The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1879-06-19
.CA4EtCRAzEo OF ELEPHANTS.

sentative OF the new lOTk OUn mas III
accordance with his duties, visited the
| Central Park. at these times he has
passed by TIE elephant house twice ev-
erv night. He is thoroughly acquaint-
ed with the management OF the animals,
and has personal acquaintance with
several of the keepers. As g rule at the
hour he passes by, gensrafy about a
quarter past nine, the elephants are fe'
ceiving the last attention from tnetr
keepers. TIC shimals ct such times
are generally quiet; sotfaS Of them lie
stretched in huge, cumbersome hnas ses
on the floor. At other times, howeVGt,
the shouts of the keepers and the clank-
ing of the chains can be heard for some
distance. On these nights the usually
quiet elephant-house is in an uproar.
The animals are standing up and rest
lessly stamping their feet. This is
caused by what keeper calls "crazed
by confinement.
The reporter has personally witnessed,
and there are park tfflcers who have
witnessed, such tombats between
keeper and animals. At such times the
animal so affected goes to the length OF
his bit of chain and pushes With all his
strength against his near cofhpanion.
The latter at first takes this quietly, but
as the effort continues, he resists, and
then the struggle, unless stopped by in
slant and severe means, might be dam
gerous; for should the slephants, so a
keeper put it, "once get al srazed to-
gether," they would in a short time
bring down the flimsily- constructed out
house on their heads, to say nothing of
the direct peril to the keepers should
the great beasts become uncomfortable.
At such times the reporter has witnessed
both keepers, armed with clubs and
sharp prongs, beat the animals into SUBJ
mission The voices of the keepers are
then pitched to so high key that from
a distance it would seem that fight was
going on among themselves. The head
Keeper is the same who, during the long
circus street professions, appears in the
guise Of a Goorka, leading the unwieldy
animals.
AS the reporter, at 9 O'Clock Monday
night, the 10th inst, entered the park,
he was attracted by the shouts of the
elephapt-keepers, and as he passed by
the house noticed several mea and wom-
en- who stood looking in at the animals.
The remarks: ooh, isn't that q
shame!" and {" How brutal !" from the
visitors led him to the elephant-house.
The two keepers in their shirt sleeves,
armed with pitchforks, were going up
and down the narrow Clubhouse among
the animals. They seemed to be par
ticulariy severe in their attacks upon
the third elephant, which was backing
against the fourth and swinging its
trunk, while his huge ears fairly stood
outward.
The stove near the door was red-hot,
and threw glow of light through the
whole stable. All the animals seemed
under great excitement. Every effort OF
the keepers to keep quiet the third ele
plant seemed futile, and suddenly one
of the keepers was struck by the ami
NAL. The other keeper then picked up
a losg iron poker that stood in the fire.
and, while the other keeper pressed his
long, iron-pointed pitchfork against the
animals trunk, this keeper seized it and
drove the poker quickly up the animals
trunk. AS he did so several women
who were present screamed, and one
man raped with stick against the
glass, while others shouted; ssShame!"
"Shame!"
The keepers quickly turned out their
lights and continued shouting at the
animals.
Two evenings later the same reporter,
happening to meet keeper with whom
be is per- onally acquainted, and who is
a kind, patient man with his charge, in
cidentally remarked:
"What was the matter last Monday
with the elephants, that the keepers
applied a hot iron to one of themp"
How did you hear of that?" asked
the keeper, starting.
"Well, l was there" replied the re
porter, and he described what he had
seen. "Why do keepers treat the ami
mails SOP" he then asked.
"The elephant that was so badly
punished" was the reply, els EN-
peror. He is the same animal that, |
am told, some time ago tramped his
keeper to death. He is vicious brute,
at best; but after his long confinement
in the cage he gets what we call
'crazed.'
elephants are good deal like hui
man beings. They are the most intelli-
gent and forbearing of animals; but they
need exercise and air, and can not stand
confinement. When they first come
here, after long season of perform
ance, they are tired out and need rest.
The first thing that is done to them
when they enter their quarters is to oil
them carefully, their skins being apt to
crack. They will remain quiet for a
long time after they have been received
here, but at almost any moment they
may break out in sudden and almost
uncomfortable rage. 1t is not an unu.
sual thing of night to hear the keep
ers, who sleep in the loft above them,
suddenly spring out of their beds and
run down and try to pacify the poor
brutes. One or another OF them, after
perhaps standing patiently all winter,
chained to the staple, with hardly
enough room between them to let them
lie down, will get irritable. Then they
will begin fighting, and of course the
keepers must use force to subdue them.
"Circus men are obliged at times to
be apparentlv brutal wit h thoir MIN ole