The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-06-18
MEN EATEN ALIVE BY LIONS
A BRASS BAND PRECIPIrArED IN
DEN OF NUHIDI1N LIONS.
Three Men Torn TO Picces-Otbers Serious
ly Wounded Fighting the savage Brutes
with Crowbars and Pitchforks- Euor-
nous Lion Shot Dead.

with Crowbars and Pitchforks-AnE uor-
nous Lion Shot Dead.
Prom he 81. LOUIS Republican.
The usually quiet little village Of Middletoyn.
Missouri, was lately thrown into painful fever Of
excitement by nm awful catastrophe which occt rrea
to the band lately attached to james Robinson h
Co.'s circus and animal show, and led by Prof NJ,
Upon starting out from Cincinnati for the season.
the Management determined to produce something
novel In TIE way Of band chariot, and conceived
the idea OF mounting tie baud upon TIE colossal
den OF performing Numiiiin lions and which wouId
form one Of the principal and most imposing features
Of the show.
Although repeatedly warned by Professor sexton
that be deemed toe cage insecure and dangerous In
the extreme the MANAGERS still persisted In compeI.
ling the hand to ride upon H. On the fatal morning
Of the i2b, the band took their places and the pro.
multitude Of rustics who had assembled TO witness,
the grand PAGEANT, and hear the enlivening strains
Of music. Not thought OF danger was entertained
by any one, but the awful catastrophe about 10
occur.
As the driver endeavored 70 make turu in the
streets the leaders became entangled and threw Tho
entire team into confusion. and he lost control Of
them, and becoming frightened they broke into q
violent run. Upon the opposlte side Of the street
the fore wheel Of the cage came In contact with a
large rock with such force TO the braces and
siauchions which supported the roof to give away
thereby precipitains tho entire band into the awful
For an instant the vast crowd was psraivscd with
fear, but for moment only. and then arose such
shrek OF agony a. was never heard before. Tho
awful groans Of terror and agony winch from
the poor victims who were being torn, lacerated by
the rightfu monsters below were beartrending snd
| s.ckening to n terrible degree. Every moment
some one OF the band would extricate themselves
from the debris and leap the sides Of the cage
| 10 the ground with wild spring, ana faint away
upon striking the earth, 80 great was their terror
| But human nature could not stand and see men H.
| orally devourcd before tner very eyes, for there
willing hearts and strong arms ready N render
every assistance necessary to rescue the unfortunate
| victims OF this shocking calamity.
A hardware store which happened To stand oppo-
site was invaded y the request OF the noble he lrted
proprietor, and pitchforks crowbirs, and long bars
| OF iron, and in fact every available weapon wss
| brought into req1isition The side doors Of the
cage were quickly torn from their fastenings, aud
| then horrible sight presented TO view Min
red among TIC brilliant uniforms Of the poor unfor.
Inmates lay legs, arms, torn from their sockets and
l.si devoured, while the savage brutes glared iero-
ciously With their sickly, grecn-coored ewes upon
| the petrihed crowd. Professor Charles White ar
rived At this moment and gave orders in regard to
| extricatng the dead and wounded he well Annwing
| II would be difficult and dangerous undertaking to
remove them from the infuriatcd monsters
statiohing men with forks mud bars atevery avail.
able point, he sprang fearlessy into the den amid
| the savage monsters, and commenced raising the
wounded and passing them upon the outside to their
friends lie I'd succeeded in moving the wounded,
and WIS proceeding to gather the remains Of tho
| iiroless whom the m1mmoth lion. known TO show
men IA Old Nero sprnng Will a ri yitiul roar upon
his keener fastening his teeth and claws In him. In
his neck and shoulders, lacerany him In horrible
manner. Professor White made three herculean
efforts to shake the monster OF, but without avail,
| and gave orders ~ fire upon him.
The contents OF four OF Colts navies were imme'
didtey poured INTO the carcass OF the iefOclous AMI
NAL and he fell dead and the brave little man. not
outstanding the fearful manner In which be was
woui ded never lett the cage until every vestge OF
the deaf was carefully gathered together and placed
| upon sheet, preparatory for burial Ii was found
that three Of tie ten who mounted the cige short
| time before killed outright and four others
terribly lacerated. The names OF the Killed ara
| August Scoer, Conrad Freeiz, and Charles Greiner
| COINS we're procured. and immediate burial de
| termined upon. the bodies were 30 irightfullJ
torn and laeeraed to be unrecogniZable to theii
! most intimate friends. II melancholy day ior
| Mtddletown, and n saddor day ioE the friends and
| companions OF tho deceased
OF all that vast multiiude WHO started out In th'
| morning with antcipltions OF glad holiday, few
| left for their homes with dry ewes after the trip
| funeral for the entire community followed the 70
| mains 70 the quiet little cemetery. Al midnight
the Of the slain beast quietly uriod OF
the lot where was intended to he given the exnbi
| ton, but which never accomplished. There Il
"a terrible responsibility resting upon some one
which should he thoroughly investigated. aud Thu
guilty parties be brought to quick and speedy pun
| ishmert. Tie Hons arc the same ones which near.
| cost Prof Charles White his life two years ago
| while travelling with the Thsyer Moves party
and were known TO be verJ dangerous cage o.
| animals.