The Portland daily press., 1885-03-24
Subduing an Elephant.
Swinging Him in the Air 20 Bring Him e
Reason.
[Philadelphia Times.l

philadelphia Times.l
1t took dozen men five days of last week
to break the spirit of vicious elephant in
the winter quarters of Adam Forepaugh's
menagerie. Early in February one of Mr..
Forepaugh's European agents bought four
elephants and shipped them TO this country.
Fhe beasts reached New York two weeks
ago, and were at once transferred to Phila-
delpha. Three we're doclle, but the other,
Ajax, is a tusker, eight feet high and
vicious.
On reaching this city he became sullen,
but JACK FOrepaugh, who has charge of the
winter quarters, believing that the brute
would become good-natured in day or two
htcEed him to post and locked him up for
the night. A few hours later Ajax broke his
chains, butted down the iron-bouBd door of
his room and rushed into an apartment
in which dozen of the most peaceable ele-
plants live. He attacked a performing ele-
phant named Bazie, and a desperate fight
began. Five or six of the small elephants
broke loose. Their frightened cries soon ex-
cited every animal n the buildings, and the
air was filed with roaTs that aroused the
neighborhood. The night-keepers were
afraid to attempt to separate Ajax and Bazie
who were trumpeting and charging at each
other with great fury. When their huge
rush the shock could Dc felt throughout the
place.
Jack Forepaugh was sent for, but before
he arrived the Watehman discovered that
Ajax and Bazie were so engaged with each
other that they did not heed what was going
on about them. The doors we're opened,
and all the elephants except the fighters
were driven out. By the time !his was ac-
complished Mr.. Forepaugh arrived. He has
hod flfrfu avn rarfanaa mill Mild nj
mails and stands no more in fear of an ele-
phant than an ordinary person does of dog.
Grasping an elephant hook-a spike and a
hook on a stout handle--he ran between the
furious beasts aud ordered Baze back.
Bazie obeYed, but the blood of the new
elephant was up, and he charged on the
man, who eluded him and fastened the hook
in the beasts ear. Ajax turned and bore
down upon him. The trainer stabbed him
with the spike and lodged behind a post
Ajax butted the post down as though it was
reed. The other men ran to Mr. Forepaugh's
assistance and assailed the elephant from so
many points that he paused irresOlute. Dur
lug that pause chain was passed about one
OF bis hind legs aud fastened to an anchored
ring. This rendered him almost helpless.
His other legs we're hobbled aud he was left
alone until daylight, Bszie being driven off
to another part of the quarters.
Ou lucoQdN luOAuli4S aJdA was do ouiiCn
and vicious as ever. Bad elephants some
times remain in this mood for days and no
man can approach them with safety. Until
such an elephants spirit is broken he is
worse than useless. Steps were at once
taken to convince Ajax that he must obey
his keepers. OF the thirty-six elephants
under Forepaugh's care none was as hard to
subdue as Ajax.
The work of eonquering the proud spirit
Of AHav OF O o1a aloak Tuondo
and ended shortly before noon yesterday.
Beating has no effect upon mad elephant
1t only renders him more stubborn aud
wicked. The breakers only hope is to con-
vince such an animal that he is powerless
against man. That accomplished the beast
becomes as docIle as elephants ever are.
On Tuesday morning four hawsers were
passed through immense pulleys attached to
beams under the roof. Then a set of harness
shaped something like monster shawl
strap, was fastened about Ajax's defiant
body. The leather straps, which were three
ply thick, covered small chains. All the
leather plates were eopper-riveted and a foot
wide. Ajax looked as though he were in
armor after being incased. Three hours
were speut in getting the harness on him,
and during the job he slightly injured two
the keepers.
Through iron rings, supported by great
q
dozen men grasped two of the lines of rope
that passed through pulleys, and before
Ajax knew 1t his hind feet were six feet
above the ground and he stood on bis front
ones in the most approved performing ele-
plant style. For 10 oment he was para
lyzed with astonishment, bus surprise gave
way to fury when he app eciated the ridicu-
lous posture he was in. He surged aud
trumpeted and Tapped his ears, but all to no
| purpose.
When his struggles subsided some of the
men ran off with the front ropes, and in
| jiffy Ajax's body was suspended in The air.
| He made the most frantic efforts to tear the
| betting of with his trunk, but the chains be-
| tween his fore legs, and around his shoul-
| ders prevented it. There the monster brute
| hung helpless an infant. He was tree
| to kick aud plunge and butt the air as much
as be pleased. From time TO time he was
| lowered, so that he might rest his legs, but
none of the men were allowed to approach
OF worry him. In the evening he was low
cred and fed and allowed to spend the night
| on the ground, thinking over the indignities
that had been put upon him.
After h breakfast on the following morn
ing he was trussed up as before. He resist
ed, but his efforts we're unaVailiDg. He was
| a slont-sprited brute, however, and the Sec
| ond days punishment only seemed to in
| CACds6 hlo ids1Cs W WhCh hO SAuC AOHu "
supper he was the maddest elephant that
ever trumpeted in Forepaugh's winter quar-
| ters. AT the sight of the harness on Wednes-
| day he became greatly excited. Mr.. Fore
| paUgh said he was looming to his senses"
| This, however, did not prevent him from be-
| ing hoised up again. He surged about less
In his comfortable swing on Thursday, but
otherwise he was as stubborn and dangerous
as ever. An anchor was sunk five feet deep
in the ground and covered with earth in an
other part of the quarters. Only ring was
exposed. Ajax's fore legs we're hitehed to
the ring on Friday morning. Ropes were
attached 10 his hind legs, which were then
drawn out, leaving him ''spread-eagled on
his stomach on straw.
Jack Forepaugh walked over Ajax's pros
trate body every few minutes. The elephant
was let up and thrown down several times
during the day. After three or four hours
experiences of this kind Ajax became meek
er, and he was quite detected when. in the
evening, he was unclaimed and ordered to
stand up. He was hobbled and thrown down
on Saturday morning, and when his body
touched the ground, he cried out and tears
| trickled down his trunk. He was conquered.
| The chains we're removed at once, and he
| got up quietly. At the word of command
he walked into the room he had broken out
of on Monday night, and was as meek as
| sheep.