Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1878-10-12
A HYENA'S MEMORY.
KEEPER AT THE ST. LOUIS FAIR GROUNDS
SERIOUSLY INJURED.

SERIOUSLY INJURED.
On the 18th ult desperate struggle
took place in the carnivora house at the
fair grounds between striped female
hyena, lately purchased, and a large
spotted hyena occupying with its mate
one of the cages. The fight was a
bloody one and the striped animal re-
ceived injuries which caused its death
in few hours, despite the brave efforts
to rescue it from its assailant made by
Winners, one of the keepers at the fair
grounds. He boldly entered the cage
when the animals were fighting and
wounded the spotted animal upon the
head with club, until it was stunned,
and Its victim released. Yesterday the
spotted hyena had its revenge.
Since the fight on the l4th ult., the
spotted byens, with another OF the
same species had occupied cage in the
carnivora house, between lions cage
and one appropriated to the leopards.
Winners has attended to the animals, as
usual, and the hyenas have, since reliev-
ed of their Objectionable striped asso-
ciate, seemed as tractable as hyeBas
ever get, which is nothing to speak of.
Yesterday afternoon, at 5 o'clock,
few people, including couple of ladies,
were gathered about the carnivora house
looking at the animals, when Winners,
the keeper, visited the railing and the
cages. He is familiar with the animals
and the ferocIous beasts seem to enter
tain sort of friendship for him. AS
be passed along he patted the leopard
on the head, aud the beast seemed rath-
er to like the attention. Then he came
to the hyneas' cage. The big spotted
brute lay close to the bar, and its mate
was little way of:
Winners carelessly as he passed reach
ed out his hand and patted the hyena as
he had the leopard. 1t was cruel
mistake. The ugly brute awaiting his
opportunity for months, saw it at last,
and, Quick as lightning, caught the
kindly hand in his mouth, sinking its
fangs into it deeply. There was a
frightful struggle. The man sought TO
tear his hand away, and at the same
instant, with a growl, the other hyena
sprang TO the assistance of its mate.
For a moment it seemed as though
Winners would have his entire arm
drawn in through the bars, but with a
supreme effort he wrenched himself
away cripple. The strong jaws of
the hyena had not loosened their grip,
and the lett portion of the right hand
was torn away as the man released MINI
self, the bones and sinews parting like
threads in the grip of the ugly brute,
who drew back yelling with his bloody
moutbful. The ladies who witnessed
the terrible scene were to be pitied, one
of them almost fainting at the time, and
being i'll from the effect of the sight
even after getting into a street car.
Assistance was promptly summoned,
aud Winners conveyed to physician,
who bound up the mangled stump, the
man suffering excruciating pain from
his injuries. He will, of course, be
crippled by the occurrence. The men
who carried him to physician came
back as pallid as spectres. Winners
has been long engaged as keeper of
animals, and is understood TO have been
once seriously hurt by lion in his
charge. His brother, also keeper at
the grounds, reproached him yesterday
with his carelessuess, saying that one
so experienced should have known bet
ter than to trust hyena, but the wound
ed man did not seem to consider him
self much to be blamed. The hyenas,
after the occurrence of yesterday, dash
ed about like mad things They shrek
ed continually, and the other animals
joined in, making the gardens resound
for quite time with the ugliest chorus.
es--&. Louis Republican.