The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1869-12-23
IDAHO WORLD.
TAKING" AN ELEPHANT.

The Cincinnati Enquirer of December Hh
gives the following:
The war elephant Romeo" belonging 10
Forppaugh's meuagerie, and better knoWi us
"Old Canada" among shOwmen. his Dten ctie,
brated for years as being the most vicious anu
dangerous elephant in the country: lie mas at
different titnps, killed three OF his Keepers, ano
has frequently created the most dire consttr-
nation, besides damaging property to u c"''sa,
erable value, during his sury moods 1t VIII
be remembered that two years ago this winter
he killed his keeper, Williams, at Hatboro, Pa,
and remained in frenzied condition nearly the
entire winter. before he could be subjected.
Since then he has caused but little trouble, I'M
til Monday last, when he made his quarters,
near Connersville, Ind, the scene of disquiet-
ude and no little danger. A day or two pre-
vious the female elephant, Lallah Rookh, !"
which Mr.. Forepaugh had recently purchased
ut the Sheriff sale of DR.. Thayer's circus, in
this city, was placed in the same building with
Romeo, but was confined some distance away.
During the night she succeeded i'll drawing the
stake to which she had been tettered, aud lii
the early hours of the morning, when MIR. Geo.
FOrepaugh, ROmeOs keeper. entered the build
ing to look after his charge, he found the two
elephants standing together, and Romeo evil
IDENTITY much delighted with his new mate But
Mr.. FOrepaugh thought it prudent to mar this
new born pleasure by returning the female to
her proper place. This was instantly resented
by Romeo who seized his keeper with bis trunk
and threw him violently against the wall. Tie
was more alarmed than injured and fled from
the building, and mounting his horse sped to
the village for assistance. The necessary aid
was quickly summoned, and a little army of
I'm fn fhp nd
where the elephant was tied. They found hun
in state of the greatest fury, and their first
reception was a large piece of timber which
Romeo had torn from the ratters above him,
and which he hurled ut them with t"lerablr
aim and direction, but which, fortunately hit
no one He next seized 4 coach-dog, which
for two years had been his constant compam-
ion, and for which he has always evinced the
warmest attachment, and dashed him, lteless,
against the roof
Finding his rage so terrible and his mood SO
revengetul, it was determined TO subject him
by hunger, if possible, and up to Friday last
he had not received q particle of food or wa
ter but which treatment had not the slightest
effect in appeasing his fury. Ii was then de-
termined to stake" him. 1t becomes necessa-
ry to explain this term TO the general reader.
Whenever it becomes expedent, from death or
otherwise, to furnish an elephant with new
keeper, or an old one is required 10 bring him
under subsection, they take him." as it is call
ed in showmen's parlance. This is done by
combining him beyond the power of resistance.
and then beating him until he trumpets forth
his subsection, and yields submission TO his tor
mentors. In this instance guy stakes were
driven in the ground. at a distance OF about a
hundred feet, both in front and rear OF the Ell
ephant, and to these ropes were securely fast
ened, running through falls and blocks, and
which, by very adroit management were at
tached to the letters which encompassed and
bound his legs. To accomplish this success
fully it was necessary for one of the keepers
to stand in front of him with gun heavily
loaded with bird shot, and whenever he offer
ed to strike at TO those who were fastening the
ropes to his letters, charge was fired into his
trunk, causing him to roar with rage and pain,
but to desist from offensive demonstrations
When everything was ready, the huge mon
ster's legs were drawn from under him by the
men at the ropes, and he was brought to a re-
cumbent position, lying fiat upon his side. His
legs were then brought together aud bound in
q manner similar to that of q calf tcthcred for
the market, and then the work of subsection
commenced in earnest. His keeper, the only
man that was allowed to utter a word. stepped
up to him and driving the elephant spear deep
into his tanks, commanded him, in sharp and
decisive tones, to speak" He met with no
response but defiant blow from the elephant )
trunk He was then belabored for eight hours
with stout iron rods, and wounded innumera-
bic times with the spear until he was brought
under complete subsection and begged long aud
loud for mercy. He was then released from
his bonds, and rose to his feet in sorry plight,
and in such abject fear of his tOrmentDrs that,
to use the rather expressive words of his keep
er, "a child can now drive him with straw"