The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-05
FAITHFUL POMPEY.
An Elephant Takes Fearful Vengeance for a
Girls Murder

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An Elephant Takes Fearful Vengeance for q
Girls Murder.
New York Sun.
How Pompey, the elephant avenged the mur
der of old man Thompsons daughter is told as
folows In 1867 | was attached to a circus
which had a route through Ohio, Indiana and
Kentucky. Among the six elephants in the
snenagerie was one named Pompev, and his ma
hout or keeper, was an old man named Andrew
Thompson. He had been In the show business
all his life and for the last fifteen years had been
accompanied by his daughter, who was down on
the bills as "Mlle Josie Pckard. tbs wonderful
equestrienne" The old was a wdower,
you understand, and, l tell you, he was
one of the kndest and best fathers to Josie,
which was her right name. She was at the
time l am writing of, about twenty years
OF age, handsome, vivacious, well educated,
and beloved by ALL During the winters she
attended seminary in the East, and had many
friends in good society. Every summer she had
a score of would be lovers following her about,
some belonging to the show and some outside OF
it, but that was the one tcuchy point with old
Thompson. He had been father, and mother,
and brother, and sister to that girl, and the idea
OF any common fellow trying to spin around her
put his nose out of joint at once. He felt that
she was worthy OF the best man in the land,
even If she did wear tights and spangles part
of the year. What her ideas On the subject of
matrimony were do not know, She was a born
lady In her demeanor, kind hearted. gentle and
obedient, and every one OF US felt proud of her.
In this we were seconded by Pompey. The great
beast was such friend of hers that the father
actually jealous about it. There was never a
day that she did not pay him visit and she
never approached that he did not evince his
great pleasure in a dozen ways.
One of the tumblers and acrobats that season
was a young fellow named Campi. / remem-
bered he was down on the bills as IN. Campi" or
''Sig. Campi." and / think he was an Italian. He
was a goodooking, daring young fellow of
twenty three, and we were no sooner on the road
than he fell in love with Josie. She perhaps.
accepted it as matter of course, neither slight.
ing nor encouraging him. but when old Thomp-
son came to know about 1t, he called the yonng
fellow aside and said: "See here, Campi. want
TO tell you right now that my daughter will never
marry in the profession"
us she then much superior to all others2"
was the sneering inquiry
That is not the question. / have my plans in
regard to her. and it is useless for you to try to
stop at friendship"
II love Josie, and / hope to make her my
wife,"
''You never can"
'"Then it shall not be my fault"
This interview had taken place in the pres
ence of Pompey, and it might have lasted longer
but for him. He may not have conceived an
aversion for Campi, though elephants have their
likes and dislikes first sight, the same as peo-
pie. but the young mans tones were threatening,
and Pompey closed the interview by rushing at
him with a scream. 1t was narrow escape for
Campi. The terrible trunk made vicious
sweep at him. and if ne had not been acrobat
and had seconds warning it would have been
all day with him. He beat hasty retreat.
mlttering threats of vengeance, and for o time
the affair was ended He ceased his attentions
to Josie, avoided her as much as possible. and
prudence restrained him from approaching Pom
pey. The beast was continually on the watch
for him, seeming to nurse his wrath and thus
matters went on for about four weeks.
We We're showing at Bloomington, Ind. Half
an hour before the evening performance opened
circumstances favored Campi, by giving him
opportunity for conversation with Josie at the
door of the dressing room. He poured ont his
protestaSions CT love and reverence, vowed that
life without her would not be worth living an
other hour, and besought her to elope with him.
She repulsed him with firm tones, and in his
passion he drew a knife and stabbed her to the
heart, and fed. There was an accidental listen
er to the words, and the person also saw
the blow struck You may believe there was the
greatest excitement as the news spread among
u.s. When Thompson was told of it he came and
raised the dead body of the girl in his arms
and kissed the fast-paling cheek. Then he
asked for some garment belonging to Campi
and as he received it he turned to Pompey, un-
chained him. and the two went forth into the
night. The body of thee girl had not grown cold
when all the facts were given to the police, who
scattered in every direction in hopes OF securing
the murderer. Filled with jealousy and hate
| Campi was half crazy. He fed into the country
| and only the mahout and Pompey looked for
| him there. The mahout on a run and the ele-
plant swiftly lifting his great feet and carrying
the tip of his trunk close to the ground the two
| pushed on through the darkness, and presently
Pompey screamed out in anger He had got the
scent of the fleeing man aud he increased his
pace. Half mile further on he swerved aside,
knocking down a couple of rods of board fence,
and entered broad field Half way across 1t
was shade tree-a maple with a trunk
foot thick. In the branches was Cam
pi He had heard the sounds of pursuit
on the road, and had turned aside to seek safety;
| safety from father who had been rendered
childlsss by his hand. and from an elephant who
| had nursed his wrath for a mon b. The great
beast flung high his trunk and stripped the
branches down, but Campi climbed higher
Then the trunk was curled around the body Of
| the tree and the Goliath braced himself and
shook 1t until no living creature could have chung
to Its top. Campi came flying down, shrieking
his terror and despair as he descended, and the
next moment Ponpey had him. He raised him
aioft and whipped the body against the tree and
earth until we who saw 1t an hour later, beheld
such shocking spectacle as men seldom look
upon. II was simply bloody mass. with not
one single bone left unbroken. Thompson took
the body of his child, and left US that night for
ever, and before the season closed Pompey had
become SO vicious that he was sent to winter
quarters and loaded down with chains.
Fashionable Divorces.
Aaxx, W. TnkR