Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-06-09

A LEOPARD ESCAPES FROM HIS CAGE.

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on the fair grounds created sensation
which the members of the little group
that figured in it will remember vividly
till their death. The work of transferring
three leopards from the boxes or crates in
which they were brought here from New
York, to the cages which they are to oc-
cupv in the Carnivora house, was in pro-
gress at the time, under the direction of
Superintendent Duffy. The leopard is
one of the most powerful and active ami
NAL of its weight IN the world, and its
savage and treacherous nature makes it
more feared by animal-keepers than the
| lion or tiger. The three which Mr..
| Greene purchased in New York recently
are all young. largely developed and Wig
orous. To transfer such animals as these
| from box to cage is work requiring
great care, although not ordinarily at
! tended with much danger. The leopards
travelled singly, and the procedure OF trans
/ fer was to place the crate with its door
close against the opening into the cage,
and secure it there so that it could not be
/ displaced by anv movement OF the animal,
| then to open the doors of the create and
prod the prisoner until he went through
| into his new quarters. The transfer at
| tracted quite a number of the visitors at
the grounds to the Carnivora house. and
| the first two leopards were induced into
the cage without accident.
! The box containing the third brute was
next secured in position, and its door
opened. Instead of walking quietly into
! the cage, where the old occupant and the
two new arrivals awaited him, the brute
treated the assembled company to a thrill
| ing surprise. Placing his fore paws just
inside the door OF the cage, he made a
terrific spring forward and upward and
alighted against the opposite side of the
cage, about ten or twelve feet above the
/ floor, where he held on to the bars
/ for moment. growing. splitting, switch
/ ing his tail and glaring at the
crowd below With another spring ne
reached the roof of the cage, which, like
the sides, is made of iron rods. their thick
ness being not quite equal to those on the
sides. Still making frightful noises, he
! began to tug desperately at two of the
rods of the roof with his fore paws. The
cage was supposed to be proof again the
assault of any animal of the species, and
hence the struggles were at first regarded
by the spectators and keepers with curios-
ity only. Suddenly, however. the rods
bent apart. and the long, sleek. glossy
body of the fierce brute shot up between
them to position on the top of the cage.
Instantly shout of alarm went up from
every person in the crowd and as the 1.-THE
creature took seat on the iron rods close
to the edge of the top. and with eyes gilt
tering. growled down at them, the specta-
tors were almost paralyzed with terror.
and there was a stampede for the doors.
II IoI ~ I'd into hot
crowd nothing would have prevented
tragedy of the bloodiest description. He
held to his perch. however. and seemed
to take a sullen enjoyment in the panic he
had created.
The keepers. though at first as much
alarmed as any one else, because they
ton. acted with excellent presence of
mind. One ran to where double-barrel
shotgun, loaded with heavy slugs, was
kept. and bringing it to bear on the leop-
ard, held the weapon in position to kill at
the slightest movement. while others
closed the doors of the building to prevent
the animal from getting out among the
sight-seers, should the gun prove ineffec
tive The rules of the management re-
quire that a dangerous animal which es-
capes from its cage shall be shot immedi-
ately, if possible. but the superintendent
and his six keepers thought that it would
be pity to kill such fine animal while
there was a possibility of recapturing
it. Hence they took desperate chances
to effect that object. First. the
elephant, which occupies an open
space in the Carnivora house.
was unclaimed, and the doors opened long
~ 10 To ha 1od ont MT
grounds, where it was temporarily Sc
cured This was made necessary by the
danger that the leopard might attack the
elephant, in which event it might be
necessary to kill both. Then, in order
that the animals in the other cages might
not increase the excitement of the leopard
bv making an uproar. the doors separat-
ing the inside cages from those outside
the building were opened and the animals
driven out into the summer cages. the
doors being closed behind them. In do
ING this, the six men were, of course. in
the greatest peril, as the freed animal
could at any time have reached either of
them in two bounds. They virtually put
their lives in the hands of the man with
the gun, who has reason to be proud of
the faith displayed in his nerve and mark
manship. Meanwhile the leopard moved
uneasily around on the top of the cage,
snarling at times, but occupying the most
of his furlough in growing.
The most dangerous part of the work
came last. A large rope, nearly an inch
and half in diameter. was procured and
a moose was made. Two long poles with
hooks on the end enable two men to raise
the moose up to where the leopard was
moving about. He crouched and growled
louder as he saw the poles with the moose
approaching him. and the man with the
| gun brought the weapon to bear on his
eyes. with the expectation of having to
shoot the next moment. while the other
attendants raised their clubs and pitchforks
ready to catch the animal if he made
Jump at them. He evidently realized that
the enemy was too strong for a successful
assault, and contented himself with knock
ing the moose away with his paw when
ever it approached him, After long en-
deavor they finally dropped the moose over
the animals head and it was drawn tight
with will. For about ten seconds there
was a tremendous cummotion on the top
of the cage, as the leopard clutched
Al