Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1870-07-13
IN THE LIONS DEN.
An Appalling and Horrible Occurrence
--Three of RObinsOn's Circus Men
Killed and Four ShOekingly Laeerat-
ed by Savage Beasts.

--Three of RObinsOn,s Circus Mel
Killed and Four ShOekingly Laeerat.
ed by Savage Beasts.
From the Middletown (NlissourD Banner
Upon starting out from Cincinnati
for the season, the management o.
James Robinson's circus and anima
show determined to produce some
thing novel in the way of a banC
chariot, and conceived the idea o.
mounting the band upon the colossal
den of performing Numidian lions
and which would form one of the prin.
cipal features Of the show.
Although repeatedly warned by Pro-
fessor Sexton that he deemed the cage
insecure and dangerous in the eX-
treme, the managers still persisted in
compelling the band to ride upon it.
Nothing, however, occurred until the
fatal morning of the 18th.
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 pageant, and hear the enliven-
ing strains ofmusic. Not thought OF
danger was entertained by any one,
but the awful catastrophe was about
to occur.
As the driver endeavored to make a
turn in the streets the leaders became
entangled and threw the entire team
into confusion, and he lost control of
them, and becoming frightened they
broke into violent run. Upon the
opposite side of the street, the fore
wheel of the cage came in contact
with a rock with such force as to
cause the braces and stanchions which
supported the roof to give away, there
by precipitating the entire band into
the awful pit below.
For an instant the vast crowd were
palalyzed with fear, but for moment
only, and then arose such shrieks OF
agony as were never heard before.
The awful groans of terror and agony
which arose from the poor victims
who were being torn, lacerated by the
frightful monsters below, was heart
rending and siekening to a terrible
degree.
Every moment some one OF the
band would extricate themselves from
the debris and leap over the sides OF
the cage to the ground with wild
spring and faint away upon striking
the earth, so great was their terror.
But human nature could not stand
and see men literally devOured before
their eyes, for there were willing
hearts and strong arms ready to rend-
er every assistance necessary to rescue
the unfortunate victims of this shock
ing calamity.
A hardware store which hap
pened to stand opposite was in
vaded by the request of the noble
hearted proprietor, and pitch-forks,
crow-bars and long bars of iron
and in fact every available weapon
was brought into requisition. The
side-doors of the cage We're quickly
torn from their fastenings, and then a
horrible sigh: was presented to view.
Mingled amCng the brilliant uniform
of the unfOrtunates lay legs, arms,
torn from their sockets and half-de-
voured, while the savage brutes glar-
ed ferociouslywith their sickly green
eolored eyes upon the petrified crowd.
Professor Charles White arrived at
this moment and gave orders in regard
to extrieating the dead and wounded
he well knowing it would be diff
icult and dangerous undertaking to
remove them from the infuriated
monster.
Stationing men with forks and bars
at every available point, he sprang
fearlessly into the den amid the mon
sters, and commenced raising the
wounded, and passing them upon the
outside to their friends He had sue
ceeded in removing the wounded, and
was proceeding to gather up the re-
mains of the lifeless, when the man.
moth 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,
laeerating him in q horrible manner.
Professor White made three herculean
efforts to shake the monster off, but
without avail, and gave orders to fire
upon him.
The cont.nts of four of Colts navys
were Immediately poured into the
of the ferocious animal, and he
fell dead; and the brave little man,
Notwithstanding the fearful manner
in which he was wounded, never left
the cage until every vestige of the
dead was carefully gathered together
and placed upon sheet for burial. 1t
was found that three of the ten were
killed outright, and four others terri
bly, lacerated. The names of the kill
ed are August Sehoer, Conrad Freiz,
and Charles Greiner. Collins were
procured and an immediate burial de-
upon, as the bodies were so
torn and lacerated as to be
lnrecognizable to their most intimate
friends.
The lions are the same ones which
nearly cost Prof. Charles White his
ife two years ago, while travelling
with the Thayer & Noyes party, and
we're known to be a very dangerous
age of animals. Every attention is
being given to the sufferers by the
Kind and hospitable citizens of Mid
lletown, and at last accounts they !
we're all pronounced out of danger.