The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-04-09
A Fight with LiOn--A Lion Tanner
Tanned.

For some time past the Menagerie and
Circus of Mr. O'Bryan, of Frankford, has
been open at the corner of Main and Oxford
streets, in that borough. In the menagerie
there were couple Of cages containing
lions one cage having those which Mr..
Joseph Whittle, the lion-tamer and per-
former, had succeeded in 80 controlling as
to render them completely subject to his
will. The other cage contained lion
which had not yet been entirely tanned.
Mr. Whittle, however, knowing his power
over dumb animals, attempted yesterday,
about five o'clock, to enter the cage of this
untamed or half-tamed butte, and 90
through his usual performances, such in
fact, as he had been accustomed to per-
form with the animals, which had long been
under his care He had succeeded in doing
all those tricks which, in comparison with
the last to be performed, may be considered
minor, and then proceeded to put his head
in the lions mouth. In this it is evident
MIR. Whittle had misiudged the amount
of control which he had obtained over the
beast, by the simple remembrance of the
power of his eye. The lion permitted him
to seize his upper and lower jaws, the eye
of his master firmly fixed upon his all the
while permitted him to open them, to
strain them open, and to keep them open;
but the instant NJ. Whittle stopped and
placed his head so far between the mon
strous jaws as to lose ''eye mastery" that
instant the ponderous hinges cracked, clos
ed, and the teeth of the beast were imbed-
ded deeply and firmly in Mr.. Whittle's
cheeks. Ofcourse, he instantly screamed,
and Mr.. William Coultas, who exhibits
the elephant, with great courage, and not
without some risk, seized cage-scraper,
an instrument about ten feet long, and
through the bars commenced belaboring
the lion with great vigor. This had the
desired effect of causing him to relinquish
his hold of Mr.. Whittle's face. On this
gentleman's rising, his left cheek was seen
to have been terribly lacerated aud his right
cheek torn, from the jaw-bone down to the
under lip The blood was streaming pro-
fusoly from his wounds, and pouring down
his bosom and clothing Maddened with
defeat and pain Mr.. Whittle seized a
short piece Of wood which he had with
him in the cage, and with courage equal
to that of the beast before him, boldly and
fearlessly attacked him. The struggle
continued for some little time, tile lion
evidently having been cowed by the ferocity
Of the mans attack, but tho increasing
faintness Of Mr.. Whttlc, as well as the
excitement of the lion, fed by the flow Of
blood, which by this time covered the bot
tom of the cage, filled the brute with q
sudden savageness once more, and with a
bound he threw himself on Mr.. Whittle's
breast, and bore him backward to the floor
ofthe cage. Then turning suddenly upon
him, he fixed his teeth in The feshy part
of his right thigh, which lie bit through
no less than four times in different places,
from the knee upward, and making nine
wounds, somo Of them three inches long,
terribly lacerating the femoral vessels. Mr.,
Coultas had all the time continued to use
the cage-scraper with such good effect as
to make the beast ultimately leave Mr.
| Whittle and retreat to the other division
Of the cage, through the door usually built
in the centre of these receptaoles. Weak
ened from the great flow of blood, mauled
and lacerated as he was, Mr.. Whittle rose
and closing the door, with the assistance
of Mr. Coultas bolted it, thus effectually
preventing any further attacks from the
animal.
The doctor, though not saying that Mr..
Whittle's wounds are necessarily fatal
says it is impossible to give any opinion at
present of the consequences, both the shock
and loss of blood being very great.
SB- A vacancy having occurred in
certain church by reason of the resignation
Of the OrOouiat tho f,trctoac od,ra,,4;eo,J e.,