Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-08-31
An Elephant to BE Hanged

Not very long AGO q large crowd OF
officials and curious persons assemoieo AZ
frequented spot in this capital 70 witness
an execution. All the preparations mad
been most carefully made ana the aid
of several bangmen had come INTO
requisition; but the rope broke, ana
the intended victim received tempo
rary respite. He is now waxing
about, sleeping, and living much IN the
same style as before the verdict, though
apparently his supply of food Is stinted:
This denoument requires explanation. IL
may be remembered that Rostom, one Oh
the two India elephants presented 1881
by the Prince of Wales to the Geological
Gardens at Berlin, some few years ago ran
his warden through the body with one OF
his tusks. The poor keeper died from the
effects of his wound. Sentence OF death
was not at the time passed on the culprit; u
was deferred, and only quite recently SOL
EMMY proclaimed.
Rostom was. however. not condemned to
the scaffold for this crime alone; he Is SAID
to have learned nothing from the clemency
shown TO him after the aforementioned
outrage, and to have displayed on divers
occasions since that time evident symp-
toms of a wicked nature. Moreover. his
external appearance, as compared with
those of his colleagues in another part OF
the elephant house, is declared, and
with Justice, to be anything but az
tractive, and to have brought dis
credit on tho establishment. Some
| gossips attributed TINS to want of food
it being affirmed that he has had to live OF
almost starvation rations, besides having
| had his feet in irons since the commission
! of his foul crime. Be that as 10 may, th'
| director of the Geological Gardens, after
| long aud deliberate consideration, and al
| tor having consulted all the experts, re
| solved that no reason would any Longer
be alleged why Rostom should no
paw the penalty of his crimes will
his life. The black cap was haul
ed down, the Judge methoilicall,
placed it on his head, and the thick
! skinned monster was solemnly debriyet
| from that moment of buns. bread. and pea
nuts and sentenced 20 death by straHgula
| ton at the early hour of O'CLOCK on
given morning. The mode of deat;1 haC
| also been previously considered. Some
proposed that he should be shot, bit TIN
method was considered daugerou., les
the bullet should not take immediate ef
feet, or lest the sportman's hand shoui6
| tremble and miss the mark. Others pre-
ferred poisoning and some suggested tn
electric current. All these proposition
are rejected in favor Of a process o
strangulation by three-quarter-inch stee
| wire.
Every precaution having been taken tn
moose was let fall over the monsters hea
at what was supposed to be a favorabl
moment. This was when he passed out o
his half-opened cage in order TO sniff tn
morning air. No fewer than forty-,tw
men were stationed in the vicinity 70 dra'
the moose tight. Whether it was that ia
dumb creature had a presntime0t tina
these were his executioners, ruth
lessly bent on depriving him {
light and life or whether u Wa
that the arrangements were clumsil
made. the main point is certain ,amell
that Rostom. as soon rs he felt t.he pre-
sure Of the wire, quietly made q shgf
movement in the opposite direction, an
snapped the substance that was TO Htrang
him as if il had been cotton thresd. III
executioners were discounted; the Chi
officers were dumbfounded, but Rosto
took no further notice of them, aad col
tinued his promenade around his QUITO
door enclosure. The next attempt to go
tie Rostom is postponed until after tn
directors return III November.