Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-06-12

Death Of Che Great Performing Ele-
plant HROmeO.'
Historic BemiRlscenees-The Nest Va.
ctOua KHePhant IN America, 4.

From the Chicago Tribune, June 8.
Chicago was yesterday the scene Of a
event, the occurrence of which viii excit
interest In almost every city, town or Villag
IN America, being no less than the death Q
the celebrated performing elephant Gro
meo, the largest and most valuable Of hi
species ever brought TO this country, an,
more famous than any who have gone be
fore him. Without an elephant, the mos
extensive menageries would be regarded a
total failure, and In the possession of stRo
meo" Adam FOrepaugh has for years beer
envied among shOwmen. The animal ha!
been ailing for several weeks, his disease be
ing located In the fore feel, which, from som,
unknown cause had become affected with in
flanmation, resulting in acute pain and &
general debilitation Of the system, the effec
Of which had been noticed by a rapid
wasting Of flesh. On Tuesday last it was
determined 20 have an operation performed
upon ARomeo'sn feet, ard DR.. BOYD, Of the
Chicago Medical College, was entrusted
with the undertaking. An examination de-
vel0ped the fact that numerous small bones
Of the feet had become broken, detached,
and dead, and accordingly these bones were
cut out, the process beng accompanied by
the loss Of several gallons Of blood. No
danger on this account was anticipated, and
1t is believed that the death of the patient
was not hastened from this cause, as to an
elephant the loss Of couple of buckets of
blood would be about equivalent to an ordi-
nary attack of nose bleed on the part of hui
man kind. Il was observed that s'Romeo"
was suffering the most acute pain,
and 1t also became apparent that the
inflammation was rapidly extending up
ward toward the breast. For the first
time in two weeks he laid down, on
Thursday night, his symptoms Of distress
being So marked as to convince Mr.. Fore
paugh that he was about to lose the most
valuable feature Of his show. Early yes
terday morning the proprietor visited the
menagerie tent, and found "Romeo" lying
In the same position, bis colossal TANKS
heaying with quick, short gasps, his eye
fixed and filmy, and the further extremity
Of the trunk cold and pulseless. The sound
Of Mr.. Forepaughs voice, calling him by
name, was recognized by the dying masto-
don, and be attempted to raise his head in
response to his owners hand, but his
strength was departed, bis life was ebbing
fast, bis head dropped back upon theground,
and after few weak, convulsiVe struggles,
he had ceased TO breathe, and all that re-
manned of "Romeo" was monstrous heap
Of inanimate flesh"
The circumstance occasioned profound
sensation among the attaches of the show,
who gathered about the spot, and sorrow
fully surveyed the huge carcass. Aside
frr,vr, tho rrroof fvopc;al looa autirDofad 81
$50, 000-he had sustained, Mr.. Forepaugh
was deeply moved by the catastrophe. as he
regarded ''RomeO" as the most valuable
in existence, attributing to him a
degree Of intelligence almost human. BE
had made study of the animals peculiari-
ties Of disposition, and had succeeded in es-
tablishing the most affectionate relations
with him. ''Why, dash it," saidsthe great
Snowman, with curious culver Of the
voice, and suspicious aversion Of the head.
''He knew more than any trained horse l
ever owned. He knew he wasn't right
these last few weeks, and when I'd
60 up to him and say, How do
you get along, old fellow? he'd
reach out his trunk and take my hand and
put it on bis fore legs, as much as to say,
There's where it hurts me; can't you do
something to help it?'" And then the dis
consulate proprietor went on to enumerate
'Romeo's" shining qualities; how be would
do any conceivable trick in the ring-stand
on bis fore legs Or his hind legs, turn on
pivot, waltz, 90 lame, kneel down, walk
over his keepers body, taking the incest care
not to touch shred Of his clothing with his
ponderous foot--in short, do anything which
You could possibly think of asking an ele-
plant to do how, when the wagons would
get stuck in the mud, old Romeo" with
he power Of q hundred hcrses would get
behind and push them along with the great
est of ease; how, when he was sull1y and
savage, and they had thrown him down up
On his side, be would lay there day or
Two before he would give up, but finally
would weaken, and with his pleading eyes
fairly beg to be released-and so on with a
volume Of interesting "reminiscences.
"Romeo" has an eVentful history, having
killed five keepers since bis advent in Amer
ca, besides destroying any number of
Fences, barns, garden patches, confelds,
etc. He was purchased by an
agent of Mr.. Mabie, in Calcutta, about
twenty-five years ago, having been taken
from brick yard, where he was being
used in grinding clay. The price paid for
him was $4,000 in gold, and be was
brought to America along with nine others.
In 1852, while south of New Orleans, he
killed bis keeper, known as "Long JOHN"
whose successor, "Frenchyo Williams,
shared the same fate near Houston Texas, in
1856; third, Stewart Craven, was killed
In 1860, near Cedar Rapids, Iowa; the
fourth, Bill Williams, was sent to his last
account in Philadelphia, In 1867; and the
fifth, named MeDewitt, in Ohio, in 1859,
completed the list of "Romeo's" victims.
In the winter Of 1865 he made himself dis
agreeably conspicuous in Chicago, by tear
ing to pieces the building in which he was
on the site of the present City
Hall, and rushing out on the street in q
reckless manner, greatly to the alarm
Of the inhabitants, who brought out a
cannon with which to cope with the for
midable monster, but he was recaptured
before further damage was done. Similar
have been committed by him
in various places, and his grim hide now
bears the scars Of numerous bullets and
red hot irons used to subdue him. His left
eye was shot out in 1866, near Philadelphia.
He was bought in 1853 by Adam Fore
paugh at an aIction sale Of Mabie's Me
nagerie, $685. COO being the price paid. He
was held to be worth at least twice that
sum, Mr.. Forepaugh having been offered
SIC, 900 year for the use Of him FIVE years.
His weight, when in full flesh, was 1873
pounds, and he stood IL feet "a inches high.
BE was supposed, by competent elephan-
line chronOlogists, to be about one hundred
years old.
The body has been donated by Mr.. Pore
paugh TO the Chicago Medical College,
where the mounted skeleton and stuffed
,kin will be placed in the anatomical mu-
scum. Scarcely had "Romeo" breathed his
asst yesterday morning, when Mr. Fore
Daugh, with Characteristic energy, sent
telegram to his agent in New York, au-
,horizing him to draw upon Jay Cooke &
Co., to the amount of $4,000, and direct
ng him to proceed at once by the first
steamer to London and purchase the wild
md ferocious elephant Gagged in the British
Geological Gardens, preferring an untamed
pecimen, because, as he queerly expresses,
ne win be '1ess stupid and more ambitious
ban one which has been thoroughly sub
lued.
COLORED DELEGATES
from Philadelphia Correspondence Of Chicago
Tribune
/ can close with an anecdote. The ne
49, =, a.