Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-03-02
FIGHT WITH AN ELEPHANT

Another Thrilling MenaKerfe Scene
Marrow Escape OF Mr.. George
FOrePaugh-'s Romeo once more
Rampant. e.s
From the Philadeiphia Telegraph. Feb. 24.l
The tiger scene at Forepaugh's me-
nagerie, which created such intense ex-
citement few days ago, came very
near being eclip,sed on Wednesday morn
ing last, by a performance of the trick
elephant /" Romeo" which was most de-
cidedly not down in the bills. But for
providential Intervention he would have
killed his keeper, Mr.. George Forepaugh,
whose death would have been the sixth
caused by y lis vicious brute.
The stable in which Romeo" is
housed is wooden structure on the
north side of the menagerie grounds at
Twenty-second and Master streets, and
immediately adjoins the building in
which the trick horses belonging to the
circus are stabbed. On last Wednesday
morning Mr.. George Forepau,gh entered
the apartment of Romeo" t., put him
through his customary ring lessons.
Just for moment he turned to look
through a chink lin the boards at the
training amphitheatre, where the
horses were being exercised This
was the moment Romeo was waiting tor.
Like flash he extended his huge trunk
entwined it about the body of his lZeeper,
and threw him up against the root of the
stable. Fortunately the keeper fell upon
a pile Of blankets, where he lay stunned
and helpless.
Now to complete the work of death
The long trunk was again extended and
Tapped around foot of the PROSTATE
man. In another moment he will have
met the fearful doom overshadowing
him. just at this moment Charles Fore
paugh enters, sees his brothers danger,
and utters a cry of horror as he springs
for his trainipg-spear. Deep, deep into
the trunk Of the beast goes the iron
barb, and the blood spurts out as it is
withdrawn. Still the hold is not relaxed,
and the keeper still lies upon the graves 8
verge. Again and again is the shaft ap-
piled, and the whole head of "Romeo"
is bathed in blood. He can stand the
pain no longer, and, releasing his hold,
backs against the wall. Then in an n
slant Mr.. Forepaugh is dragged from
his perilous position. He is considerably y
bruised, but beyond that has suffered no
serious injury. VA 81
This elephant is the most vicious ami
NAL of the kind in the country. Fl e was
brought here in 1865 by Mr.. Malb g, and
purchased after his death by M. Fore
paugh he is beyond all odds the best
performing elephant in the country, and
is for that reason extremely va liable, or
he would have been killed lor ~ ago, by
reason of his malicious fits, that come
upon him by spells. He has already
killed FIVE keepers, the latest being the
case in Hatboro, in 1867, which created
such intense excitement that all the far
mers around carried rifles with them
whenever they ventured from home, so
great was the terror created by the an
tics of Romeo.
The FIVE keepers killed by Romeo are
as follows: Shortly after mis- arrival in
this country, and shortly before he was
brought thoroughly under submission,
he killed an East Ir.dian named Weeks,
who came over with him. This was his
first deed of blood. The next was the
killing of the keeper Moran while the
show was exhibiting in Canada. The
next victim was Nicholas Mick, who
met his fearful doom in Missouri. Af-
ter him came Long John Evans"
killed during a summer tour Of the cir
Gus in Florida. The last, and that
which lives latest in the memory Of the
public, is the sad death of Bill Williams,
alias Canada Bill" which occurred in
Hatboro, in this State, in 1867.