The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1878-04-05
Thrilling Scene at a Biological Garden
Cincinnati Commercial.

| For some time the question of Civ
| ing an exhibition with the animals
! has been agitated among the Direct
! ors, and Mr.. Tom Stevan, the Super
| intendcnt of the CaTnivora, Volun-
| teered to enter the dens and train the
| animals.
He made his first attempt in this
direction yesterday afternoon in the
! presence of the Executive Committee:
Messrs. John Simpkinson and G. NJ
/ Erchenbrecher, the Business manager
/ of the Garden, Mr.. w. Lewis Gilbert,
! the keeper of the animals, Mr.. Frank
/ Thompson, a commercial reporter, and
/ one or two others. The parry gather
ed Ill front of the cage of young lions,
! one of whom, Nancy, is noted for her
{ ugly and vicious disposition. The
difference between these animals and
/ the usual performing beasts ofa trav-
cling menagerie should be remember
| ed.
The first are usually tired ,daded and
| dispirited. These are, yoVkg. fresh.
well fed and full of ifessstfIGf l9liVer ifs.,2
er been under the whjP7of trainer
Again, in the performing valls there is
the ''one-two-snap" door, which lets
man through it with a click, and with
out the necessity for turning the back
upon the animals,
The only door to the cages at the
Garden is the one among the bars,
which is pulled up slowly, and which
( must be again pulled down IN main
force. Through this door Mr.. Stevan
eutered the den of young lions, with
no weapon except the ordinary raw
hide. The lioness Nancy seemed be-
side herself with rage at the invasion,
and Sprang at Stevan with q hoarse
roar, her small ears laid flat down, and
her white, ugly teeth laid bare. Ste
van fought her down with blow on
blow of the heavy raw-hide. The
other lions bounded back and forth,
with loud roars of alarm and rage.
Stevan was perfectly cool, and once
after he had cowed Nancy for a mo-
ment, ,hetmned his back upon the
enraged beasts.
He came from the cage and enter
cd the cage of the leopards, the beauti-
tnl animals known as Lucy and Dick.
These he played with a., one plays
with pet cats, and put them through
many graceful evolutions.
Next Mr.. Stevan entered the den of
the pair of old lions, those grand and
noble beasts which have long heen
feature of the Garden. They are
probably the largest lions i'm the coun-
try, and are unframed and untamed.
The two great animals seemed about
to spring upon the adventurous man
who advanced upon them. They
crOuched upon their bellies. As he
struck at them they uttered such hor-
rible roars and looked so wildly fierce
and dreadful that the gentlemen out
side begged Stevan to come out. They
snapped their teeth at him, aud chew
, ed up the whips he carried. 1t was a
terrible scene. 1t seemed that moth
ing could prevent the maddened beasts
from tearing Stevan to pieces. Moth
ing but his coolness and presence of
mind saved him, He never took his
eyes from them; he never showed
| sign of fear, and he beat them back
with a giants strength. During this
fight with the lions MIR. SimpkinsOn's
! face was as white as the handkerchief
| with which he neryously wiped his
mouth, and Lewis Siil,sest -eapa 3es
| that II took hing mai an 1hQuE to get
his heart 80 4 its proIser place from
| his throat, where it had been during
/ the scene with the big lions. Lastly,
! Mr., Stevan entered the cage of hye-
mas, which animals are popularity sup
! posed to be untamable- There was
| another scene with these hideous
beasts, but Stevan was again shown
to be the lord over them, NCne on The
animals had thpir alaws clipped, nor
we've they in any other way prepared
for the exhibition.
Mr.. Stevan will continue to enter
the dens, and will soon begin 70 givo
daily exhibitions Gf his power over
the ANIMALS, n he succeeds in tanning
them. At present the lions and hye=
mas are too Wild to be fooled with
much,