New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-08-05
TANNING A TIGER.
A Hot Game of Poker With a Bengal
Beauty.


A Hot Game of Poker With a Bengal
From the Detroit Free PressI
The agent Of Warner & Company's Great
Pacific Menagerie, Museum and Circus, who
is waiting in Detroit for the arrival of the
institution, was, Saturday, put in posses
sion of some interesting facts in regard to
the successful attempt of A. j. Forepaugh
to break in the royal tiger SATAN at Ire
mont, Ohio, a few days ago. Satan" as
the animal is rightly named, is said to be
one of the largest tigers in this country
weighing about six hundred pounds, al
though he is but sixteen months old. He
was landed in New York about year
since, being brought from Bombay with
number OF other animals intended for ex-
hibition. He was captured when three
months old, dozen or more natives as
sisting in the operation, and, although
4syounster,v he showed such pluck that
three of the captors were badly scratched
and clawed. The brother of Satan
made his escape into q jungle, car
rying spear in his side, and the
mother was killed the day previous by
hunters mounted upon the backs of ele-
plants, a dozen elephants, and thirty or
forty men turning out tor her sole benefit,
the beast having haunted the district for
year or more, and eating up several natives.
Satan" was o passenger on vessel called
the Fair Tide. Acage was constructed Tor
his especial benefit, as he was untamably
fierce from the day of his eaputre, taking
only sufficient food to keep him alive.
During tire passage, he managed one night
to eat off two of the wooden bars of his
cage, and made his appearance ON deck to
terrify the watch into an immediate retreat
up the shrouds. Seeing nothing else to at I
tack, Satan tore a hen coop to pieces and
killed a score of fowls. The captain dared
not come up from his cabin, the watch in
the forecastle were in the same predica-
ment and the tiger had the ship to himself,
the ship being left without steersman. At
length one of the men aloft managed to
lasso the beast with a halyard, and he was
so nearly choked to death in the operation
that he was flung in his cage like bag of
sand. The rest.of the voyage passed with
out event, sSatan" gradually getting a
better appetite, although losing not a bit
of his revengeful disposition and his desire
TO dissect the body of some human being
Landing in New York, he was placed
with the other arrivals in temporary quar-
tiers, and he had his first taste of Yankee
flesh and blood. A man named Mahoney
was employed to assist in cleaning the cages
and feeding the beasts, and was one eve
ming left in sole charge of the building for
several hours. Having taken glass too
much, he imagined he could tame a tiger as
well as ''any other man." and invited in a
friend or two to see him enter t'Satan'sv |
quarters. The animal was confined in a
cage about fifteen feet long, with door at |
one end the height of man, and Mahoney, |
after arming himself with club, boldly |
threw open the door and entered, calculat- |
ing that the power Of his eye would snbdue |
the animal. 1t didn't happen to be a good |
day for cycling tigers, or else the man did |
not fully understand the eye business, for
fflaf a%4 rod
was opened, and had him down in an in
slant. Mahoney had sense enough to lie |
still, and Satan, after clawing and biting
him, laid down across his body and allowed |
the outsiders to close the cage door. Help
was then summoned, and by the liberal use
of spears and red hot irons the tiger was
driven to the further end of the cage and
Mahoney hauled out. He was badly
and remained in the hospital two
weeks before he was able to resume work
Last winter Satan came to Warmers in
stitution by purchase, and was turned over
to the care of Forepaugh as a subject
bound to give him much trouble. Every
effort to tame or cOnciliate the beast had en-
tirely failed, and Forepaugh was laughed
1T when asserting that he would break in
the royal Bengal when he had spare dav
That spare day did NOT come until last
week, when the beast tanner announced his
to undertake the task No man
but Mahoney had ever entered the animals
cage, and there was much excitement in
the town about it, because it was -noised
abroad that .Satan" was to conquer or be
conquered. Hundreds of people rushed to
he tent, but only two or three newspaper
men were admitted, as Forepaugh did not
want TO excite the beast more than was
necessary. "Satan" was first given good
square NEAL in order to put him in good
lumor, and then Forepaugh took off his
,oat and made ready for business. Men
o the number of eight or ten
we're armed with iron rods and
harp pointed instruments and sta
toned on either side of the cage, and Fore
'augh entered thede with red hot iron in
ne hand and cloth wrapped about the
ther As he stepped in the animal APP
cared surprised and dumbfounded, and for
moment did nothing but growl and stare
hen his long, white teeth began to CLEAN,
us back arched, and he settled down for a
pring. The men outside began to shout in
larm, entreating the trainer to make his
scape, but with eyes fixed on those of the
Farned them to keep sti1l and be prepared
nr action. Suddenly, like a ball thrown |
through the air, with no warning, save a
lrlous scream, Satan made bis leap. |
'orepaugh was expecting it, and fell upon
is knees, one OF the tigers claws removing
tlrft of hair and piece of scalp from his
cad. The beast turned after his leap and !
tempted to seize the trainers shoulder, 1
ut the red-hot rod was forced into his | j
louth, and he retreated with yells of pain
nd anger. He then allowed the trainer to q
dvance to the centre of the cage without /
.senting the act, but in a moment more /
titled himself for another spring. AS he n
lot through the air, the trainer leaped | c
tide, and then gave the brute several blows e
it'll the iron, beating him until lie retired | {
the further corner. Both parties then
ok rest for a few minutes, when the y
amer advanced and opened hostilities. b
satan" made rush for him, and this time +
lied Forepaugh by the thigh, and although a