Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-10-31
THAT TIGER HUNT.
The Beast that Escaped from a
Menagerie and PrOwled near
Philadelphia.

Philadelphia Times
That was a most exciting affair up in
Torresdale, an the New York branch oil
the Pennsylvania, early yesterday
morning. At about O'Clock, and
while it was yet very dark, Andrew
Hoffmever, a stone mason, was awak-
ened from his sleep by hearing means
not for from the house. Dressing him
self hastily, he went out in the dark.
ness The noise was from the field OF
a neighbor. Walking across this field
he saw through the darkness what
seemed to be the body of an animal
lying close against fence. Hofmeyer
thought it was a COW suffering from
some hurts, but on getting within few
steps OF the recumbent form OF the ami
NAL ne saw two fiery eyes glaring at him
out OF the darkness. Hotfmeyer there
upon ran toward shop where lights
were glimmering at that early hour. 1t
was States butcher shop. Bursting
into the place, where Mr.. States and
two or three hired men were at dark,
he informed them breathlessly of what
had happened. They were joined by
man named Eckert, and all going to the
place, saw that the animal was tiger.
Eckert went back to the house and
got large double-barrelled gun used
for duck shooting, and heavily loaded
with No. 3 shot. Armed with this ef-
fective weapon, and accompanied by
the others armed with small bird guns
which not one of them would venture
to fire, they got down by the tense again.
Bv this time it was about 6 o'clock.
When they reached the place the animal
had risen from the spot where he was
first discovered, and was walking slowly
along on the other side OF the fence.
1t was tiger, and very larege one.
He moved along the fence slowly until
he reached point opposite the place
where the men were standing. Here
he stopped moment, and, placing his
paws against rail looked over. The men
retreated to the nearest house, which is
occupied by family named Clary.
Eckert requested Mrs. Clary to leave the
door open, so that in the event of his
short missing its object he could retreat
inside. The animal, meantime, had
taken himself off the fence, and was
pursueing his way at leisure. Going
down within about thirty feet OF him,
Eckert leveled his gun at him. Just
as he was about to fire he was stopped by
a veil from some of the party, who adj
vised him not TO risk it, as. ii he missed,
and only served to rouse his tigership,
some of them must lose their lives.
Without needing the request, he went a
little closer, and, while the animal stop
ped to look at him, took deliberate aim
for the region of the left shoulder and
fired. The tiger jumped five or six
feet into the air, and fell dead without
groan. The men with the bird guns
rushed up and emptied the contents of
each and every additional gun into the
dead tigers head, being evidently deter
mined that he should not come back to
life. Having done this, and still having
doubts as to whether the work was COM
plete, Mr.. States stepped forward with
his axe and battered the animals head.
The carcass weighed 205 pounds, and
was feet inches long, and over ) feet
high. Itmeasured l94 inches around the
forearm. The animal escaped from Fore
paugh's menagerie, which has been in
Frankfort for the past two days. 1t
could not have been at large long, as
Hoffmeyer was the first man, by all ac-
counts, to discover it. The distance
from Frankfort to Torresdale is about
six miles. 1t had probably been in the
woods all night until driven by hunger
into the fields,