The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-07-08
TERRIBLE SCENE.
A Circus Band Precipftated into Dee
OF IiOns-Thrcc Persons ktlIed.

Trrom the Middletown (Kansas) Banner.l
The usually quiet little village OF
Middletown was thrown into painful
fever of excitement on Thursday morn
ing by an awful catastrophe, which oc-
Cured i'm the band lately attached to
James RObinSOn's circus and animal
show, and led by Prof NJ. G. Sexton. .
IJpon starting out from Cincinnati
for the season, the management de-
termined to produce something novel
in the way of band chariot, and con-
ceiyed the idea of mounting the band
upon the colossal den OF performing
Numidian lions, and which would form
one of the principal and most imposing
features of the show. Although re.
peatedly warned by Prof. Sexton that
he deemed the cage insecure and dam
gerous i'm the extreme, the managers
Still persisted i'm compelling the band to
ride upon it.
Nothing, however, occurred until
Thursday morning. The band TOOK
their places, and the procession COM
menced to move amid the shouts OF
the multitude of rustics who had as
sembled to witness the great pageant,
and hear the enlivened strains ofmusic.
Not thought of danger was enter
tanned by any, one, but the awful catas-
trophe was about to occur. AS the
driver attempted to make the turn IN
| the streets, the leaders became en-
tangled and threw the entire team into
confusion. The driver lost control OF
them, and, becoming frightend, they
broke in 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 sup
ported the roof to give way, thereby
precipitating the entire band into the
awful pit below. For an instant the
| vast crowd were paralized with fear,
but for o moment only, and then arose
such a shrek of agony as never was
heard before. The awful groans of ter
rOr and agony which arose from the
poor victims who were being torn ana
lacerated by the frightful monsters be-
| low was heart-rending and sickemng
! to terrible degree.
Every moment some one of the band
would extricate himself from the de-
bris, and leap over the sides Of the cage
| to the ground with q wild spring OF ter
ror and faint away upon striking the
| earth. so great was his terror. But hui
man nature could not stand and see
men literally devoured before their
| very eyes, for there were willing hearts
and strong arms ready to render every
assistance necessary TO- rescue the uh-
| fortunate victims Of this shocking Ca
lamity. A hardware store which hap
pened to stand opposite was invaded:
and pitchforks, crOwbars, long bars OF
iron, and, in fact, every available wea-
pom, were brought into requisition, the
side doors of the cage were quickly
torn from their fastenings, and then q
horrible sight was presented to view.
Mingled among the brilliant uniforms
| of the poor unfortunate vfctims lay legs
| and arms torn from the sockets ana
half devoured, while the brutes giared
ferociously with their sickly green
colored eyes upon the petrified crowd.
Prof. Charles White arriving at this
moment, gave orders in regard to ex-
Treating the dead and wounded, he
well knowing that it would be difh-
cult and dangerous undertaking to re-
move them from the infuriated mon
sters. Stationing men with forks and
bars at every available point, ne
sprang fearlessly into the den amid
the savage monsters, and commenced
raising the wounded and passing them
upon the outside to their friends. { -
He had succeeded in removing the
wounded, and was proceeding to gath
j er up the remains of the ifeless, when
the mammoth lion, known to show
men as old Nero, sprang with q frightful
roar upon his keeper, fastening his
teeth and claws in his neck and shoul-
ders, lacerating him in horrible man
ner. Professor White made three her
culean efforts to shake the monster of,
but without avail; and gave orders to
fire upon him. The contents OF -four
\ Colts navies were Immediately poured
into the carcass of the ferocious animal
and he fell dead !. and the brave little
man, Notwithstanding the fearful man
Il ner in which he was wounded, never
!. left the cage until every ssvestige Of the