The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-06-18
Terrible Affair IN n Travelling Cir.
cus-Three Men Dcyourcti Alive by

I s1hc usually QulCG ilCLlc village OIL mluule
! Town, NO., was lately thrown into pain
iul fever OF excitement by an awful catas
trophe which occurred to the band lately
! attached to James Robinson Is Co.'s circus
and animal show, and led by Professor NJ
G. 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 mounting
the band upon the colossal den of perform.
ing Numidian lions, and which would form
one of the principal and most imposing
features of the show.
Although repeatedly warned by Profess
sor Sexton that he deemed the cage inse-
cure ana dangerous in the extreme, the
managers still persisted in compelling the
band to ride upon it. On the fatal mor1l-
ING. OF the 18th the band took their places,
and the procession commenced to move,
amd the shouts OF the multitude of rustics
who had assembled to witness the grand
pageant and hear the enlvening strains of
music. Not a thought of danger was enter
tanned by any one, but the awful catas-
trophe was about to occur.
AS the driver endeavored to make turn
IN the streets the leaders became entangled
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
forc-Whecl OF the cage came in contact with
a large rock with such force as to cause the
braces and stanchions which supported the
roof to give way, thereby precipitating the
entire band into the awful pit below.
For all instant the vast crowd were para
lyZed with fear, but for moment only,
and then arose such a shrek of agony
us was never heard before. The awful
groans OF terror and agony which arose
from the poor victims who were being torn,
laceratcd, by the l'rightful monsters below
was hcart-rending and sickening to terri
bic degree. Every moment some one of
the band would extricatc themselves 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 great
was their terror. But human nature could
not stand and see men literally devoured
before their very eyes, for there were will
ing hearts and strong arms ready to render
every assistance necessary TO rescue the
unfortunate victims Of this shocking ca
lamity.
A hardware store which happened to
stand opposite was invaded at the request
Of the noble-hearted proprietor, and pitch
forks, crowbars, and long bars Of iron, and
in fact every available weapon was brought
were quickly torn from their fastenings, and
then horrible sight was presented to view.
Mingled among the brilliant uniforms of the
poor unfortunatcs lay legs, arms torn from
their sockets and half devoured, while the
savage brutes glared ferociously with their
sickly, green-colored eyes upon the petrified
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 a difficult and dam
gerous undertaking to remove them from
the Infatuated monsters.
Stationing men with forks and bars at
every available point, he sprang fearlessly
into the den amid the savage monsters, and
commenced raising the wounded and pass
ing them upon the outside to their friends.
tie had succeeded in removing the wound
ed, and was proceeding to gather up the re-
mains of the lifeleSs, when the mammoth
lion, known to showmen as Old Nero.
sprang with fearful roar upon his keeper,
fastening his teeth and claws in him, in his
neck and shoulders, lacerating him in Il
horrible manner. Professor White made
three hcrculean efforts to shake the monster
oil, but without avail, and gave orders TO
fire upon him.
The contents of four Of Colts navies were
Immediately poured into the carcasc of the
ferocous animal, and he fell dead and the
brave little man, Notwithstanding the fear
full manner in which he was wounded, never
left the cage until every vestige Of the dead
was carefully gathered together and placed
llpon sheet, preparatory to burial. 1t
was found that three Of the ten who
mounted the cage 4 short time before were
killed outright, and four others terribly Ia
ccrated. The names of the killed are Au-
gust Schoer, Conrad Freeiz, and Charles
Greiner. Collins were procured and an i'm
mediate burial determined upon, rs the Boz
dies were so frightfully torn and lacerated
as to be unacceptable to their most lntl-
mate friends. 1t was melancholy day for
Middlctown, and a salder day for the friends
and companions Of the deceased.
Of all that vast multitude who started out
in the morning with authorizations of glad
holiday, few left for their homes with dry
eyes after the triple funeral, for the entire
community followed the remains to the
quiet little cemetery. At midnight the car
case of the slain beast was quietly buried OH
the lot where was intended to be given the
exhibition, but which was never accom-
plished. There is a terrible responsibility
resting upon some one, which should be
thoroughly Investigated and the guilty par
ties he brought to quick and speedy pun
ishmcnt. The lions are the same ones which
nearly cost Professor Charles White his life
two years ago while travelling with the
Thayer and Noyes party, and were known
to be very dangerous cage OF animals.