Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-03-22

A FrightfuI Scene I'm Woods Mu-
seum-NarrOw Escape of Pop Fay
Monarch of the Forest IgnOmini-
Ously Dragged by the Tail.
From the New York Sun. 13th.l
Pop Taylor, the friend of beasts and
birds, and the originator of Barnum' s
Happy Family, found himself in a dan
gerous position in Woods Museum
yesterday morning. Pop has charge of
the menagerie department, his duty being
to see that the animals are properly fed
and cared for. He generally gives them
their Sunday breakfast at about ten
o'clock. Yesterday morning, however,
it was nearly eleven o'clock before he
entered the room with meat for the hum
cry animals. The monkeys chartered,
the bears and hyenas growled, and the
lions roared their dissatisfaction in un-
mistakaDle tones. The most turbulent
of the lot we're large African lioness
and her mate, confined in cage near
the center of the row of animals, on the
Thirtieth street side OF the museum.
Pop Taylor keeps the animals food in
o corner closet. For some reason he
was little longer than usual in select
ing the pieces for distribution. The
lions became almost wild in their roaring
for food An unusual noise in the direc-
ton of the lions cage attracted Pops
attention just as he was starting toward
them with their meat. The spectacle
that met his gaze was appalling The
beasts were standing upright, their claws
grasping the upper bars of their cages,
their jaws extended, and their eye-balls
glowing. The cages are made with
heavy iron railing doors, that are lifted
from the bottom. The door on the lions
cage was unbolted at the top. In their
anger the lions were never known to
place their paws under the railing, always
grasping it at the top.
On looking toward the cage, Pop Tay-
lor saw the lion place his paws under
the door, which he raised in a twinkling.
He was out of the cage like flash. The
weight of the lioness, whiah had hold of
the upper part of the door, brought it
down with crash, fortunately shutting
herself in.
The liberated lion dashed round the
room with tail erect and bristling name
Pop faced him and shouted for help
jeff Davis a brave colored man, who
cleans the cages, was the first to rush to
Taylor's assistance. He was followed
by Mr.. La Forrest, the property-man.
They picked up clubs and Joined Taylor
in the corner. The lion meantime
ranged the room, bowling with rage. At
last he sprang to window facing Thir-
teenth street, and dashed his head
through the glass. There he stood look
ing down into the street. The hight was
too great for him to venture leap.
Now is our time, said JEFF. Davis, as
he sprang to the window and grasped
the lion by the tail, close to the animals
body. Pop Taylor followed up the at
tack by seizing the beast by the launches
Mr.. La Forrest mounted the window-sill
and showered heavy blows on the brute's
skull, and stunned him for a minute.
Taking advantage of this, the three men
dragged the beast back to his cage.
At this juncture Mr.. William A. Lii
lienthal, superintendent of the museum,
entered the room. The lioness was driven
to the back part of the cage, the door
was raised, and the king of beasts was
pushed into his den. JEFF. Davis hung
on to the lions tail until the door closed
on the animal.