The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-06-21
SHOCKING CALAMITY,
from the Middleton Kansas Banner.l


The usually quiet little village of Middle
town Was thrown into q painful lever OF
excitement on Thursday morning, the ION
instant, by an awful catastrophe, wn'ch
occurred in the band lately attached 10 Jas,
Rooinson's circus and animal show, ana leu
BY Prof NJ. Z. Sexton.
Uo,, sr.r,,ov ont from Cincinnati for the
se.,an the management determined to pro-
ducs something novel III the way OF = band
chariot. and conceived the idea of mounting
the bsnd upon the colossal den OF Numldian
lions, add which would com pose Que OF the
princ pal and IN osE i'm posing features of the
show Although repeatedly warned by Prof
Ssxton, that he deemed the cage insecure
suI dangerous in the extreme, the mi nsgers
still persisted in compelling the band to
rie, upon it.
Nothing. however, occurred until Thurs
day IN )rning. The baud took their places
ana the pro ,ession commenced to move on
amid the shouts Of the multitude of rustics
who had assembled to witness the grand
pageant and hear the enliven ing strains of
IN tslc n ot though of danger enter
tatnsi by any one, but the Sful catastrophe
WIS about to occur. As the driver endesv-
o7ed TO make the turn in the streets, the
leaders became entaugled and threw the
control of them, and, becoming frish'eneu,
tn ~ broke into q violent run. the lore wheei
OF the c,ya coming in contact with large
ro.k with such force TO cause the braces
AMI st.nchions which supported the root TO
give w.y, thereby precipi,atng the entire
b,ni into the awful pit below. For an in
srsnt the entire crowd was psralyzed, but
for moment ouiy, and then arose such a
shrek OF agony as never was heard before.
TIE awful grosns of terror aud agony which
aross from the poor victims who were being
torn AMI Iacerated by the friqhtful monsters
below were hsartrending and sickening TO q
terrible degree.
Every mo uent some one of the band
would ex;ricate himself from the debris, and
leap over the side of the cage to the ground
with wild spring of terror, aud faint away
upJn striking the earth, so great WAS his
terror. But human nature could lot stand
aud see n.n literally devoured before their
very eyes, tor there were willing hearts and
strong arms ready to render every assistance
necessary to rescue the unfortunate victims
OF this shocking calamity. hardware
store which happened to stand opposite was
invaded, aud pItchtorks, cro~bars and long
bars OF iron, and, III fact, every available
weapon, were brought into requi>itioL /; the
side doors of the cage were quick IL torn
from their fsstenipgs. aud then horrible
sight was presented to view. Mingled
among the brilliant uniforms of the poor,
unfortu ale victims lay legs and arms torn
from the sockets suC haf devoured while
the savage brutes stared feroriously with
their sickiy, green -colored eyes upon the
petrhed crowd. Prof. Charles White, ar
irving a this moment, gave ord ars in regard
to extricating the dead and wounded, be
well knowing that II would be & d fhcult aud
dangerous undertaking tie remove them from
the infuriated monsters Stationing men
with forks and bars, at every availsble
point. he sprang fesrlessly into the den
mid the IN onsters, and commenced raising
the wounded and passing them upon the
outside TO their friends.
DE had succeeded IN removing the
wounded, and proceeding to gather up
the remains OF the lIfeess, hen the nam
moth lion known to showmen as Old Nero,
sprsng with frqhiful roar upon his
keeper, fastening bis teeth aud claws IN his
neck and shoulders, decorating him IN q
horrible manner. Prot. White made three
hercuesn efforts 10 shake the monster off,
bu, without avail, and gave orders to fire
npon him. The contents OF four Colts
navy were Immediately poured into the
carcass OF the ferocious animal aud the
brave little man. notwi th standing the fearful
manner IN which he wounded, never
left the cage until every vesIige of the dead
were carefully gathered together and placed
upon a sheet preparatory tor burial II WAS
found that three of the ten who mounted the
cage a short time before were Ii led out
right, and four others terribly Iacerated.
The names of the killed were August
Schoer, Conrad Freeiz, and Charles Greiner.
Collins we're produced, and an immediate
burial determined upon, as the bodies
so frightfully torn and lacerated as to be
unrecognizable by their most intimate
friends.
IL was a melancholy day fer Middletown,
and a ssdder day for the friends and com
panions OF The deceased. OF the multitude
who started out in he morning with antici
pations of glad holiday. few left for their
homes with dry eyes after the triple funeral.
for the entire community followed the re
mains TO the quiet little village cemetery.
At midnight the carcass of the slain beast
puiet!y buried the lot where
intended to give the exhibition, but which
was never accom- plished.
There is terrible responsibility resting
upon some one, which should be investigated
aud the guilty parties brought to quick
and speedy punishment.
The lions the same ones which nearly
cost Prot Charles White his life two years
ago. while travelling with the Thayer and
Moves party, and were known to be q very
dangerous class oil animals.
Every attention is beirg given the suffer
er4 by the kind and hos pita BILE citizens Of
Mrddetown. and it il to be hoped they will
soon recover from their wounds, aud at last
accounts they were all pronounced out of
danger.