The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-06-15
TORN TO PIECES.
Terrible Affair In n Travelling Ctrcus-Threo
Men DevOured Alive by LIons.

Terrible Affair In rrnyeIiIps Circus-Throo
The usually quiet little village of Middletown,
Missouri, was lately thrown into painful fever
OF excitement by an awful catastrophe which oc-
Cured to the band lately attached to James
Robinson q Co.'s circus and animal show, and
led by Prof NJ. G. Sexton.
Upon starting out from Cincinnati for the
season, the management determined to produce
something novel in the way of band chariot,
and conceived the idea of mounting the band
upon the colossal den of performing Numidian
lions and which would form one of the
principal and most imposing features of the
show.
Although repeatedly warned by Professor Sex
ton that he deemed the cage insecure and dan
gerous in the extreme, the managers still per-
sisted in compelling the band to ride upon it.
On the fatal morning of the 18th, the band took
their places and the procession commenced to
move amid the shouts of the multitude of rustcs
who had assembled 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 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 a violent run. Upon the 0ppO-
site side of the street the fore-wheel of the cage
came in contact with large rock with such
force as to cause the braces and stanchions
which supported the roof to give away, thereby
precipitating the entire band into the awful pit
below.
For an instant the vast CrOWQ were par0lyZed
with fear, but for moment only, and then arose
such shrek of agony as was never heard be-
FORE The awful groans of terror and agony
which arose from the poor victims who were
being torn, lacerated by the frightful monsters
below, was heartrending and sickeniug to a
terrible degree. Every some one of the
band would eLtricate 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
aevoured before their very eyes, for there were
willing hearts and strong arms ready to render
every assistance necessary to rescue the unfor-
tunate 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, crow
bars and long bars of iron, and in fact every
available weapon was brought into requisiton.
The side doors 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 unfortunates lay
legs, arms, torn from their sockets and half
devOured, while the savage brutes glared fero-
ciously with their sickly, green-coored eyes
upon the petrifed crowd. Professor Charles
White arrived at this moment, aud gave orders
in regard to extricating the dead and wounded,
he we'll knowing it would be difficult and dan
gerous undertaking to remove them from the
infuria!ed 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 passing them upon
the outside to their friends. He had succeeded
in removing the wounded, and was proceeding
to gather up the remains of the lifeless, when
the mammoth lion, known to showmen as Old
Nero, sprang with frightful roar upon his
keeper fastening his teeth and claws in him, in
his neck and shoulders, lacerating him in a
horrible manner. Professor White made three
herculean efforts to shake the monster off, but
without avail, and gave orders to fire upon him.
The contents of four of Colts navies were i'm
mediatey poured into the carcass of the fero-
cious animal, and he fell dead; and the brave
little man, Notwithstanding the fearful manner
in which he was wounded, never left the cage
until every vestige of the dead was carefully
gathered together and placed upon a Sheet
preparatory for burial. 1t was found that three
of the ten who mounted the cage a short time
before were killed outright, and four others
terribly lacerated. The names of the killed are
August Schoer, Conrad Freeiz, and Charles
Greiner. Coffins were procured and au imme-
diate burial determined upon, as the bodies were
SO frightfully torn and lacerated as to be unre-
cognizable to their most intimate friends. 1t
was melancholy day for Mddetown, and a
sadder day for the friends and companions of
the deceased.
OF all that vast multitude who started out in
the morning with antcipations of a glad hol-
day, few left for their homes with dry eyes
after the triple funeral, for the entire commu-
nifty followed the remains to the quiet little
cemetery. At midnight the carcass of the slain
beast was quietly buried on the lot where was
intended to be given the exhibition, but which
was never accomplished. There is terrible re-
sponsibility resting upon some one, which
should be thoroughly investigated, and the
guilty parties be brought to quick and speedy
punishment. The lions are the same ones Which
nearly cost Professor Charles White his. life
two years ago, while travelling witR the
Thayer and Noyes party; and were known to be
avery dangerous cage of animals.