The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1872-02-16
From the Manchester Guardian.I ]
A LION-TAMER KILLED.
Fearful Scene in a l,enaserie.

y dreadful scene happened III man
der's menagerie, Market Square, BOl-
ton, Thomas Maccarte being attacked
and killed by liens as he was perform
inc in their midst 1t was the last
evening of the exhibition, and Mac
carte undertook to give an extra per
formance. In the cage which he en-
tered were five lions. The animas
had been put through their leaping
exercises, when Maccarte noticed that
one, full grown Asiatic, was restive
and showed his teeth. He drew his
sword and pointed it threateningly at
the lions mouth. His attention being
thus diverted from the other anlmals,
a young African lion creps stealthily
out from the group and sprang toward
Maccarte, seizing him by his right hip
and throwing him down. At the
some time the Asiatic hon fastened
itself upon his head, tearing of pOr-
ton of his scalp. A scene OF the
widest confusion ensued-women
screaming and men running about in
all directions in search of weapons -
1t is usual in Manders' m6nager:e 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, mflicting some fearful cash
es on the faces OF both lions One OF
the other lions now seized the uEfor
tunate man By his only arm, ffaetur
inc the bones, while another tore a
piece of flesh out of his thigh. Mac
carte retained his presence of mind,
and called out to the men to fire
among the animals. RevOlveTs and
rifles were accordingly procured, aud
while some fired bland cartridges full
in the faces OF the infuriated beasts,
others probed them with heated irons,
stabbed them with forks, and beat
them with ladder and IRON scrapers.
Eventually a slide was introduced be-
tween 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 fired, but it was not
until the heated bars were applied to
the nose OF the animal that it relin-
auished its hold and ran behind the
partition. Maccarte then staggered
to his feet, but ere 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 fsighttul struggle went on
Maccarte was dragged up and down
the cage by the head and legs three
or four times, the floor being COM
pletely saturated with his blood. Some
rifles loaded with shot were now dis
charged among the savage brutes,and
with several irons now heated to a red
glow, they were beaten into a corner
and the partition closed against them.
Maccarte was then released, still con-
scious. As he was borne to the in
firmary he exclaimed to fellow work
man: "Harry, I'm done for.' In
addition to the 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 lad pieces bitten
out of them. He died in ten minutes
after his admission to the iniirmary.
Deceased was thlrty-three years OF
age, was native of Cork, and was
! married.