Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1870-06-24
from the Middletown mo. Banner. |
Terrible Circus Accident.
FEARFUL AND AWFUL AFFAIR-THREE NJ
DEvOURED ALIVE BY LIONS,

~ uhuoUoAiJ IQiCG llltlG flildSC VI
dletoNn was lately thrown into Il painful
fever Of excitement on the morning Of June
18th. by an awful catastrophe, which occur
red to the band lately attached to James
Robinson 4 Co.'S, circus and animal show,
and led by Professor NJ, c. Sexton.
Upon starting out from Cincinnati for the
season, the management determined to pro-
duce something novel in the way of band
chariot, and conceived the idea of mount
ing the band upon the colossal den of per-
forming Numidian lions, and which would
form one of the principal and most imposing
features Of the show.
Although repeatedly warned by PROBES
sor Sexton that he deemed tie cage insecure
| and dangerous in the extreme, 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 pro-
cession commenced to move amid the shouts
| of the multitude of rustics who had assem-
bled to witness the grand pageant, and hear
the enlivening strains Of music Not a
| thought of danger was entertained by any
one, but the awful catastrophe was about to
| occur.
AS the driver cndeavored to make a turn
in the streets the leaders became entangl ed
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
large rock with such force as to cause the
braces and stanchiohs which supported the
roof to give way. thereby precipitating the
entire band into the awful pit below
For an instant the vast crowd was para
lived with fear. but Tor moment only, and
then arose such a shrek of agony as was
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
rcnding and sickening to u terrible degree
Every moment some one OF the band
would extricate themselves from the debris
and leap over the sides of the cages to the
ground with a 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
very eyes, for there were willing hearts and
strong arms ready to render every assistance
necessary to rescue the unfortunate victims
of this shocking calamity.
A hardware store which happened to
stand opposite was invaded by the request of
the noble hearted proprietor, and pitchforks,
crowbars and long bars of iron, and in fact
every available weapon was brought into
requisition. The side-dooys Of the cage
were quickly torn from their fastenings, and
then horrible sight was presented to view.
Mingled among the brilliant uniform Of the
poor unfortunatcs lay legs, arms, torn from
their sockets and half devoured, while the
savage brutcs glared ferociously with their
sickly green-colored eyes upon the petrifed
crowd Professor Charles White arrived at
this moment, and gave orders in regard to
extricating the dead and wounded-he well
Knowing it would be difficult and danger
our undertaking to emove them from the
Infatuated monsters.
Stationing men with forks and bars at
every available point, he sprang fearlessly
into the den amid savage monsters, nd
SoHti!iGHCCu ihioLbS INC HouuuCeA, ftid pu'soN
ing them upon the outside to their friends
He had succeeded in removing the wounded.
and was proceeding to gather up the re-
mains OF the ifeless, when the mammoth lion,
known to showmen asoldNero, sprang with
frightful roar upon his keeper, fastening
his teeth and claws in him in his neck and
shoulders, acerating him in horrible man
ner Prof White made three herculean
efforts to shake the monster off, but without
avail, and gave orders to fire upon him.
The contents CT four of Colts nayys were
Immediately poured in;o the carcass Of the
ferocious animal and he fell dead; and the
brave little man Notwithstanding the fear
full manner III Which he vas wounded, nev-
er left the cage until every vestige Of the
dead were carefully gathered together am.
placed upon a sheet. preparatory for burial.
1t was found that three Of the tea who
mounted the cage short time before were
killed outright, and four others terribly
lacerated The names of the killed are Au-
gust Schoer, Conrad Freez and Charles
Greincr. Collins were procured and an i'm
mediate burial determined upon, as the
bodies were so frightfully torn and lacera-
ted as to be unrecognizablc to their most
intimate friends