Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1879-03-27
A NIGHT OF TERROR.
The Antics of Mad Exlephant at Large
Seven Men Crushed to Death by Pom
derous Brute.

bUOu'ldluIcu, HuTllllcSS DcdSIS tllAJ snow
men and granumothers' story books are so
fond of representing them to be. quite
agree with Charles Reade when he says,
in his Jack of All trades, that they are
murderous, treacherous brutes, full Of vice
and cunning.
81 know very little about the African
elephant, but one OF the faillngs of the
Aslatic kind is that IN very hot weather,
and under a severe physical strain, he is
very likely to 90 mad-and | can tell you,
u mad elephant is creature that the most
curious student of the animal habits had
better contemplate from distance.
Much OF my Indian life was passed in
the station Of IubbulpOre. The enterpris-
ing people there resolved to have an exhl.
bltiOn. Goods poured in rapidly in bul.
lock wagons, on camrls' backs, and in va.
riOus other ways, and rajahs and other
Indian dlgntarieS, with suites of attend.
ants, journeyed from great distances.
$50 far as can remember what | am
speaking Of happened in the latter part of
1866, or early in 1867. A young photo
grapher, with whom was acquainted, in
vted me to share his tent with mm for Il
week or so on the exhibition grounds
where he intended to take views, and |
gladly accepted the invitation.
1.-TWO nights before the Exhibition
opened We went out upon the grounds,
and found them covered with tents, and
crowded with natives, who, for the most
part, were attending upon elephants. bul.
locks, Camcls, and horses. 1t was bright
tnnApltfrbt ,,ttrht o,,1 ,pl-t,,.r La,
fore the opening OF our tent, watching the
curious scene before us until nearly mid.
night. Then, the noise having gradually
died away, we retired to our beds.
81 had been asleep, perhaps, about an
hour, when ! was awakened by the beat
ing of tOmtOmS and the shouting of the
natives outside. jumped out of bed and
ran 10 the door OF the tent, where my
friend was already standing. An clc.
phant, with it trunk upraised, land trum.
pcting ferccly, was rushing among the
tents, occasionally striking a rope with
his foot and snappinglt like apack thread
In front OF our tent was an open space, and
about thirty yards away was large tree.
Beside this tree Il man was standing.
The elephant, if it had not Swerved from
its course, would have passed about TWEEN
ty yards from him; but when the brute
was nearly opposite him, | saw the man
stoOp ana pick up a large stone. | could
hardly credit that he was going to throw
it, but in another second there was no
room for doubt that such was his nten-
tion. | called to him, in Hindoostanee,
to drop the stone, and run into the tent,
but he paid no attention to me. Then, as
the elephant was passing, he hurled the
stone and struck it on the side. The
brute turned quickly, saw its assailant
and rushed at him. Even then | think
there was time for him to escape if he had
run for the tent, as again shouted for
him to do, for though the brute would,
have brought the canvas
down, we should probably have all es-
capped in the confusion. But turning
quickly toward me, he placed his hand
upon his forehead, and bowed his head
after the manner of the IIindoo who de-
slres to express his gratitude by means OF
the ali ,erviccable salaam, and then stood
upright, apparently calm and collected,
beside the tree.
when the elephant was within four
feet Of him the man sprung quickly to the
other side of the trunk He had evidently
calculated upon escaping his enemy by
keeping the tree between them but had al |
together undcrvalued the brute's cunning.
Quick as lightning the great animal alter.
ed its course, moved around the opposite |
side OF the trunk, and in a second the cle- |
phant and the man stood face to face
There was no human possibility ofcscape |
now, and the Hindoo knew that the last |
few sands of his life were rapidly running |
out. Like all Of his race, he was a fatal |
list, and even the terrible death that |
Overshadowed him brought to him no ter
rors. Calmly he crossed his hands over
his bosom and bowed his head to the inev- |
table.
ut was all over in FIVE seconds. The |
elephant raised his trunk higher than be-
fore, and struck Il hurried awkward blow
hitting his victim, not with the lower end
Of the trunk, which is very tender, but, rs
far as could see, with his cheek or mouth.
The man went down as though he had
been fclled with Il cannon-ball, but imms-
liatelv he raised himself on his elbow and |
looked upward. For one second the brute
stood over him, and then dropped heavily |
forward, one massive knee going down up |
on the man breast.
The elephant rushed away, trumpeting
us before, and took refuge in some low
hills in the neighborhood. We learned
the next day that he belonged to a rajah,
who, in his anxiety to get early to the ex.
had caused him to he overdnven
with heavy load. until he was driven
mad.
"What we saw was only small part
Of the damage he did. He killed seven
men that night, including his driver, who
was his first victim. My friend and went
in the morning to see the seven crushed |
bodies, which all lay under a single can
vas sheet For time the natives standing |
around tried to persuade us not to uncover |
them, but native constable concluded
the argument by seizing the corner of the |
sheet and pulling it to one side. The
faces were all calm and life-like, for Hin
doc, even under the most appalling cir
rarely suffers himself to pass |
into the other life without composing his
limbs and features.
"The moment the natives standing
around saw the uncovered bodies frenzy
seemed to possess them. The men rushed
to their tents, and presently returned
with rusty old swords, fint.locked pistols,
and bell-mouthed guns. All these weap.
ons they proceeded to polish vigorously, |
with the intention of making immediate
war upon the elephant. But Col, Spencer,
the Commissioner of the station, had al |
ready sent party of Bengal Laneers after
him, and in the afternoon he was brought |
back, with bullet in one of his knees,
and loaded with chains so arranged that
he could be pulled to the ground at mo-
ments notice if he showed any signs of
rebellion.
"The raiah who owned him tried to
make light of the matter, but fine of
something like 10000 rupees, levied by |
the Government, induced him to take
more serious view of his brute's achieve
ment"
Mute Animals.
From Nature. |
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