The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1870-07-13
A Circus Band Precipitatcd into +;
Den Of Lions.
THREE PERSONS KILLED. TERRIBLE
~ SCENE.

SCENE.
The usually quiet little village of /.
was thrown into Il painful :
fever of excitement on Thursday morn
ing, by an awful catastrophe which Oc-
cured in the band lately attached to
James RObinson's circus and animal
show, and led by Prof M. G. Sexton.
Upon starting out from Cincinnati
for the season, the management deter
mined to produce something novel in
the way of a band chariot, and conceiv-
ed the idea of mounting the band upon
the colossal den of performing Numid-
ian lions, and which would form one of
the principal and most imposing fea-
lures of the show. Although repeated
ly warned by Prof. Sexton that he
deemed the cage insecure and danger
Gus in the extreme, the managers still
persisted in compelling the band to
ride upon it.
Nothing, however, occurred until
Thursday morning. Tie band TOOK
their places, and the procession COM
menced to move amid the shouts of the
multitude OfTristics who had assembled
to witness the grand pageant, and hear
the enlivening strains OF music. Not a
thought of danger was entertained by
any one, but the awful catastrophe
was about to occur. AS the driver at
tempted to make the turn in the streets,
the leaders became entangled and threw
the entire team into confusion. The
driver lost control of them, and, be-
coming frightened, they broke into a
violent run, the fore wheel of the cage
coming in contact with a large rock
with such force as to cause the braces
and stanchions which supported the
roof to give way, thereby precipitating
the entire band into the awful pit be-
! low. For AN instant the vast crowd
were paralized with fear, but for a mo-
ment only, and then arose such a Shrek
of agony as never was heard before
The awful groans of terror and agony
which arose from the poor victims who
were being torn and lacerated by the
frichtful monsters below was heart
rending and sickening to terrible de-
gree.
Every moment some one of the band
would extricate himself from the debris,
; and leap over the sides of the cage to
the ground with wild spring of terror
| and faint away upon striking the earth,
so great was his terror. But human
: nature could not stand and see men lit
orally devoured before their very eyes,
t for there were willing hearts and strong
| arms ready to render every assistance
: necessary to rescue the unfortunate VIC
a tins of this shocking calamity. A
: hardware store which happened tt
;, stand opposite was invaded, and pitch
, forks, crOw-bars, long bars of iron, ant
/ in fact, every available weapon, were
Z brought into requisition, the side door
g of the cage were quickly torn from
) their fastenings, and then horrible
SIGHT was presented to view. Mingled
s among the brilliant uniforms OF Tn
e poor unfortunate victims lay legs ant
: arms torn from the sockets and bal
n devoured, while savage brutes glare
IL feroeiously with their siekly grcen-co
|, oretl ewes upon the petrificd crowd
Prof. Charles White arriving at thi
10 moment, gave orders in regard to eS
g Treating the dead and wounded, b
;e well knowing that it would be dull
Is cult and dangerous undertaking to II
1T move them from the Infatuated MOI
It. sters. Stationing men with forks an
he bars at every available point, he spran
ne fearlessly into the den amid the savas
hit monsters, and commenced raising ii
wounded and passing them upon I'll
outside to their friends.
He had succeeded in removing tt
ny wounded, and was proceeding to sat
ns Ell up the remains of the lfcitss, wh,
the great mammoth lion Known to t
showmen as 'sOld Nero" sprsng witt
ng frightful roar upon his keeper, taste
nd inc his teeth and claws in his heck al
m, shoulders, lacerating him in a hOrlil
as manner. Prof. White made three he
culean efforts to shake the monster
TX but without avail aud gave orders
he fire upon him. The contents OF to
ne, Colts navies were Immediately pour
to into the carcass of the ferocious amin
be- and he fell dead and the brave lit
re. man, Notwithstanding the fearful ma
her ner in which he was wounded, neN
lit left the cage until every vestige OF
dead were carefully gathered togetl
out and placed upon sheet, preparatt
for burial. 1t was found that three
en- the ten who mounted the cage sh
els, time before were killed outright, &
the four others terribly lacerated. 4
eve names of the killed were August Sc
). er. Conrad Freeiz and Charles Greil
Ter: Collins were procured, .and an imme
ate burial determined upon, as the
but dies were so frightfillly torn and La
rated as to be unacceptable by II
an most intimate friends.
IT, I 1t was melancholy day for Mid'
ned town, and sadder day for the frie
was and companions of the deceased.
the multitude who started out IN
was morning with anticipations OF
1ant holiday few left for their homes '
dry eyes after the triple funeral,
ring the entire community followed the
mains to the quiet little village &c
and terry. At midnight the carcasN OF
his slim beast was quietly buried on
lot where was intended to be given
exhibition, but which was never
complished. There is terrible
forth possibility resting upon some
the which should be thoroughly invest
chill ted and the guilty parties be bro
arms to quick and speedy punishmel
and The lions are the same ones "
And nearly cost Prof. Charles White hi
the nearly two years ago while trav'
with the Thayer g. Noyes party,
was were known to be very DANCE
n his CAGE of animals. Every attentlc
grief, given the suffers by the kind and
ears, pitable citizens of Middletown, a
is to be hoped they will recover