The Indianapolis journal., 1885-03-13
sUBDurNG AN ELEPHANT.
Swinging Him in the Air to Bring the Great
Behemoth to Reason.

Swinging Him in the Air to Bring the Great
Behemoth to Reason.
Philadelphia Times.
1t took dozen men five days of last week to
break the spirit of vicious elephant In the win
ter quarters of Adam Forepaugh's menagerie.
Early in February one of Mr.. Forepaugh's Euro
pean agents bought four elephants and shipped
them to this country. The huge beasts reached
transferred to Philadelphia. Three were docile,
but the other, Ajax, is 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, hitched him to a
post and locked him up for the night. A few
hours later Ajax broke his chains, butted down
the iron bound door of his room, and
rushed into, an apartment in which a
live. He attacked a performing elephant
named BaZie and desperate fight began. Five
or six of the small elephants broke loose. Their
frightened cries soon excited every animal in the
buildings and the air was filled with roars that
aroused the neighbornood. 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
bodies came together at the end Of every rush
the shock could be felt throughout the place.
Jack FOrepaugh was sent for but before he
arrived the watchman discovered that Ajax and
Bazie were SO engaged with each other that they
did not heed what was going on about them
The doors were opened, and all the elephants
except the fighters were driven out BY the
time this was accomplished Mr. Forepaugh ar
rived He has had thirty years experience with
wild animals and stands no more in fear of an
elephant than an ordinary person does of dog
Grasplng and elephant hook-a spike and a hook
on stout handle-he ran between the furious
beasts and ordered Bazie back. Bazie obeyed,
but the blood of the new elephant was up and
he charged on the man, who eluded him and
astened the hook in the beasts ear. Ajax
turned and bore down upon him. The trainer
stabbed MIN with the spike and lodged behind
post. Ajax butted the post down as though it
was reed. The other men ran to Mr.. Fore
paugh's assistance and assailed the elephant from
so many points that he paused irresolute. Dur
ing that pause a chain was passed about one of
his hind legs and fastened to an anchored ring.
This rendered him almost helpless. His other
legs were hobbed and he was left alone until
daylight. Bazie being driven off to another part
of the quarters.
On Tuesday morning Ajax was as sullen and
vicious as ever. Bad elephants sometimes re
main in this mood for days, and no man can ap-
proacn them with safety. Until such an ele-
plants spirit is broken, he is worse than use
less Steps were at once taken to convince
Ajax that he must obey his keepers. Of the
thirty-six elephants under Forepaugh's care none
were as hard to subdue as Ajax.
The work of conquering the proud spirit OF
Ajax began at 0 o'clock on Tuesday morning and
ended shortly before noon yesterday Beating
has no effect upon a mad elephant. 1t only
renders him more stubborn and wicked. The
breakers only hope is to convince such an ami
NAL that he is powerless against man. That ac-
cOmpliShed the beast becomes as docile as ele.
plants ever are. On Tuesday morning four
hawsers were passed through immense pulleys
attached to the beams under the roof. Then a
set of harness, shaped something like monster
shawl-strap was fastened about Aiaxs defiant
body. The leather straps which were three ply
thick, covered small chains All the leather
plates were copper riveted and foot wide. Ajax
looked as though he wore armor after being
incased. Three hours were spent in getting the
harness on him. and during the job he slightly
injured two of the keepers
Through iron rings, supported by great
chains, were passed the hawsers. Then dozen
| men grasped two of the lines of rope that
passed through pulleys, and before Ajax knew
it his hind feet were six feet above the ground,
| and he stood on his front ones in the most APP
proved performing elephant style. For mo-
ment he paralyzed with astonshment but
surprise gave place to fury when he appreciated
the ridiculous posture he was in. He surged,
and trumpeted and happed his ears, but all to no
purpose.
When his struggles subsided, some of the men
ran off with the front ropes, and in jiffy Ajaxs
body was suspended in the air. He made the
most frantic efforts to tear the betting off with
his trunk, but the chains between his fore legs
and around his shoulders prevented it. There
the monster brute hung as helpless an infant.
He was free to kick and plunge and butt the
air as much as he pleased. From time to time
he was lowered, so that he might rest his legs,
but none of the men were allowed to approach
or worry him. In the evening he was lowered
and fed, and allowed to spend the night on the
ground, thinking over the indignities that had
been put upon him.
After his breakfast on the following morning,
he was trussed up as before. He resisted, but
his efforts were unavailng He was stout
spirited brute however and the second day s
punishment only seemed to increase his rage.
When he came down to supper he was the mad
dest elephant that ever rtrumpeted in Forepaugh's
winter quarters. At the sight of the harness on
Wednesday, he became greatly excited. Mr.. Fore
paugh said he was coming to his senses" This,
however, did not prevent him from being
hoisted up again. He surged about less in his
comfortable swing Thursday, but otherwise
he was as stubborn and dangerous as ever. An
anchor was sunk five feet in the ground and Gov
cred with earth in another part of the quarters.
Only ring was exposed. Ajax's fore legs were
hitched to the ring on Friday morning. Ropes
were attached to his hind legs, which were then
drawn out leaving him 'tspread-eagled" on his
stomach on straw.
Jack Forepaugh walked over Ajax's PROSTATE
body every few minutes The elephant was let
up and thrown down several times during the
day After three or four hours experience of
this kind Ajax became meeker, and he was
quite detected when in the evening. he was un-
chained and ordered to stand up. He was hob
bled and thrown down Saturday morning,
and when his body touched the ground he cried
out, and tears trickled down his trunk He was
conquered. The chains were eyed at once,
and he got up quietly. At the word of COM
mand he walked into the room he had broken
out of on Monday night, and was as meek as a
sheep Next week he will begin the training
necessary before he appears in public.
HUMOR OF THE DAY.