The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1882-05-19
ALTON NTAMERs EXPERIENCE.

First Entrance Into n Lions CnRe-Iirenk-
ina in n Ferocieus Three-Year-Old.
"While with Robinson's circus" said
Mr.. Neylan, lion-tamer, to reporter,
II became acquainted with Bill Rey.
nolds, the well-known lion performer,
and became fast favorite with him.
He was growing ola and was takea i'll
quite frequently, thereby necessitating
entertainment. / was in the habit Of
playing with the lions outside the cage,
and one day l asked Archie Mccarthy,
the loss canvasman, who had charge Of
the cage, il ne would let me go inside.
He laughed at me, and insinuated that
1 would back out mighty quick. 1
looked about for cowhide, and being
unable to find ono. substituted broom
handle and started in. There were two
lions in tho cage and tiger--the ia
nous lion Old Prince, the pet liopess
Jennie, and beautiful tiger Of magpifi.
cent proportions. Old Prince wes a
stubborn, bull-headed creature, and
meant mischief every time.
II was about sixteen years OF age at
a;;;ai tha time and and was in good physical con.
animals regarded me as an intruder, and
Old Prince commenced to assume q
warlike department. l belabored him
vigorously with tho broom handle,
maintaining my self-possession end
nerve, and ere l left the cage he was
humbly submissive, and, with the 9th,
animals, would promptly do my bid
ding. l informed the manager that I
had found a substitute for Reynolds
and would produce him that night.
The cage wGs drawn into the ring, and
at the appointed time l appeared,
greatly to the surprise and bewilder-
ment Of the manager. AS started to.
ward the cage he shouted "'Come
away, you fool You'll get eaten up
But l went on with the performance,
and the animals behaved beautifully.
At another time Robinson had young
lion, three years OF age, OF great
strength and ferocious disposition. I
determined to break him, and selecting
an empty cage with two partitions, I
had it drawn into the woods one Sun
day, and had @ terrible encounter with
him for three hours. The enraged
beast refused to obey the lash, and it
became necessary to use hot irons in
stead Of rawhide. After he had been
subdued, I petted him for time, and
furnished him with substantial meal,
and we became the best OF friends. All
the clothing wore at the close OF the
encounter was pair of stockings and q
wristband to my shirt. / subsequently
broke another pair for Robinson, and
had O tough tussle with them, but
nothing in comparison with the three
year-old."
MIR. Neylan was asked il he had eeer
found himself il extreme peril.
Well, yes" piled Mr.. Neylan. II
was placed in a mot rncomfoitab bic
situation Jeu, ie. be ret iioness, was
with ycuor, AMI oar day lad occasion
to enter h.r ct e % rjslr IT, The
-onbd ni tide h ',pn'sr .m,ioyed in 6riy.
ing nails appeared to Tighten her, and
suddenly she fastened her teeth upon
the calf of my leg. had the presencc
OF mind to let her alone, although she
sssns 's51h ny ha%mels E s wasfissbEaaa sfisEaaS nv ob ob
portunity, when she had caught my
wrist between her teeth, and thrust the
handle down her throat, choking Of
her hold. Then she sought to leap up.
on me, and stripped me Of my clothing
beside leaving the bloody imprint o
her claws upon my back. The blows
OF the hammer did not seem to have
any effect, and, at an opportune mo
ment, one Of the keepers, seeing my
predicament, seized an iron bar and be
labored her vigorously, while I KEEP
accompaniment with my hammer. We
conquered her at last, and 1 left the
cage to dress myself and my wounus
She never disturbed me again, and wa
always gentle and tractable.
"Once, previous to this. Jenni,
knocked me down, and Old Prince evi-
IDENTIFY intended to make a meal of me
but my good fortune and courage di(
not desert me, and Whipped them botl
,nto subsection with my cowbide.
"rhe best time to begin TO breai
I;''' O." sold rNs SASJan-....is.E .Ehsp the.
My practice was To devote an hour
day in training, always exercising then
on empty stomachs and feeding then
Immediately afterward. If the ANNA
is tractable and submissive, he shouls
be treated kindly, and if he is inclines
to be stubborn and ugly, then you mus
obtain the mastery by vigorous use o
the cowhide. They are inclined to b,
treacherous even when most frolicsom
and gentle. and it can he shown tha
the majority of lion performers VIII
have been killed have allowed too mucl
liberty to their pets.
"The objective point of the cowbid
is the face and eye, 10 blind and confus
them, AID they smart aud are force,
into retirement by vigorous 1agella
tion. 1t must not be thought for n
instant that one can look them stendil
in the eye and thus disarm them. Th
lion does become somewhat blinded b,
a steady gaze, but the mon ent he low
ers his head and gives il an ominou
shake, then look for danger, and tn
more promptly the lash is applied tn
better.
The tiger ia more troaohoronsly in
clined than the lion, and more difficult,
is experienced in their training. hav
trained Asiatic, African and Mexical
lions, and some of them have devolope,
remarkable po@.r Oi i-.elliGeI &c an
sagacliy.'