The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-01
AN INFURrATED ELEPHANT.
The Damage Wrought by One Of the Pair with
Doriss Circus at the Fair Grounds.

For the past two days the entire working force
Of John B. Doris's circus and menagerie, now in
winter quarters at the State fair grounds, have
done Saturday morning by Hunk the smaller
of the two elephants belonging to the show, and
it will probably be two or three days before a
force of carpenters, bridge builders and joiners
will be able to restore to order the wreck wrought
by the Infatuated beast. Hunk. although a
small elephant is the possesser Of sufficient tenn
per to endow whole caravan, and this is not the
first time she has caused trouble and expense
for the owner. Two or three times during the
last show season she left the ring in rage, and
created CONSERVATION among the audience by
plunging under seats and through canvass to the
outside. Pearl, her keeper, has made repeated
and determined efforts to train the animal, but
without success, and even "Old Belts" her
larger companion, seems to have lost all pa
thence with her, and declines to be on friendly
terms with an elephant of such ungovernable
temper. For the past few days Pearl has been
devoting most of his time in q last struggle to
teach her some of the numerous &c
society elephants position, but Hunk has
as persstently declined to be obliging. She was
too dignifed to condescend to ''see-saw,n and to
roll q barrel or climb a ladder. She positively
and resolutely declined. On Saturday morning.
when Pearl entered her quarters in Floral Hall
to take her out for the usual drill, she became
Infatuated beyond measure, and shrieked and
trumpeted until all the other animals roared with
excitement Despite the efforts of the keepers
she broke the chains with which she was secured
opening through which she might escape.
Not finding one she lowered her head,
rushed headlong against the frame wall
of the building, and battered out a panel,
through which she bolted, Once outside the
building, she rushed about the grounds, knock
ing down part of the fence surrounding the race
course, upsetting old refreshment booths, and
creating general havoc By this time score or
more men and boys were making vigorous efforts
to secure, or pacify her, but Hunk refused to
against the high fence on the north side of the
grounds. knocked it down, and started across
the fields for Fall creek The first obstruction she
reached was high barbed wire fence, which was
sufficiently strong to successfully resist her pas
sage. In her mad efforts to break it her breast
and shoulders were badly iacerated. The delay
thus caused enabled her pursuers to catch up
with her, aud Pearl fastened heavy spear in
one of her ears. This only seemed to infuriate
her the more, and she broke the handle of the
weapon by her plunging, leaving the head i'm
bedded in the ear, whore it still remains. She
then jumped the fence, the wire barbs scraping
great gashes in her belly. and resumed her fight
towards the water The men then abandoned
all efforts except to keep the brute from heading
towards the city. Nearing the State ditch she
got down into its bed, and toppled the bridge
over into the ditch. After this exploit she sud-
denly changed her mind and bolted back to-
wards the fair grounds. Reaching the fence on
the east side, she failed to find the hole through
which she had made Ter exit, and battered
through at another point, going through one of
the stalls for speed horses. At her building she
was equally unsuccessful In finding her way
back. and after a moments pause hammered
down another section of the wall, and returned
to her STALL where she allowed herself
to be reclaimed without further re-
sistance. In conversation with a Jour
nal reporter, yesterday, Mr. Doris 8 said
II wish you'd just say in your paper that any
lady or gentleman wanting real nice pet can
buy one small but promising young elephant for
a small consideration. If that beast had ever
got into the city she would have cost me my
show, and would have been buried beneath
perfect avalanche of lawsuits. guess after alb.
Hunki would be less expensive stuffed than
living"