Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1872-07-13
John Rob,n.oas menaserie Smashed.

The inhabitants of West Haven, Con
necticut. are excited to night in anticl,
! patton of visit from twenty three mon
keys, one vulture and a twelve-tooted
anaconda, which escaped from John
! Robinsons Circus, the train being
wrecked by rotten bridge which fell
on it while transporting the Circus to
West Haven, on the morning of July 5.
Eight of the cages containing animals
were wrecked, and their occupants fed
to the woods and fields. The ticket
wagon was smashed TO atoms and driv-
en- through the Mexican lions cage.
The disturbed and wounded beasts set
up a roar which was joined in by all
the animals, and a terrible discordant
howl went up from all kinds OF beasts
and birds As the timbers OF the bridge
went crashing through the cages The
lion cage was knocked off the car. and
one Of the lions escaped The zebra
cage was shiyered TO splinters. and the
zebra badly wounded, escaped 10 the
fields. There were fifty monkeys in
two cages; both cages were smashed
and thrown offthe car Many monkeys
were killed, being stabbed by the spin
ters. crushed by the shock or run over 10y
the cars. which still kept moving, bring
inc the cages in contact with the broken
bridge timbers. About thlrt! OF the
MONKEYS fled to the woods, scamperlng
up the bank. screaming and chattenng,
perching on ience-ralls, clinging 10 ap
pie and cherry trees, and throwing the
fruit about. The cage containing the
white peaiowls and cassowary was
wrecked, and the birds escaped. The
cage containing the parrots, DAVIS, cock
atoos, silver and gold phcasants and
the vulture was crushed, and the birds
flew to the surrounding woods. The
variety cage was thrown from it's car,
and the tapir and copia banna were in
iured. The Bengal tigers cage had
hole slowed in ii, and the tiger made
desperate effort TO escape. \ ready
minded Snowman clapped plank over
the gap, and hung on until help came.
and then after long struggle the ami
NAL was chained TO his broken cage.
The cage containing the alligators, boa
constructors and other reptiles, was
crushed. and one of the boas SO Injured
that it subsequently, died. The other
escaped The ostrich cage was smash
ed and the ostrich escaped. The train
was stopped before the cars containing
the horses reached the bridge, and they
escaped uuinjured. In the last fiat car
were the elephant, two camels, three
horned OK, and a sacred OK. The in
stant the crashing began these animals
Joined in the uproar. The elephant
maddened, began knocking down tho
camels, buffalo and oxen. When they
were all down he swung his trunk ~
though sorry there were no more cam
els to whack. All this occurred ia M
instant, and the circus men were prompt
" at work securing the broken cages of
the fiercer animals, and hunting up the
missing. Many citizens from West
Haven joined the chase. The zebra
made fierce hight and escaped alter
being once captured. A rope was final
" secured about the zebras neck, and
he was tied to telegraph pole. DR..
Sheppard, of West Haven, attempted TO
sew up the zebras wounds. He broke
his needles, and the zebras wounds
went unattended After long hunt.
nearly all the animals were recovered
Some of thy wounded, the yuture, the
anaconda and the monkeys. are still at
large, and the people of West Haven,
tonight, are greatly excited over the
prospect of a visit from tho anaconda
or yulture. The monkeys were chat.
tcring in the trees. and throwing apples
at each other all day. The damage 10
the circus is $4,000.