The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1890-06-14
4 LION IAXER's DANGERS.

A LION TAxER'S DANGERS.
The First Entrance Into q Cage
Of Wild Beasts.
Until recently Cleveland for more
than year had a genuine lion
tanner. He came without herald or
the blare of trumpets, and when he
found that there were no beasts of
the jungle upon which to exercise
his powers he settled down very
quietly as mechanic. He was not
fond of boasting of his achieve
ments, and his particular vocation
was known only to a small circle of
friends. His name is Oscar Scheik-
ron, and he was employed by the
Schneider & Trenkam Company.
A few days ago he received an
offer from Captain Paul Boynton,
and he left this city for Chicago to
train a number of sea lions for the
noted voyager. On the eve of
his departure Scheikron made a
chance visit to a bookstore on the
Public square, the proprietor of
which is among his acquaintances.
He mentioned the fact that he was
about to leave the city, and in a
conversation with small party of
gentlemen assembled he recounted
some of his experiences.
Scheikron is German, and the
greater part of his life has been
spent in the land of the Kaiser. He
learned bis vocation in Hamburg,
probably the greatest center IN
the world for dealers in wild ami
mails, and he has been employed in
a large number of geological gar
dens and by many circus proprie-
tors. He is of medium height and
slender build. In speaking of him,
however, one of Schreikron's audi
tors said that part of his power lay
in his eyes. They were dark and
very piercing, he said, and when
Scheikron grew earnest they flashed
in way that, it was conjectured,
would be very effective when "the
lion was a-lashing of his tail. y
Scheikron said when a young man
applied in Hamburg as lion-tamer
he was Immediately led to a cage
of wild beats to learn how they
would act in his presence. If they
displayed a desire to seize him the
young mans application was re-
jected, but if they shrank from him
or remained passive he was consid,
cred worthy Of additional tests.
Scheikron said that Immediately
after the arrival of any sort OF an
animal from the jungles or forests
it was the duty Of the tanner to en-
ter the cage. The fact is appreci.
ated that the first venture of the
tanner into the cage is attended with
serious danger, and it is argued that
it may as we'll be encountered in
the beginning. In entering the cage
the tanner is armed with a heavy
knife and revolvers, that he may be
able to defend himself if the beast
should pass other safeguards in its
efforts to spring upon him. The
other safeguards are two in num-
Der. The first one, that almost in
variably proves effective, is to have
a circle of men surround the cage.
They are armed with long iron rods,
red hot at the ends, which are in
terposed between the man and the
animal when the latter is about to
spring. A sliding gate is also ar
ranged so that it may be showed in
the way of the animal if it shows a
disposition to disregard the hot
irons.
In Scheikron's estimation the
tanning of tigers, leopards and pan
theirs is by far the most dangerous
feature of his calling. He said that
no matter how long they had been
in captivity they could never be
trusted. For the lions, however,
he expressed admiration, and he
related the story of a lion that had
saved his life. Scheikron said that
in entering the cage containing a
number of animals one day he
slipped and fell to his knees. He
recovered himself Immediately, but
not before tiger had sprung upon
him. A young lion that had been
his especial pet always occupied a
position behind him, and on that
occasion befriended him by engag-
ing in conflict with the tiger and
causing the latter to lose interest
in the attack on Scheikron. He
said that he had always been care
full, and aside from that experience
had had no narrow escape.-Cleve-
land Leader.
The Good Old Days OF Dueling'
The study of dueling in France
is very curious. Henry " encour.
aged dueling, much as Louis XIV
tried to discourage it. During Hen.