The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1870-06-23


!. ~ 10 ~ - agt
An Appalling and Horrible Oc-
euffetce-4Three Of R0bin-
sons Circue Men Killed and
Four SllockihRly Lacernted
by savage Beasts.
From The MIddlstovnu una,Ourij Banner. a
Upon starting ont from Cincins
natl for the season, the fnahaae-
ment Of James Robinson.s circus
and animal show determined 20
produce something novel in the
way OF q band chariot, and CON,
.ceiyed the idea Of mounting the
band upon the colossal den OF per
forming Eunidian lions, and which
would form one Of the principal
and most imposing features Of the
show. .l.ht3 &
I Although repeatedly warned BY
Professor Sexton that be deemed
the Cages insecure and dangerous
in the extreme, the managers still
persisted In compelling the band to
ride npon it. Nothing, however,
occurred until the fatal morning Of
the 18th. .
The band took their places and
the procession commemorate move
amid the shouts Of the multitude
Of rustics who had assembled to
witness the grand pageant, and
hear the enlivening strains of mu-
sic. Not a thought Of danger was
entertained by any one, but the
awful catastrophe was about to oc-
cur.
As the driver endeayored to
make turn in the streets the lead
ers became entangled and threw the
entire team into confusion, and he
lost control of them, and becoming
frightened they broke into a yio-
lent run Upon the opposite side
of the street the fore-wheeI Of the
cage came in contact with large
rock with such force as TO cause the
braces and stanchions which sup.
ported the roofto give way, there.
by precipitating the entire band in
to the awful pit below. -
For an instant the vast crowd
were paralyzed with fear, but for a
moment only, and then arose such
a shrek Of agony as was neyeI
heard before. The awful groani
Of terror and agony which aros,
from the poor victims who were be
ing torn, laeerated by the frightfu
monsters below, was heart-rendinC
and sickening to a terrible degree
j Every moment some one of thl
band would extricate themselye:
from the debris and leap over the
sides Of the cage to the ground
with wild spring and faint away
upon striking the earth, so grea
was their terror. But human na
ture could not stand and see mel
literally devoured before their ver,
2 eyes, for there were willing heart
and strong arms ready to render ey
cry assistance necessary to rescu
: the unfortunate victims of thi
shocking calamity.
A hardware store which happen
! ed to stand opposite was invade,
: by the request of tire noble e-hearte'
proprietor, and pitch-f forks, crow
! bars and long bars ofiron, and i
E fact every available weapon wa
E brought into requisition. The side
t doors of the cage were quickly tor
T from their fastenings, and then
5 horrible sight was presented t
e view. Mingled among the brillian
s uniforms of the poor unfortunate
= lay legs, arms, torn from their SOCK
0 cts and half devoured, while tn
: savage brutes glared ferociousl
e with their sickly green-colored eye
e upon the petrified crowd. Profes
/ or Charles White arrived at tn
IS moment and gave orders in regal
II to extricating the dead and woun
S. ed-he well knowing it would be
u difficult and dangerous undert
" king to remove them from the i
'r furiated monsters.
= Stationing men with forks ar
r, bars at every available point, |
1t sprang fearlessly into the den ami
n the monsters, and commenced raj
IS ing the wounded, and passing the
le upon the outside to their friend
n He had succeeded in removing Il
u wounded, and was proceeding
Is gather up the remains of the lif
Is less, when the mammoth lilo
a known to showmen as old Ner
a sprang with a frightful roar upc
a his keeper, fastening his teeth al
T. claws in him in his neck and sho,
S ders, lacerating him in a horrit
10 manner. Professor White ma
es three herculean efforts to sha
er the monster of, but without ava
N and gave orders to fire upon him
Ig The contents of four of Col
u nayys we're Immediately poured j
is to the carcass of the feiocious al
lie NAL, and he fell dead; and {
s. brave little man, notwithstandi
ed the fearful manner in which he "
u wounded, never left the cage nm
g. every vestige ofthe dead we're ca
lis fully gathered together and plac
ne upon sheet, preparatory for bl
If ial. It was found that three of
or ten were killed outright, and fo
is others terribly lacerated. T
is names of the killed are Augr
IS Schoer, Conrad Freiz and CHAR
m Creiner. Collins were procur
and an immediate burial determ
ed upon, as the bodies were
is frightfully torn and lacerated as
of be unrecognizable to their most
,e- innate friends. sai9o35si yss
he The lions are the same OF
ar which nearly cost Prof. Char
45 White his life two years ago, WI
= travelling with Thayer 4 Noyes p
ed ty, and were known to be a "