The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1883-10-24
EXPLOITS OF L%[ON-TAMERS.
A CHAPTER ON THE KING OF BEASTS
AND HIS SUBDUERS.
Fatal LiOn-Taming ExhibitiOnS..An
Italian 1~.iOn.Euncr Who Became
the Kings FnvOritc.

AS
Fatal Lion-Taming Exhibitions--An
Italian liOn.'Eumcr Who Became
the Kings FnvOritc.
The great interest of containing cXhi'
bitionS. SAYS U0mbvrx' .Io"rm0|, Is tho
narrowncSS of the line dividing the ticti
tious from the real tragedy. and the ever
present possibility Of Il terrible drnouc
mcnt, occasionally realized. Such catas'
trophc was enacted in prcscnccofaL London
audience, when Van .Amburgh'S daughter,
the unfortunate Lion Queen. WAS torn t'
pieces by an animal with which she wa'
performing at the .Alhambra. The Hip
podromc of Paris witnessed Il similar
spectacle in the death of the Spanlaro
Lucas, who had the rashncSs 10 go into
the lions cage when excited by drink,
and cxpiatcd his imprudcncc with hi:
life. 4. lad of eighteen vcnturrd into
the inclosurc and brought out his man
ylrd remains: he WAS decorated by tho
emperor. but lost his reason from tho
mental strain of the moment. Charles
the lion-tamrr. ON the other hand. com
monty reported asa victim OF his art,
died peacefully of consumption. the dis
east. to which. strange T." say. the greater
number of those who follow this profess
ion s,cclmb.
\ more famous lion tanner was Falmall,
an Italian peasant. who still lives III re-.
tirrmrnt near Piacclga. He first entered
Il den of wild beasts at the age OF eight,
$1,000. .l.,, .,..;,l tr,ipip,r and SIJnnl\
to win Il wager. The danger fascinated
him. and in Il few years he became fa.
NOUS as the master of the %fcrorionS Gagged
beasts in Italy. He represented Il piece
in which. with appropriate scenery OF
palm trees and yellow sands. he played
the part Of an Arab hunter giving chase
to Il couple of panthrrS. After the
mimic death of one, he finished by roll
inc and tiingin" the apparently dead car
caS> about the stage: but on one occa'
sion. slightly Observation-Disclosures distance,
he threw the beast upon one OF his sub
orlinatcs. and had sharp tuSSlr before
by the cxpcdicnt of cnvcloping the AMI
nal in Il blanket, he was able to dctacl
it from the panic-strickcn assistant.
The most terrible of all his battles was
fought on April :, 1863, when playing
with a tiger at Bcthunc. One Of the
audience had the imprndcncc to fling !;
piece of meat into the cage. and, though
the performer dcxtcrously pushed ii aside
with his foot. it was too late. as TIT
brute had Smclt it and become unman-
aucablc. Flinging itself on him with {
savage growl. it tore oil part OF his SCALP
in the first onset; and though he wrcStlro
with it. and succeeded i'll throwing II
back. it anne on again more furious than
ever. \ desperate alternative suggested
itself to him-to present his left arm t.
its fan~S. while with all his force ne
dealt it such Il blow with the heavy whll
in his right hand as partially to stupriI
and compel it to loose its hold. WITH
wonderful presence of mind he escaped
from the cage. and endured Il thirt,y-tiv'
DAYS illness before the wounds healed
Yet. before he was recovered, still dis
ablcd. and with his arm in Il sling,
Faimali entered the tigers cage again,
and stood gazing at it with folded arms,
as it prepared to spring on hlm'
..IIcrc am" he said "dcvour me,
if YOU like" But his dcmcanor cowcd
the savage creature. and. instead OF at
tacking him, it crouchcd at his feet. In
Amsterdam. shortly after, at the request
of the king. he entered the cages of all
! the beasts at the Geological gardens, and
appeared us much at home with them i>
with those of his W collection, rccclv-
ing 1000 francs for the exhibition OF hls
powers. \ tragical circumstance occurred
here. which caused him much SELF
rcproach. 4 Young man of eighteen, the
son of the director Of the Geological gar
dcns, importuncd him so earnestly to let
him enter the tigers cage by himself
that he consented, first taking the pre-
caution of experimenting on his nerves
by accompanying him in Il preliminary
visit. and feeling his pulse when he camc
out. But the unhappy lad paid dearly
for his ambition. for on vcnturing alone
into the tigers lair during the evening
performance, and being greeted with Il
sudden growl by its inmate. he fled t o the
! door of the cage but WAS taken out life
less.
During his travels in his native coun.
try Faimali was seen and admired D.!
Victor Emanuel. who presented him will
several animals. and. among others,
with Il fierce ~liomcSs, on condition of hl'
promising never to enter her cage. FMl
mali gave his word. but broke it I'M
mcdiatelv. unable to resist the trmpta'
ton of tanning by kindness Il crcAtur,
! whose disposition he believed to hav'
been Sourcd by harsh treatment. Know.
ing the king to have left Florence, ano
nawar that ne had only gone to SAL
RosSorc. he advertised a performance il
which he would appear with this un'
tamablc beast: but what WAS his disma!
to see the royal party in plain clothr:
among the audience. llcvainly remained
in hiding behind the scene after the cN
hibition was over. for the king sent hin
word he would not leave without sccln4
him: and crcStfallrn and guilty he hat
to appear. Victor Emanuel was S~criouSl!
diSplcascd, rcproaching him with havin!
broken his word: but eventually forgav'
him when Faimali exclaimed that beasts
like men, were spoiled by o~vcr-scvcrity
and the interview ended in the kings dc
claring him prince Of CONTAINERS.