The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1870-07-01

DEvoURED BY LIONS
A Frightful Scene.


dletown, Missouri was lately thrown in
to painful fever of excitement, by an
awful catastrophe which occurred to the
band lately attached to James Robinson
& Co.'S circus and animal show, and led !
by Prof NJ. e. Sexton.
Upon starting out from Cincinnati for
the season, the management determined |
to produce something novel in the way
of a band chariot, and conceived on the
idea of mounting ,hc band upon the den
of performing Numidian lions, and which
would form one of the principal and
most imposing features of the show. Al
though repeatedly warned by Professor
Sexton that he deemed the cage insecure
and dangerous in the extreme, the man
ayers still persisted in compelling the
band to ride upon it. Nothing, however,
occurred until the fatal morning of the
18th instant.
The band took their places and the
PROCESSION commenced to move amid the
shouts Of the multitude of rustics who
had assembled to witness the grand pa
gcant, and hear the enlivening strains
of music. As the driver eadeavored to-
make a turn in the streets the leaders
became entanglcd and threw the entire
team into confusion and he lost control
of them, and becoming frightened they
broke inio a violent run. Upon the OPP
posite side of the street the forewheel of
the cage came in contact with large
rock with such force as to cause the bra
ces and stanchions which supported the
roof to give way, thereby precipitating
the entire band into the awful pit below.
For an instant the vast crowcd was
paralyzed with fear, but for a moment
only, and then arose such shrek of ag-
onv as was never heard before. The
awful groans Of terror and agony which
arose from the poor victims who were
being torn, laccrated by the frightful
monsters below, was heartrending and
sicllening to a terrible degree. Every
moment some one of the band would eX-
trcate themselves from the debris, and
leap over the sides of the cage to the
ground with a wild spring, and faint
away on striking the earth, so great was
their terror. But human nature could not
stand and see men literally dcvoured
before their very eyes, for there were
willing hearts and strong arms ready to
render every assistance necessary to res
cue the unfortunate victims Of this shock
ing calamity. A hardware store which
happened to stand opposite was invaded
by the request of the noblc-hearted pro,
prietor, and ptchforks, crowbars id
long bars of iron, and in fact every vail
able weapon, was brought into requisi-
ton. The side-doors of the cage were
quickly torn from their fastenings, and
then horrible sight was presented to
view. Mingled among the brilliant uni
form of the poor unfortunates lay legs,
arms, torn from their sockets and half
dcvoured. while the savage brutes glar-
ed ferociousIy with their sickly green
colorcd eyes upon the petrifed crowd.
Professor Charles White arrived at this.
moment, and gave orders in regard to
extricating the dead and wounded-he
well knowing it would be difficult and
dangerous undertaking to remove them
from the infurated monsters, Station
ing men with forks and bars at every
available point, he sprang fearlessly IN
to the den amid the savage monsters,
and commenced raising the wounded
and passing them upon the outside to
their friends. lie had succeeded in re-
moving the wounded, and was proceed
ing to gather up the remains OF the life
less, when the mammoth lion, known to
showmen as old Nero, sprang with a
frightful roar upon his keeper, fastening
his teeth and claws in his neck and
shoulders, decorating him in a horrible
manner. Professor White made three
herculean efforts to shake the monster
off. but without avail, and gave orders
to fire upon him. The contents of four
of Colts navys were Immediately poured
into the carcass of the ferocious animal,
and he fell dead; and the brave man,
notwithstanding the fearful manner in
which he was wounded, never lett the
cage until every vestige of the dead was
carefully gathered together and placed
upon sheet preparatory for burial. 1t
was found that three Of the ten who
mounted the cage a short time before
were killed outright, and four others
terribly lacerated. The name Of the
killed arc Augustus Sheer, Conrad Free
il and Charles Groiner. Collins were
procured and an immediate burial deter
mined upon, as the bodies were so fright
fully torn and laceratcd as to be unrccog-
nizable to their most intimate friends. 1t
was melancholy day for Middletown,
aud a sadder day for the friends and
COM anions of the deceased. OF all the
East mn!.itmda who star.ed out in he