The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1880-11-13
An Enraged Elephant Kills Its Keeper.

An Enraged Elephant Kills lu keeper.
Information received herd frdnC Char
lotte, N. G., says q Richmond (Va-)
special to the New York Herald, states
that upon the arrival of John Robinson's
circus there yesterday a scene OF great
excitement ensued consequent On We
bad temper and escape of Chief, the
largest and most powerful of the ele-
plants. The car upon whfch-
NAL was brought was standing near 3
crossing on Trade Street. Quite crowd
had gathered to witness the process OF
the animals. CHEZ had ben
taken off the car. Nothing Remarkable
occurred till the keeper of the elephants.
John King, was heard to cry out; "Look
out, thereI If that elephant hits 4nyof
you, will not be responsible. Almost
Immediately after giving this warming,
King, who was powerfully built man,
stepped round to Chiefs hea9and ~
in the act of turning him rd6nd, -Vh(h
the people heard him call the animafoy
name in what they regarded as fright,
ened Tone In a moment more the mon.
ster, who was enraged, was seen by
the crowd to turn upon the unfortunate
keeper and crush him against the car.
King sank to the ground without a
groan, and the attendants whOa were
with him fled in terror and dismay. The
crowd scattered up Trade Street, and
the widest confusion followed, The
men were afraid to appoach the in
furiated animal and King was allowed
to remain for several minutes on the
ground where he had fallen. The ele-
plant surveyed the scene for. an in
slant, gave short snort and started at
a brisk pace up the railroad track, As
soon as he was out of reach King was
picked up apparently lifeless and con-
veyed across the street to a barber
shop, where several doctors were sum-
moned. In the meantime the elephant
continued up the track, and the, report
getting abroad that he was loose in
the streets, the excitement increased.
The crowd which first collected
about the crossing and theP door
of the shop into which King had
been carried scattered up theustreet,
and all sorts of reports were
atloat, no one being able ON account Vof
the darkness to determine the where
abouts of the elephant. twas suggest
ed that party be organized 70 start
in pursuit with the view of shooting
him, but before any plans could be
formed twas learned that The citcus
men were following him and would no
doubt succeed in capturing him.. To do
this they had to take with them Mary,
the female elephant, and The Boy. ri
Chief had turned up Fifth Street ON
arriving at the crossing and the other
elephants were driven rapidly after him.
On arriving at Tryon Street he stopped
for a moment and then went directly
across to Church Street. where he was
secured by being chained to- the other
two elephants. The three were then
driven down Tryon Street towards the
point whence they had started, fDlloWed
by a crowd. The animals moved akohg
quietly until they arrived at the Market
House, when there was q united move
mentg towards the pnmp4 An attempt
was made to drive them<H, but<they
refused to go and the expelien61f al
lowing them to drink was sresQrted to.
In the movements about the pump the
chains became entangled and the three
began to move round and round, draw
ing them gradually together Chiefs
temper was aroused and he began to
below. The wild. weird noise threw a
panic into the crowd and there was a
confused retreat. Finally. by the Wig
orous use of goads and pitch-forks the
three elephants were made to take their
respective places and the slow move
ment towards the tents was )o0ntin1ed.
At last they were gotten there and were
securely fastened, but the excitement
continued for hours afterward. A half
hour after the accident King was breath
ing with difficulty and his face was
swollen and blackened. Heshad all the
appearances of dead man but for the
convulsive movement of his body caused
by his painful efforts to breathe. His
skull was crushed. King fingered till
about eleven O'Clock, when, he ldied.
He was buried this afternoon aftSt the
circus performance. Mr., Lolow, the
clown, said that King was somewhat to
blame for the animals viciousness, as
he never would consent to; any, violent
measures TO subdue him. Mr. 'LoloM
said they had several other men in the
show who could take care of him. He
was satisfied that the elephant did not
know it was King when he madeathim,
as the keeper had him under absolute
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