The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1880-06-03
An Elephant Poisoned.
Baltimore Gazette.

some ruhan recently made an at
tempt on the life of Hebe, the elephant
which recently gave birth to "baby''
IN Philadelphia. The menagerie with
which Hebe travels was on exhibition
last week. After an evening perform.
ance at that place the mother elephant
was seen to pick up an apple from the
hay in the Enclosure. The vigilant
keeper noticed the apple and picked up
a piece of it which had dropped off
from the elephants trunk. In the piece
of apple which was picked up enough
strychnine was found to kill fifty per-
sons. Whether the animal swallowed
any Of the poison in the remainder of
the apple is not known. At all events
no perceptible effect followed. After this
incident extraordinary precaution was
taken to protect the mother elephant
and the baby. The visitors were strick-
ly forbidden to throw any kind Of food
to the elephants, and even at night a
trusty Waterman was stationed in the
Enclosure. In spite of these precautions
since the arrival of the show in Brook
lyn the Srenton outrage has been re-
peated with much more alarming re-
suits. The facts which go to establish
the proof ofthese allegations are as fol-
lows: On Tuesday evening the con.
dition Of "Hebe" and ''Columbia" was
the same as usual, and both were par
ticularly lively when brought into the
ring. When taken back to the Enclosure
the mother was chained down by one
foot t, the floor. So great was the in
terest which she and the baby excited
that the crowds fingered around the in
closure for half an hour after the main
performance was concluded. 1t was
not until after midnight that the visitors
took their departure. In few mo.
ments an alarming change took place
in the condition of the mother elephant.
She suddenly became restless and mov-
ed around from side to side as if in
great pain. Mr.. Copeland the keeper,
summoned Mr.. Brstingstall and Mr..
Johnson, the elephant tanners, both of
whom, apprehensive of serious conse-
quences, ordered two additional stakes
to be placed in the ground and the fore
feet of the elephant were attached to
these with strong chains weighing seven
ty pounds. For two or three hours the
elephant continued to be excited, furious.
ly lashiLg its trunk, which on one &C.
casion struck the baby and knocked it
almost senseless. The animal was
dosed with whisky, but it was not un-
til she had taken nearly three gallons
that she became somewhat more quiet.
During her paroxysms she pulled up
one of the iron stakes which was sunk
in the earth nearly six feet and broke
one OF the iron chains as if it had been
cord. She continued restless and un-
easy all night and it was not until 2
o'clock Wednesday afternoon that a
change for the better occurred. Thh
baby seemed to sympathize with
mother, and lost its accustomed friski-
ness. In the evening much to the de-
light of the proprietors, the condition of
the elephant was so much improved as
to dispel all the fears that had been en-
tertained in reference to her recovery.
The theory touching the sickness of the
elephant is that while the crowd was
passing out on Tuesday night some
powerful poison was thrown into the in
closure and swallowed by her. The in
fentiop was probably to kill the baby,
but as it does not eat anything, the foul
purpose was foiled.