The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1869-12-30
PROCESS OF TAKING" A SURlY ELE-
PHANI
From the Cincinnati Con.mercial.l /


/ The war elephant ''Romeo' belong to Fore
| pauohs Menagerie and better known among
shoWmen rs ''Od Canada' has been cele-
bratcd for wears As being the most vicious,
vindctiYc and dangerous elephant III countrT.
He has killed. ut different periods three of his
keepers, and has frequently created the most
dire CONSERVATION, besides damaging proper
ty to a considerable value, in his surly moods.
1t will be remembered that two Years ago this
winter, he killed his keeper, Williams, at
Hathoro, Pennsylvania, and remained in trcn-
zicd condition nearly the entire winter before
he could be suhlngated. Since then he has
caused but little trouble, until Monday last,
when he made his quarters near Connersviilc,
Indiana. lhe scene Of considerable dispute
tude and no little danger. A day OF two pre-
vious the female elephant LA Rookh, which
Mr.. Foropaugh had recently purchased at the
| sheriff sale Of Dr.. Thayer's Circus, in this
city, WIS placed in the same building with
| Romeo, but was confined some distance apart.
| During the night she succeeded in drawing
the stake which she had been fettered and
! in the early hours OF the morning, when Mr..
| George Forepau@h, Romco's keeper, entered
the building to look after his charge, lie found
! the Two elephants standing together, and Ro-
mco evidently much delighted with his new
| companion But Mr.. Forepaugh thought it
! prudent to mar this newborn pleasure by re-
turning the female to her proper place. This
was Instantly resented by Romeo by seizing
/ his keeper with his trunk and throwing him
| violently against tie wall. More alarmed that
| injured Mi Foropaugh He'd from the build
inc, and mounting his horse sped to the vii
| lace for assistance The necessary aid was
quickly summoned, and little army OF show
men and villagers rcturncdto thc t;lir ground
were the elephant was confined They found
him I'M state of the greatest fury, and theirtirst
| reception was q large piece Of timber which
| Romeo had torn from the rattcrs above him,
and which he hured ut them with tolcrablc
aim and direction but which, fortunately,
struck nobody,
He next seized Il coach dog, which for two
years had been his constant companion, and
for which he has always evinced The walnest
attachments and dashed him lifelcss against
the root.
! F'indin his rage so terrible and his mood
50 reveugetul, it was determined to subject
him bv hanger, if possible, and up to Friday
last he had not received 4 particle of food ol
water, but which treatment had not the slight
est effect in appcasing his fury.
/. was thon determined to take" him,
It becomes necessary to explain this term
to the general reader.
| Whenever becomes cXpedient, from death
on otherwise, to furnish IN elephant with Il
new l.ecpcr o. an old one is Obliged to bring
him under suLiection, they 'take him." as il
is called in showmen's parlancc. This is done
by continuing him beyond the power Of ress-
tance, and then beating him until he trumpet>
fortl his subecton and yields submission &c
his tormentors.
In this instance guy stakes were driven in
the ground a distance of about one hundred
feet both in front and rear of the elephant
and TO these ropes were securely fastened
running through falls and blocks, and which
by very adroit management, were attached
10 the tctters which encompasscd and bounc
his legs.
TO accomplish this successfully, it was ne
cessary for one Of the keepers to stand i'll
front of him with 4 gun heavily loaded with
bi'd-shot and whenever he offered to strike
at those who were fastening the ropes to hi!
fchers, charge was fired into his trlnl
tcaus;ng him to roar with rage and pain, bu
to desst from offensive demonstrations
When everything was ready, the huge mon
sters legs wcrel drawn from under him by the
men at the ropes, and he was brought to
recumbcnt position, lying broadside on Tho
ground. His legs were then brought togcth
CT and bound similar to that of IL calf tether
ed for the market, and then the work OF sub
lection commenced in earnest. His keeper
, the only man that was allowed to utter Il word
advanced, and driving the elephant spear deel
t into his tlanks, commanded him in sharp
; decs i've tones to ''speak." He met with NJ
response but 4 defiant blow from the ele
plants trunk. He was then belabored lol
} eight hours with stout iron rods, and wound
ed with the spears innumerable times, until
t he was brought under complete suhjectiol
, and begged long and loud for mercy IL
was then released from his bonds, and ros
: to his feet in very sorry plight, and in sucl
G abject fear OF his tomentors that to ltse thu
1 rather expressive words of his keeper, chil'
can now drive him with rye straw.
n The people Of Ellsworth were enabled b.
} the warm weather Of last week to raise tn
blockade of their port. The vessels succeed
e cd in getting to sea on Saturday, and TIL
river is again open to navigation.
G IT is estimated that every male immigrant VIII