Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1886-03-19
Stories Of a Lion Tanner.

Herr Driesbach's life was full Of re-
markable incidents and he frequently
took pleasure in relating events of his
life. The following is in his own words:
81 was exhibiting in the city of Balti-
more. We were playing piece in which
one of my tigers was to suddenly leap from
above upon me, as if TO kill me- After
it would jump on to me we would roll
around on the floor, to all appearances
engaged in mortal combat. The theatre
in which we were playing had large pit,
and it YVES filled almost to sutfocation
that evening with boys and men. This
time the tiger jumped over my head and
was flying for the pit when | caught him
by the tail and hauled him back. l needn't
tell you that standing room was made
mighty quick in that pit when they saw
the animal coming. They rushed out
pellmell, yelling and screaming for me to
hold on to him.
When Edwin Forrest was playing at
the Old Bowerv theatre in New York city,
his piece was followed by an exhibition
of lions by their trainer, Herr Driesbach.
During their stay there Forrest remarked
one day that he had never experienced
the emotion caused by fright-that he was
never scared in his life. Driesbach
heard the remark and one even
ing took Forrest home with
him. They entered a house and after
passing through long and devious dark
passages, Driesbach opened a door and
said: 'This way, Mr.. Forrest" As For
rest entered the door was slammed be-
hind him. Forrest felt something touch
/ his leg in the darkness, and reaching
down his hand touched what he thought
was cats back, which he gently
stroked. A rasping growl greeted the
motion, and he saw two fiery eyebal,s
glaring at him. "Are you afraid Mr..
ForrestI" asked the lion tanner, who was
invisible in the darkness. Forrest re-
piled, "Not bit" when the lion tanner
said something and the growl deepcned
and the back began to arch. Forrest held
out for few minutes, when he exclaimed: &:
"Now let me out, you scoundrel, or I'll
break every Lone in your body" The
lion king kept him there and he did not
dare to move finger, while the lion
kept rubbing against his leg. Forr st
finally promised champagne supper if
Driesbach would let him out, which was
done and the bet was Immediately paid.
The lion king was to some extent a
practical joker On one occasion when
he was exhibiting in Broadway, New
York, he had entered den of animals,
and was going through the customary
performance one Saturday night when he
was suddenly stretched upon his back
, and large Brazilian tiger was on his
throat and the other animals were wildly
dashing about the cage. Driesbach's
voice was heard calling for aid in a
hoarse manner. The audience became
excited and women shrieked. Several
keepers ran to the PROSTATE lion-tamer' S
aid, and he was dragged from the cage.
He came from behind the cage with his
face and tights covered with crimson,
liquid like blood. He was hastily taken
upstairs, where physician, who was con-
veniently near, examined him and said
that although seriously injured, the lion
tanner would live. The next day Dries
bach appeared on the streets with hi:
face covered with strips of court plaster
and his arm in a sling. His friends wert
greatly excited over his escape, but theil
sympathy turned to disgust when theJ
learned that the gore on the lion
face had been squeezed from a sponge
filled with rose pink. and that the affair
was an advertising dodge arranged by thu
management of the menagerie. Pitts
burg Dispatch.