The Portland daily press., 1869-05-12
DAILY PRESS.
Wednesday Morning, May 70, 1859.
The Escaped Menagerie-Terrimc Eight
with a Lion.
PORTLAND.


with Lion.
Not long since we gave an account of the
escape of the animals belonging to menag-
erie in Mississippi. The Columbus Index
tells the following story which will pass very
well for denouement:
From a gentleman of our city, who con-
versed with person that knew whereof he
speaks, we obtain information of an extraor-
dinary event occurring in Monroe county last
week.
Mr.. George Coleman, young man of % or
"a years, living three miles from Prairie Sta
tion, was informed one day last week by
servant girl that she had just seen "bearn
as big as COW in the edge OF the woods
short distance from Mr.. Coleman's place.
Her excited manner at once reused his Curl
osity, and arming himself with his Spencer
rifle, loaded with twelve balls Ia piece that he
had used in the late war; he started out in
search OF the monster. He was accompani-
ed by a servant and large and very fierce
bulldog. Arrived at the spot, brief survey
soon discovered to him the object of his
search, in the shape of genuine lion.
The beast, at the sight of the men, sprang
into the branches of dead tree, and there
waited further developments. Mr.. Coleman
who is described as very cool and daring, did
not allow him to wait long, for elevating his
rifle, he at once discharged several loads at
him, which caused the beast to spring from
his position on his foe. Quick as thought Mr..
Coleman continued firing till he had exhaust
| ed all his charges, the second shot as he aft
| erward discovered, passing clean through the
| body of the beast without disabling him.
| And now came the tug of war. The lion, in
furiated with his wound, and with glaring
eyes reached the ground near Mr.. Coleman at
| the first leap, and made second spring mo-
ment afterward. Nothing but the courage of
| bis dog saved Mr.. Coleman from instant de-
| struction. The noble animal threw himself
OH the king OF beasts eIe he reached his vic
| tim; and seizing him by the nose, though
knocked about as a feather. fought him SO te-
naciousy that the ion abandoned his pur-
| pose, and. by single bound, seated himself
| on the lower limb of a tree, about twelve feet
| from the ground.
| At this moment Mr.. Colemans servant
| handed him double -barreed gun, which he
had brought along; he advanced almost i'm
mediately under the beast, took an aim that
was to seal his own fate for life or death, fired
both barrels, and brought the lion dying to
| the ground.
On measurement, the lion was found to be
nearly nine feet in length; and to weigh one
hundred and eighty pounds. He had white
| spot on his breast, was a tawny color, and
| showed all the marks OF an American Iion.-
DR.. Hurd, of Monroe, who is considerably
skilled in natural history, says there is no
doubt of his species, and has his head for
preservation. Our readers are assured there
| is no humbug about the affair. The only
| way we can account for the presence of a hon
| in this country is to identity this one with
the animal that escaped from the menagerie
at Forrest. Mississippi, about two weeks since
columbus (Miss.) Inder.