to me
at this time than at any other. II the lions
were at liberty. would fear to 60 near
them. Some people think that lion born
in America is more doclile, partaking less
of the savage nature of the brute. than one
born in Africa or Asia. Not so. I would
rather have to tame litter born in either
of the last two mentioned places than lit
ter born in this Countrywide latter are more
dangerous and less easily tanned
HIS WOUND
"Mr. Lengel has been bitten number
of times by lions honesses We should have
said, as the males have never done so; the
honesses, said he, are more treacherous
and deceitfhl than the lions He has been
slightly scratched ali almost innumerable
number of times. He has never had to lay
up buttwlce from his wounds. The descrip.
tion OF the wounds at the places where he
received them are mentioned below.
The first wound was a bite in the left
leg in Western Pennsylvania while with
Barnum's circus.
''The second was received while will S.
B. Howe & Co., in Augusta, Ga, being sew
erely bitten in the left hand. This wound
caused him to lose the use of his middle
finger.
"The third was inflicted at Little Rock,
Ark, by a honess in Howe & Castello's
circus. This time two fingers of the right
hand we're mangle5. He has full use of
them now.
"The fourth was received while in Mad
lson, Indiana, last summer The honess
seized him by the r;gnt leg, driving her
teeth into the calf of his leg until they near
ly met.
The fifth was received last April in New
Orleans. The animal seized him by the left
leg, inserting one tooth of the lower jaw an
inch and half into the calf, and tooth
of the upper jaw the same depth into the
upper side of the knee joint. Mr.. Lengel
was confined to his bed while, but when
the circus moved he came along and gave
two exhibitions, one in Augusta and one in
Savannah, the latter of which he says is
paradise for a circus. On coming here he
made arrangements to perform last Wednes-
day, but his leg paining him, he consulted
DIR. +. NJ. Robertson, who ordered him to
bed at once, telling him that the bone of
the leg was injured. This order was
obeyed. and Mr.. Lengel still remains in
bed. He is able, however, to travel about
the room occasionally.
at is somewhat of q coincidence that
DIR. Robertson has attended his patient on
two other occasions, at the Pavilion Hotel,
for wounds received from lionesses-all of
the wounds being upon the left side of the
body.
"Herr Lengel does not think he was bit
ten but once Intentionally. He says the
ionesses when together never meet but
they snarl and snap p each other-two of
them never live peacefully in the same cage
and states it as his opinion that, with the
exception mentioned, when he aggravated
one beyond endurance, he was in the way,
and was bitten for one of the ionesses
He has the teeth and claws of the honess
which he thinks bit him purposely. The
teeth are an inch and ha.f long, with a
root about two and a half inches in length.
If the teeth were driven in flesh up to the
gums. large sized peach stone could be
planted in the hole. The claws, which the
animal, like the Cat, keeps unexposed till
wanted, are formidabls-looking obje >ts.-
We do not now doubt, as we once did, the
assertions of travellers, that one blow from
lions paw would kill man or tear out
great masses of flesh. Herr Lengel SAYS
he fears their claws more than their teeth,
that they generally strike before they bite.
''Herr Lengel will have to remain here
about ten days longer, after which it is
probable he will be able to rejoin his CON-
pany."