Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-01-04
4 CIRCUS "REMINISCENCES.
An Event Of Thirty Years AgO-The
Elephant Columbus ON the Ramp
age-Race for Life-Three Men and
n Dozen Animals Killed.

n Dozen Animals Killed.
Thirty years ago, on the 91st of De
cember, 1889, the famous rampage of thu
elephant Columbus occurred near New
Orleans, and as the only living witnesse!
of the affair are residents of Cincinnati
at present, we will give short account Of
the elephantine tare.
Raymond Is Wahring Circus and Men.
agerie, which had been showing separately
in the centre of Louisiana, were ordered
by the projectors torendezvous at point
three miles above Algiers-which town
is directly opposite New Orleans-on the
last day of the year, in order that the
combination, which was the largest that
has ever appeared in the South, might
march into the Crescent City on New
Years Day. With one branch of the
show was the elephant Columbus, and
with the other Hannibal, both of
which achieved national fame afterwards
The junction had been formed, and the
procession was nearly in readiness to
move, when, unfortunately, the two ele-
plants were brought together, and they
Immediately proceeded to test their pugil-
istic accomplishments. Their keepers in
terfered and succeeded in parting them,
and Hannibal quoted down, but Column
bus was not to be so easily satisfied. He
stood glazing around for few minutes,
and then struck his keepers horse fear
full blow with his trunk, and followed it
up by thrusting his immense tusks lover
six feet long, through the animals body.
The keeper, VIM. Crum, fell with his
horse, and the elephant next attacked
him, picking him up in his trunk and
dashing him against the ground with such
force as to break half the bones in his
body and cause instant death. Columbus
then marched along the line until he
he reached the lama cage, which
he upset and demolished, killing
the lama His next movement was
to make dive for John Robinson
and Arthur Crippen, both of this city,
who were connected with the service, but
these gentlemen being on horseback, sue
ceeded, although with great trouble and
danger, in escaping. Columbus now
passed the caravan at a run, and soon met
a drayman driving two mules, both of
which fell victims to his rage, as did also
the driver, who attempted to escape by
running, but was overtaken. Passing
through Algiers, the elephant soon came
across a negro man sitting on fence, and
tore down the fence to get at him, and
then tore him piecemeal. The negro was
a slave, and Columbus owners were re-
quired to pay $1,8OO for killing him.
Further on, about nine miles from his
starting point, the elephant met a French
man and party of negroes, whom he
attempted to demOraliZe also, but here he
met his match, and after combat of
nearly an hour he gave up and was
chained, having first received three bullets
from a rifle, just below the right eye.
The wounds OCcasiOncd no incOnven-
fence, however, beyond producing run
ming sores, which lasted until Columbus
death, which was caused by his falling
through a bridge at North Adams, Mass,
in 1854, and breaking his neck. In the
rampage the elephant killed nearly doz-
en- horses, mules, COWS and calves, for
which his owners were compelled to pay
about $40, 900. The circus and manage
RE company was composed of los men,
of whom but three are known to be living
at present, they being John Robinson,
circusman, and Arthur P. Crippen, watch
man at the 1 and c. Depot in this city,
and Louis Lipman, dry goods merchant
at Laurel, Ind, all three of whom wit
messed the disaster, and were compelled to
observe extreme caution to preserve their
own lives. Mr.. Crippen subsequently had
both his arms broken by Columbus while
assisting in shipping him TO Philadelphia.
Cincinnati Chronicle.