Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-04-15
LIONS SENSATIONAL ACT.
PERFORMING HIS PART QUIETLY IN A PHILA
DELPHIA THEATRE, hut BREAKING HIS
CAGE BARS AFTERWARDS.

PERFORMING HIS PART QUIETLY IN PHILA.
DELPHIA THEATRE, hut BREAKING HIS
CAGE BARS AFTERWARDS.
From the Philadelphia Record.
A startling incident occurred on Mon.
day afternoon at the New National
Theatre in Philadelphia, where the
Frank /. Frayne Combination were
playing in sensational piece called
'Mardo, the Hunter" In the fifth act
Mrdo is accused in the presence of the
Grand Duke Alexis of being Il Nihilist
and he offers to procure from the collar
of lion a paper which will prove his
innocence. To make the play more
realistic and sensational a lion named
Nero had been procured from Fore
paugh's Menagerie, and during the
whole play up to the time OF his ap.
pearance in the scene he was kept in
his cage behind the scenery. He re-
mained perfectly quiet at first, but as
firearms began to be discharged on the
stage he became excited and growled
angrily.
When the curtain was raised for act
fifth the centre of the stage was pccu.
pied by sloping platform about six
feet high. There was no protection on
either side, but in the front wooden
railing ra4 up about four feet above the
boards. During the first part of the
act all this was hidden from view by Il
curtain, but when the curtain was
dropped Nero bounded from behind the
scenes with swift movement and lay
down with his nose between the wood.
en- bars. The animal was securely fas.
k., IL, ,..L -.
communicated with his cage behind the
scene, but these were invisible to the
audience, who, supposing that Nero was
loose, cheered vehemently. The lion
'sniffed" at the noise, but lay quiet,
while Mardo Frank |. Frayne) advanced
TO the unclosed side, took off his leather
collar and unfolded the paper it con.
tanned.
The curtain went down amid vocif.
erous applause. The stage at this mo.
ment was crowded with actors and ac.
tresses. Nero was led quietly to his
cage ten feet behind, by w. Thompson.
OF Forepaugh's, who had him~in charge
during the day. just at this moment
Frayne's dog Jack, q large and ferocious
looking creature, came upon the stage
and approached the lions cage. As
soon as Nero beheld Jack he rose to
his feet and with a roar bit at one of
the iron bars, which snapped as though
it had been made of wood. Almost i'm
mediately second bar was broken and
Frayne cried out, "My God the lions
getting outw
Instantly there was a general rush
from the stage. Several of the actors
and actresses rushed into the street in
their stage costumes and two women
ran upstairs, opened the window and
screamed for help. One of the men
fled to the box Office in the lobby OF the
theatre and barricaded the door with a
table. The dog himself stood on the
defensive. but before the lion had had
time to snap the third bar, which would
have given him liberty, Keeper Thomp-
son secured the chain which was fasten.
ed around the animals neck and pass.
ing 1t through one of the bars at the
end drew IL towards himself with all
his might, at the same time winding it
around his arm. by this means Nero's
head was held so tight that his tongue
protruded from his mouth. A few mo-
ments in this position was enough for
Nero, who laid down and permitted his
cage and himself to be removed TO its
proper position in the rear of the stage.
AZ the evening performance Jack
was kept out of the way and Nero per.
lormed his part properly and then re.
hred in peaceable and becoming man.
ner.