The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1877-01-18
A IS Tiger - ON the War Path.

Mr.. Alexander Hunter, of Brooklyn,
is an enthusiast in natural history, and |
has raised numerous pet birds, whose |
singing is one of the potent attractions |
that draw customers to his sample-rooms. |
Encouraged by his success in ornithol-
ogical efforts, Mr.. Hunter some years
ago procured a young alligator, which, by
dint of persistent fondling and judicious
feeding, is now docile in the extreme,
although it has arrived at years of dis
erection. Believing that if an alligator
could be tanned anything else could, Mr..
Hunter some seven months ago procured
from the captain of a sailing vessel a
beast which he terms Mexican tiger.
1t was just week old at that time. but
was extremely vicious, and Mr.. Hunter
took the precaution to have its teeth ex-
tracted and its nails clipped as fast as
they grew.
Systematic kindness and rctting failed
to conquer the spirit of the animal, and he
has to be confined in strong wire cage
which is fastened to the wall of one of
the sample-rooms at height of some
seven feet from the floor. Here his ma.
lignant soul finds its only vent in hOarse
snarls and fierce dashes at the canes OF
exasperating individuals who poke him
up.
Recently Mr.. Hunter had an oppor
tunity to add to his already extensive
collection of birds a picturesquely hideou'
owl-s creature whose preposterous ap
pearance would move the most placid
cat to wrath. This owl was brought into
the same room with the tiger, and set in
his cage by the fire in view of the tiger
The result was disastrous. The tiger
caught one glimpse of the owl, and Iii
cage, which had heretofore been large
enough to afford him genteel prone
made, suddenly became too small to con
tain him. For half a minute or so there
was no part of the interior of that cage
in which the tiger was not Distinctly Wis
IDLE all the time, and the noise of hi
snarling overlooked the room, and deluget
the sidewalk, attracting at once a mum
Der of bystanders. Presently, after shak
ing the bars of his cage till they seemed
about to give way. he sprang at the doc
of it, which flew open and gave hin
egress.
At that moment, according to the evi
dence of number of eye-witnesses, tn,
air seemed to be filled with that on,
tiger. The room was luminous with hi
presence, but he quickly focused OF
that owls cage, which he battered Wild.
in his attempts to get at the frightened
inmate. The danger of meddling witt
the beast was not Immediately apparent
as he is not mach larger than the larges
/ size of ordinary house cats, and an at
tempt was made by several to tear hin
away from the cage and restore him t.
his own quarters. 1t was only mo
mentary attempt, however, for as 500
! as he realized it he mastered the situa
situation by selecting the largest of hi
assailants, Mr.. Baird, and springing Of
his back, he made his way through tn
, substantial clothing and into the fesf
beneath. 1t would probably be Difficult
, now to convince Mr.. Baird that tina
tigers claws were ever pared.
: Mr.. Baird is very stout, and does no
look like one given to rapid running
, bat the time he made from the stove i
the sample-room to the shuttle board
room below has never been equaled
Reinforcementsa arrived Immediately, an
, by throwing a large bag over the tiger b
, was captured and put back into his cage
where he spent the remainder OF tn
, day in sullen eXultation.
: A physician was called, who pre-
nounced Mr.. Baird's injuries not dar
! gerous, and that gentleman was conveye
; home in carriage firing Parthian a
row out of the carriage window in tn
, shape of threat of an action for dan
, ages.
! The owl escaped uninjured, but is i
from fright