Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1872-03-14
Tossed in the Air.
Attempt of the Elephant .ROmeo'
to Kill His Keeper.
Another Thrilling 1Tenagerie
Scene--NarrOw Escape of Mr..
George FOrepaugh-ssR ssROmeO''
Once More Rampant. ~
From the PhiIadelphia TeIesraph.

Prom the Phlladelphla Telegraph.
The tiger scene at Forepaugh's s
menagerie, which created such in
: tense excitement a few days ago,
came very nearly being eelipsed
on Wednesday morning last, by a
performance of the trick elephant
"Romeo," which was most decid-
edly not down on the bills. But
for providential Intervention he
would have killed his keeper. Mr..
George Forepaugh, whose death
would have been the sixth caused
by this vicious brute.
The stable in which "Romeo"
is housed is a wooden structure on
the north side of the menagerie
grounds, at Twenty-second and
Nassau streets, and Immediately
adjOins the building in which the
triek-horSes belonging to the cir
Gus are stabbed. On last Wed
nesday morning Mr.. George Fore
paugh entered the apartment OF
Romeo to put him through his
customary ring lessons Just for
n moment be tnrBed to look
through a chink in the boards at p
the training amphitheatre, where
the horses were being exercised.
This was the moment "Romeo"
was waiting for. Like fash he
extended his huge trunk, entwined
it around the body Of his keeper,
and threw him up against the
roof of the stable. Fortunately
the keeper fell upon a pile Of blan-
kets, where he lay stunned and
helpless.
Now to complete the work of
death. The long trunk was again
distended and Tapped around a
foot of the PROSTATE man. In
another moment he will have met
the fearful doom oversbadowiug
him. Just at this moment Charles
Forepaugh enters, sees his broth
ers danger, and utters a cry of
horror as he springs for his train
ing-spear. Deep, deep into the
trunk of the beast goes the iron
barb, and the blood spouts out as
it is withdrawn. Still the hold is
not relaxed, and the keeper still
les upon the graves verge
Again and again is the shaft APP
piled, and the whole head of
Romeo" is bathed in blood. He
ian stand the pain no longer, and,
his hold, backs against
he wall. Then in an instant Mr..
Porepaugh is dragged from his,
perilous position. He is consider
ably bruised, bat beyond that has
suffered no injury.
This elephant is the most
vicious animal of the kind in the
He was brought here.
in 1865 by Mr.. Maibe, and plrch-
nsed after his death by Mr.. Adam
ForePaugh. He is beyond all odds
the best performing elephant III
the country, and is for that reason
valuable, or he would
been killed long ago by reason OF
his malicious fits that come upon
him by spells. He has already
killed five keepers, the latest be-
ng the case in Hatboro in in 1867,
which created such an intense ex-
,itement that all the farmers IL
'ound carried rifles with them
whenever they ventured from
nome, so great was the terror cre-
lted by the antics of Romeo.
The FIVE keepers killed by Ro-
neO are as follows: Shortly af-
.er bis arrival in this country and
before he was brought thoroughly
luder submission, he killed an
East Indian named Weeks, who
,ame over with him. This was
lis first deed of blood. The next
vas the killing of the keeper Mo
AN while the show was exhibiting
n Canada. The next victim was
Nicholas Mick, who met his fear
al doom in Missouri. After him
;ame Long John Evans" killed
turing a summer tour of the cir
us in Florida. The last, and
hat which lives last in the men,
ny of the public, is the sad death
If Bill Williams, alias Canada
BILL" which occurred at Hatboro
n this State in 1867.
a New York gentleman upon