Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-04-04

land as George Washington's or
Horace Greeley's.
THRILLING SCESE AT A ZOOLOG.
ICAL GARDEN.
Cincinnati Comm ercial.
For some time the question of
giving exhibitions with the animals
has been agitated among the direc-
tors, and Mr.. Tom Stevan, the su-
perintendent of the Carnivora, vol
unteered to enter the dens and train
the animals.
He made the first attempt in this
direction yesterday afternoon in the
presence of the executive commit
tee, Messrs. John Simpkinson and
G. M. Erkenbrecher, 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 party gathered in
front of the cage of the young
lions, one of whom, Nancy, is noted
for her ugly and vicious disposition.
The difference between these ami
mails ald the usual performing
beasts Of a travelling menagerie
should be remembered.
The first are usually tired, jaded
and dispirited. These are young,
fresh, well fed, and full of life, and
have never been under the whip Of
a trainer. Again, in the perform
ing vans there is the one-two.
snap" door, which let's man
through it with 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
by main force. Through this door
Mr.. Stevan entered the den of the
young lions, having no weapon ex-
cept an ordinary raw-hide. The
lloness Nancy seemed beside herself
with rage at the invasion, and
sprang at Stevan with hoarse roar,
her small ears laid fiat down, and
her white, ugly teeth laid bare.
Stevau fought her down with blow
on blow of the heavy raw-hide.
Tho other lions bounded back and
forth, with loud roarS of rage and
alarm. Stevan was perfectly cool,
and once after he had cowed Nancy
for moment, he turned bis back
upon the enraged beasts.
He came from the cage and en-
tered the cage of the leopards, the
beautiful animals known as Lucy
and Dick. These he played with
as one would play with pet cats,
ana put them through many grace
full evolutiOns.
Next Mr.. Stevan entered the den
of the pair of old lions, those grand
and noble beasts which have long
been feature of the Garden. They
are probably the largest lions in
the country, 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 terrible roars and
looked so wildly fierce and dreadful
that the gentlemen outside begged
Steyan to come out. They snapped
their great jaws at him, and chewed
up the whips he carried with him.
1t was a terrible scene. 1t seemed
that nothing could prevent the
maddened beasts from tearing Ste
van to pieces. Nothing but his
GOODNESS and presence Of mind
saved him. lie never took his
eyes from them; he never showed
sign of fear, and he beat them
back with a giants strength. Dur.
ing this scene with the lions Mr.,
Simpkinson's face was white as the
handkerchief with which he nerv.
ously wiped his mouth, and Lewis
Gilbert confesses that it took him
half an hour to get his heart back
to its proper place from his throat,
where it had been during the soeno
with the big lions. Lastly, Mr..
Stevan entered the cage of the
hyenas, which animals are popu-
larly supposed to be untamable.
There was another wild scene with
these hideous beasts, but SteVan
was again shown to be the lord
over them. None of the animals
had their claws clipped, or we're IN
any other way prepared Tor the e1
hibition.
Mr., Steyan will continue to enter
the dens, and will soon begin to
give daily exhibitions of his power
over the animals, If he succeeds In
tanning them. At present the lions
an hvo,,or ovn Too ,,;11 j.. L. 1911