Omaha daily bee., 1883-02-06
FIGHTING A
A Keepers struggle for Life - The
Fierce Beast at Large-A Mar
row Escape.
Philadelphia Timer.

Philadelphia Timer.
A monster lioness belonging j. b.
Doris's Intar.Ocean Circus created the
sensation OF the year In tho VINE |
quarters of the show In frankfort
on Mondsy evening. Numerous addi.
tions bave been lately made to the
menagerie of the Inter Ocean show, |
and the animals occupy several build.
ings on Harrison street. The tropical
animals are kept In q room by them
selves. This apartment Is 80 feet
square, and three of the walls arc
masked in by heavy oak and
Iron cages. There are three tiers
Of these massive dens, and behind
the bars Of each are from one to
three specimens of rare wild animals.
The lions, tigers, leopards, panshers
and hyenas are imprisoned In the low.
or dens, while the smaller animals and
tropical birds occupy the upper tiers.
In the center Of tho room Is an I'm
mense stove, which Is kept red hot
night and day. A tame pelican, three
crested cockstoos, q tismingo, half o
dozen monkeys, and a family of per-
forming dogs formed q drowsy circle
around the glowing stove yesterday
afternoon. A row of elephants along
the east wall stood up to their knees
In fragrant hay, and In stalls near by
were a score OF other h%erLivorous AMI.
mails from South Africa. High above
the tiern of cages are the sleeping
hunks Of the attendants of the AMI
mails.
The dozen lions In the collection
are as fine specimen as have eve been
seen in captivity. Juno, the largest
lionsss of the lot, is five years old.
Until lat summer she was regarded-as
one OF the beat dispos!tioned bea.ts!c Ct
her species. In June, 1882, another
lioneas in the menagerie became the
mother of three cubs. Juno, who
occupied an adjoining cage during the
travels of the Inter Ocean show, be.
came greatly interested Ia the cubs
and Was In the habit Of watching them
for hours at a time. Last fall the
mother of the cubs died and they
were raised by hand. Juno's interest
In the leoline babies increased after
the death of their mother, and finally
she became 30 Jealous that when any
one approached tho cubs she would be.
come furious with rage, III the AMI,
NAL house Juno ocsupiss q cage In the
lower tier in the north wall. The
cubs, which now weigh about fifteen
pounds each, are lodged in the lower
tier at the east wall. This enables
juno to have an unobstructed view
of their cage.
just before dark on Monday ever
Ing MIR. Marvin was feeding the AMI
mails. He gave the cubs their share
OF liver, and paused a moment to fon.
die them. This put Juno in a fright
full rage. Marvin turned to quiet her,
and as he advanced toward the cage
he stumbled and fell against the bars
La an instant she seized his right arm
! above the elbow. In order to protect
his head and body the man foil, ard
with his left hand grasped the bottom
of the cage. Juno held his right arm
with n paw and str1ck through the
bars at his head with the other. A
lad named Donahue grabbed an iron
bar and tried to make Juno drop
Marvin, The boys efforts only
Increased the rage of the bsast,
By this time every animal In
the place was wildly excited, and their
roars aud cries were heard tquares
away. To increase tee din the ami
mals OF O'Brien's circus In an adjoin-
ing building added their voices to the
chorus. DJnahue ran out of the
building, shouting for help. As there
is a small army of workmen about the
place the lion house was soon sur.
rounded with men. In the meantime
Juno had torn the flesh from Msrvin's
arm. struck him several wicked blows
on the shoulder, and then allowed
him to drop to the ground and crawl
away. Just as the rescuer9 reached
the doors they heard a sound of
crashing timbsrs accompanied by q
series OF blood freezing rosrs. Juno
had thrown her body against the bars
and broken through. The approach Of
night made the interior of tho building
dark, and no u cared to venture In.
They heard Juno charging around the
plaza and they hesitated. They sup.
posed Marvin was dead. He, how
ever, managed to reach the rack in
which the heavy iron bars used to
clean the cages are kept, and, snatch.
ing one, boldly advanced on Juno, who
crouched in a corner. All this time
the other animals were making the
most frightful noise. Above the din
the men at the doors, to their aston.
ishment, heard Marvin ordering the
l~ioness back to her cage, This re-
assured them aud they started to en-
ter. AS the doors opened, Juno sprang
over Msrvin's head and took refuge in
q stall near the blauw boks. Marvin
shouted to close the doors, and, fol.
lowing the now partially cowed lion.
sss, struck her twice with the Iron
Ebar. Then he poked her out, and
with IN angry roar she vaulted back
into her cage aud b edangsr was over.
New bars were quickly fitted In, and
the cage was made doubly secure by
the addition of new iron braces.
Marvin injuries we're attended to by
a physician, whosays he will not loose
the use of his arm. After Juno was
Gagged it was noticed that one of thu
blsuw boks was trembling like a leaf,
aud tasrs trickled down The fri htened
- m "a Ia