The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-04-08
Interview in Providence Jol,ruall
A Lion-Tamer's Experience.
First Entrance Into a Lions Cage
Breaking In Ferocious Three-Year

"While with Robinson's circus" said MIR.
Neylan, 81 became acquainted with Bill Rey-
nolds the we'll known lion performer, and be-
came a favorite with him. He was growing
old and was taken i'll quite frequently, thereby
necessitating the withdrawal of that feature in
the entertainment. / was in the habit of play
ing with the lions outside the cage, and one
day asked Archie McCarty, the boss canvass
man, who had charge of the cage, if he would
let me go inside. He laughed at me, and in
sinuated that would back out mighty quick.
l looked about for cowhide. and being un-
able to find one substituted broom handle
and started in. There were two lions in the
cage, and tiger, the famous lion, Old Prince,
the pet lioness, Jennie, andsa beautiful tiger
of magnificent proportions. Old Prince was a
stubborn, bull-headed creature, and meant mis-
chief every time. l was about sixteen years OF
age at this time, and was in good physical CEN
dition. The moment entered the animals re-
garded me as an intruder, and Old Prince COM
menced to assume war-like department. |
belabored him vigorously with the broom
handle, maintaining my self-possession and
nerve, and ere left the cage he was humbly
submissive, and, with the other animals, would
promptly do my bidding. l informed the
manager that l had found substitute for
Reynolds, and would produce him that night.
The cago was drawn into the ring, and at the
appointed time 1 appeared, greatly to the sur
prise and bewilderment Of The mapager. As 1
started toward the cage he shouted: Come
away, you fool, you'll get eaten up" But
went on with the performance, aud the ami
mails behaved beautifully. At another time
Robinson had young lion, three years of age,
of great strength and ferocious disposition. /
determined to break him, and selecting an
empty cage with two partitions, had 1t drawn
into the woods one Sunday. and had a terrible
encounter with him for three hours The en-
ragged beast refused to obey the lash, AID it be-
came necessary to use hot irons instead of raw
hide. After he had been subdued petted him
for time and furnished him with a snbSian-
tial meal aud we became the best of friends.
Ali the clothing I wore at the close OF the en-
counter was pair of stockings and waist
band to my shirt. | subsequently broke ar
other pair for Robinson, and bad tough tussel
with them, but nothing in comparison with
the three years old.
Mr.. NaA :au was asked ii he had ever found
himself - extreme peril
"Well. yts,'' replied MIR. Ne5lan. 81 was
placed once in most uncom mfo1taOie situahon.
Jennie, the pet lioness, was with young, ana
one day l had occasion TO enter her cage to
repair it. The sound of the hammer Employed
in driving nails appeared to frighten her, and
suddenly she fastened her teeth Hpon the calf
of my leg. / had the presence of mind TO let
her alone, although she was tearing my flesh
terribly, and seizing my hammer watched
my opportunity, when she had caught my
wrist between her teeth, and thrust the handle
down her throat, choking off her hold. Then
she sought to leap upon me, and stripped me of
my clothing, beside leaving the bloody imprint
of her claws upon my back. The blows OF the
hammer did not seem to have any effect, and
at an opportune moment, one Of the keepers,
seeing my predicament, seized an iron bar and
belabored her vigorously, while kept accom-
paniment with my hammer. We conquered
her at last, and / left the cage to dress my
self and my wounds. She never disturbed me
Once, previous to this, Jennie knocked me
down, and Old Prince evidently intended to
make meal of me, but my good fortune and
courage did not desert me, and whipped
them both into subsection with my cowhide.
tThe best time to begin to break lions,' said
Mr.. Neylan, "is when they are cubs of eight to
ten months growth. My practice was to devote
an hour day in training, alw ays exercising
them on empty stomachS and feeding them i'm
mediately afterward; if the animal is tractable
and submissive he should be treated kindly,
but if he is inclined to be stubborn and ugly,
then you must obtain the mastery by a vigor-
GUS use of the cowhide. They are inclined tc
be treacherous even when the most frolicsome
and gentle, and it can be shown that the ma
jority of lion performers who have been killed,
have allowed too much liberty to their pets
The objective point of the cowhide is the face
ana eye to blind and confuse them, and they
smart and are forced into retirement by Wig
orous flagellation. 1t tmust not be thought for
an instant that one can lock them steadily in
the eye, and thus disarm them. The lion does
I,nt ytpIA IAA u1U
but the moment he lowers his head and gives
it an ominous shake, then look for danger, and
the more promptly the lash is applied the bet
ter The tiger is more treacherously inclined
than the lion, and more difficulty is exper-
fenced in their training Ihave trained Asatic,
African and Mexican lions, and some of them
have developed remarkable power Of intelli-
geuce and sagacity.