, 1870-06-16
IN TIE LIONS DEN,
An Appalling and Horrible 0ccur.
FcnCe.-Ehree Of Hoblnsonss Circus
Men Killed and Four shockinxlY
LnceEated by savage Beasts.


From the Atddt<,orcn tXssourt> Bannsr.
Upon starting out from Cincinnati for the
season, the management Of James Robinson's
circus and animal show determined to produca
something novel IN the way OF band chariot,
md conceived the idea Of mounting the band
upon the colossal den Of performing Numid-
ian lions, ,Rnd which would form one Of the
principal and most impoaing textures Of the
ahow.
Although repestedly warned by Professor
Sexton that be deemed the cage insecure and
dangerous IN the extreme, the managers still
persisted in compelling tho band to ride upon
it. Nothing, however, occurred until the fatal
morning Of The 18th.
The band took their places aud tho process
sion commenced to move amid tho shouts OF
the multitude Of rustics who had assembled to
Nitness tho grand pageant, and hear the en-
l,ytniDg strains Of muaic. Not q thought Of
danger was entertained by any one, but the
awful catastrophe was about to occur.
Az the driver endearored to make turn in
the streets the leaders became entang1ed md
threw the entire team into confusion, aud he
lost control Of them, aud becoming frightened
they Ltoke into 9 violent run, Upon the op-
Posite side OF the street the fore-wheel OF tie
cage came in contact with rock With such
force as TO cause the braces and stanchions
Which supported the roof to give away, thereby
pEecipitating the entire band into the awful Dill
pe1oW.
For an instant the vast crowd Were paraIvzal
with fear, but for moment only, and than
arose such shriek OF agony as was never
heard before. The awful g1oans Of terror and
agony which arose from tho poor victims who
were being tom, lacerated By the frightful
monsters below, was heastrcnding and sickeu-
ing to terrible degree.
Every moment some one Of the band would
e1tricate themselves from the debris and leap
over tho sides Of the cage to the ground with
wild spring and faint away upon striking the
Garth, 60 great was their terror. But human
nature could not stand and see mon literally
deToured before their very eyes, for there
we're willing hearts and strong arms ready to
render every assistance necessary to rescue
the unfortunate victims OF this shocking c.
1amity.
hardware store which happened to stand
opposite WAS invaded bY the request Of the
crow-bors md long bars OF iron, and in fact
every available weapon was brought into
rcauisitiou. The sitle-doors Of the cage were
quickly torn from their fastenings, and then
horrible sight WIS presented to view Mingled
among the brilliant Uniform OF the poor un-
fortunates Av legs, arms, torn from their
sockets and haK-devoured, whils the savage
brutes glazed ferociously with their Bickly
green-coIo1ed eyes upon tho petrified crowd
Professor Charles White arrived st this mo-
1nent and gave orders in regard to extricstinS
the dead and wounded-ho we'll knowing It
would be = difficult aud dangerous under
taking to remove them from the lnfuriated
monsters.
Stationing men with forks and bars 1t every
available point, he sprang fearIessly into the
den amid the monsters, and commenced raising
the wounded and passing them upon tho out
side 10 their friends, He had succeeded in re-
moving the wounded, and WAS proceeding to
gather up the remains OF tho lifeIess, when
the mammoth lion, known to shoHmen as old
Nero, sprang With q frightful roar upon his
keeper, fastening his teeth and claws in
his neck and shoulders, lacerating him in
horrible manner. Professor White mAde three
hcrculean efforts to shake the monster OF,
but without avail, and gaye orders to fire upon
him.
The contents Of four Of Colts navyB were
fcrocious animal, and he fell dead; and the
braye little man, notwithstanding the fearful
manner in which be was wounded, never left
the cage until every yeatige Of tho dead Was
carefully gathered together and placed upon a
eheet for burial 1t was found that three Of
the ten were killed outright, and four others
terribly 1acetated. The names Of the killed
arc August Schoer, Conrad Freiz, and Charles
Greiner. Cofdns were procured and IN imme-
diste butihl determined upon, Rs the bodies
were 80 frightfully torn and lscerated as to be
unrecognEablo to their most intin.to
friends.
The lions are the sarne ones which nearly
cost Prof. Charlea White his life two years
ago, whilo travelling with the Ttayer & Noyes
party, and were known to be 3 very danger
Gus cage Of animals. Every attention is being
given to the sufererers by the kind and hos
pitable citizens of 41iddletown, and at last
accounts they were all pronounced out Of dan