Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-06-02
THE LION QUEEN.
Thrilling Adventure with Lions.

New York Special to Cincinnati Commercial.
The performance in Bowery theater
early on Sunday morning, terminated in
frightful tragedy Last week the man
ayers introduced living lions and tigers
as a novelty, with young woman, whose
stage name is Minnie Wells, as the lion
queen. Attired in well fitting suit OF
red, she boldly entered the lions cage,
and for a time became master of the
king of the forest. The tigers were also
so Thoroughly under her control that at a
mere motion of her hand they crouched
TO her feet, permitting her to sit on their
backs.
About 1890 o'clock this morning,
when the curtain was about to fall, Min
ME Wells entered the cages Of lions and
tigers, and reduced them to submission
Attired in her garish costume, the girl
went into the cage of the two lionesses
and begon her performance. One of
the animals was ready to obey her mis-
tress, but the other was out of humor;
but it would never do to disappoint the
patrons of the Bowery theater, so Minnie
Wells attempted to chastise the animal,
and the brute, snorting under the blows,
sprang upon her. In the twinkling of
an eye the lion queen was thrown down,
and the furious beast sprang at her
throat, fastening her teeth and claws
into both throat and shoulders. 1t was
thought at first by the spectators that
this was part of the plsy, until the
girls shrieks undeceived them. Then
the truth began to dawn on the house.
The women also shrieked and tainted
Some of the more timid left their seats,
and rushed from place which had been
changed from the representation of a
mimic to a real tragedy.
The woman lay on the floor of the cage
and the teeth and claws of the beast tear
ing her flesh Shrek after shrek rang
through the theater, and all supposed
that the lion queens performances had
ended. But soon the attendants rushed
to the stage, armed with iron bars, and
began TO belabor the monster until he had
released his hold The girl was then
taken out more dead than alive, for she
had tainted Her friends rushed-up, and
took her from the theater to her lodgings
where surgeon was summoned to dress
the wounds On examination it was
found that the injuries were not fatal,
but still very severe. The girls face,
neck and shoulders had been very Sc
verely torn by the animals teeth and
claws.
In trying to save herself the lion queen
thrust out her hand which was seized by
the lions teeth, and so severely bitten
that it may be necessary to amputate it.
Intense excitement prevailed both in
and around the theater, and even after
the house had been cleared by the po-
lice, mass of people stood in front of
the building discussing the horrible
event.
Captain Kennedy, of the Sixth Ward
police, was compelled at last to 90 round
to the theater with squad fpolice from
the Franklin street police station and
clear the people away from the building.
The laceration by the teeth especially
on the neck, are deep and Side. The |
gashes from the animals claws are fright !
fcl, and considered the most dangerous,
as the virus getting into the blood may |
cause modification.
The animals which Miss Wells appears |
with are only two years and five months
old, and were obtained by her father a |
few days after their birth, ,and reared
and trained by him especially for his
daughter to perform with. They are
said to be very tractable and devotedly |
attached to their young mistress, show
ing for her all the affections of young
spaniel The keeper of the animals and
Mr.. Wells are unable to account for the
ferocity of the lioness, which is Miss
Wells pet, otherwise than that she was
annoyed by Prince, the African lion, in
the adjoining cage.