The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1890-05-06
A Protest Against Women Follow
ing This Profession.
The Terrible Fate of Miss Sterling at Be.
Eiers, France, Should BE Taken as
Solemn Warning Against Allowing
Such Performances.

In the reign of Charles V. of France,
a professional tanner of wild beasts per-
forming in the Royal presence was un-
lucky enough to have his arm bitten off
by tiger. and the King was 40 much
shocked by this mishap that he forthwith
ordered that all the wild animals in his
own menagerie should be slaughtered,
and forbade his subjects, under pain OF
death. from witnessing paStimes which
could have such terrible results Is Chris
tendon in 1890 less civilized, or at least
less humane, than it was in medieval
times? There is sad need To ask the ques-
ton when we read such story as that
which comes from Beziers, in France, and
which narrates the second terrible mis-
hap, of which the victim has been Miss
Sterling, a brave. foolhardy young
woman who has lately been earning no
toriety in the Redenbach menagerie by
placing her head in a lions mouth, and
TO all appearances going to sleep in that
abnormal and. it nay be added. disgust
ing position. Only last Sunday Miss
Sterling had received a significant
warning of the desperate peril she was
mourning by a wound inflicted on her by
pne of the savage brutes whose ferocious
instincts she was wantonly tempting;
but on Monday she was again ready &c
repeat her desperate feat. The exhibi.
ton began, as usual before a crowded
house, and she stepped into the cage,
accompanied by the male lion-tamer,
who proceeded to mesmerize her-or at
least to profess to do SO. The due stage
of hypnotism having been ostensibly
reached, the patient was stretched oui
between two chairs, her body forming
barrier, across which the lions were t.
leap. All went well until it came to the
turn of lioness named Nancy" the
largest and most dangerous of the Zero
cious troupe. Urged by the whip. the
beast prepared for spring, but sudden
ly changed her intent, and, uttering 8
low roar, and swinging her tail in wrath
advanced towards the motionlesS bodI
extended between the two chairs 1t il
added that the excitement among the
audience was intense. and that the ST
lence was oppressive. although on.
would have thought. for the sake Of
common humanity. that cry of horror
would have come from the spectators
and that the lion tanner would have
been vehemently hidden to rush to the
assistance of his pupil Whatever step.
the ''dompteur" did take. they were in.
effectual TO prevent the fierce beast
from Selling Miss Sterling by the leg
The wretched girl, if she had indeed
been slumbering. awoke al once TO the
full agony of her situation. Repeated
blows from the lion-tameTs whip forced
Nancy to drop her prey for moment,
but she again seized the unfortunate
Miss Sterling, this time by the arm, and
dragged her about the cage. The lion
tanner fought bravely enough to save
the poor girl from the clutches of the
Infatuated beast Fortunately, in addi-
ton to the whip, the ''dompteur" had
within reach gladiatorial trident, the
sharp prongs of which he drove again
and again into the body of the lioness.
Ultimately the savage beast was
cowed, and relinq1ished the strug-
gle. The hapless Miss Sterling was
carried out OF the cage, but on medical
examination her leg was found TO be SO
dreadfully mutilated that immediate
amputation of the limb was necessary.
1t was also found that she had sustained
other injuries of serious nature. II
the poor young creature RECEIVERS she
will obviously be a cripple for life; but
the awful accident which has befallen her
will, it is to be hoped. bear so much
compensating fruit as to incite all
Christian nations to abolish at once and
for ever any exhibitions of wild-beast-
tanning in which women take part. We
have had Geneva Convention TO estab-
lish, on basis of common agreement.
the rules affecting the treatment Of the
wounded in the battlefield; we have had
o Congress at Brussels delibera ting on
the best means for stamping out the At
rican slave trade; and both these emf
nently philanthropic movements have
manifestly been prompted by desire to
abate the unnecessary sacrifice of hui
man life. At no great expense. and in
very short time, the European Powers
could, in conjunction with our colonies
and the United States, agree to pass one
short, sharp law, the execution of which
should be intrusted to the police. abso-
lately and entirely forbidding the ap-
pearance of females at menagerie per-