The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-01-30
Terrible Fight with Lions.

From recent English paper, we copy
the following graphic account Of fight
with wild beasts.
A dreadful scene happened in Manders
Menagerie, Market square, Bolton, Thomas
Maccarte being attacked and killed by lions
as he was performing in their midst 1t
was the last evening of the exhibition, and
Maccarte undertook to give an extra per-
formance. In tho cage where he entered
were five lions. The animals had been put
through their leaping exercises, when Mac
carte noticed that one, full grown Asiatic
was restiye, and showed his teeth. He
drew his sword and pointed it tthreateningly
at the lions mouth. His attention being
thus diverted from the other animals, q
young African lion crept stealthily out from
the group and sprang towards Maccarte,
seizing him by his right hip and throwing
him down. At the same time the Asiatic
lion fastened itself upon his head, tearing
off portion of his scalp. A scene of the
widest confusion ensued-women scream
ing, and men running about in all directions
in search Of weapons, 1t is usual in Man
der's menagerie to keep a number of irons
continually heated for emergencies, but on
this occasion they had been removed, and
fresh irons had to be placed in the fire.
Maccarte fought desperately with his
sword, inhicting some fearful gashes on the
faces of both lions. One of the other lions
now seized the unfortunate man by his only
arm, fracturing the bones, while another
tore piece of flesh out of his thigh. Ma
carte retained his presence of mind, and
called out to the men to fire amongst the
animals. Revolvers and rifles were accord
dinghy procured, and whilst some fired
blank cartridges full in the faces of the in
furiated beasts, others probed them with
heated irons, stabbed them with forks, and
beat them with ladder and iron scrapers.
Eventually slide was introduced between
the bars of the cage, behind which Mr.
Birchall, the agent and John Ryan, one of
the keepers, drove four of the lions. AT
the fifth lion more shots were fred, but it
was not until the heated bars were applied
to the nose of the animal that it relnquish-
ed its hold and ran behind the partition.
Macoarte then staggered to his feet, but ero
he could reach the door, and before the
slide could be closed, the African lion again
rushed out, seized the poor fellow again by
the foot, and dragged him back into the
corner among the other animals. Again
the frightful struggle went on. Maccarte
was dragged up and down the cage by the
head and the legs three or four times, the
floor being completely saturated with his
blood. Some rifles loaded with shot were
now discharged among the savage brutes,
and with several irons, now heated to red
glow, they were beaten into corner and
the partition closed against them. Mac
carte was then released, still conscious.
As he was borne to the infmary, he ex-
claimed to fellow workman; "Harry |
am done for" In addition to tho back
part Of the scalp, all the flesh had been
torn from the thighs, the right arm was
fractured in two places, as well as badly
lacerated from the shoulder to the hand:
the chest had been lacerated, and the bones
OF the pelvis had pieces bitten out Of them.
lie died in ten minutes after his admission
to the infrmary.