The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-10-15
BATILED WITH A PANTHER.
Desperate Fight for Life in New York
Animal Store.
From az Ne1u York World.

From the Nel0 York World
Donald Burns Travelled for fifteen years
with Barnum's circus. He now has an es-
Enlistment at No. lis Roosevelt street. He
supplies animals to circuses and menageries
and has in stock a particularly large and
ferocious panther.
When Burns reached his store at 1870
o'clock yesterday morning John Miller, an
employe, was standing outside.
20, Mr.. Burns, the panther is looseln he
cried
"Well, we'll have to get him back in the
cage" said the old animal trainer. "You
get me rope"
With piece of clothesljne arranged with
a running moose in one end Burns entered
the store. The panther sat or top of his
cage licking his paws. With quiet move
ment Burns threw the lasso. IL missed, and
the panther made leap for the trainer,
who stepped out and closed the door,
Peering through a window, Burns saw
the panther making round of the place,
soaring the other animals terribly. He
squeezed her paw between the iron bars of
cages aud shook them. A little monkey
seized the paw. He lived about two min
utes The blood ON the panther's paws in
furiated him. He began war dance in
the center of the room and the other ami
mails howled.
Finally he went back to the top of her
cage, and Burns decided to make another
effort to lasso him.
NOW, when I yell you open the door,"
he said to Miller, "then grab the end Of
the rope and pull with me when l tell you
to-
The door was opened softly again, and
Mr.. Burns threw the lasso. When the ami
NAL saw the rope coming he threw up his
left paw ID the moose dropped over his
head and paw.
John, John, open the door," yelled
Burns; "rve got him; come AID help me-"
But Johns courage failed him, and de-
spite Burns yells for help no one went to his
assistance. A crowd gathered around the
door, but no one entered. Miller rushed
about on the outside like crazy man.
"When found that Miller would not
come in" said Mr.. Burns yesterday, II
braced myself for the struggle that l knew
was coming. The animal was year old.
and had just been brought from India.
II figured on his pulling from me, like all
panthers, but the lasso caught under the
shoulder, and so he didn't feel it 50 much
around the neck. pulled hard and strong
and so did the panther for a moment or
two, but in the twinkllng Of an eye she
seemed to shrink her body up and slipped
out OF the moose. picked up an iron floor
scraper aud Jumped aside as soon as he
leaped for me. tried to hit the beast with
the scraper, but missed him. Then we
fenced aroond the room, the panther leap
ing for me and 1 endeavoring to hit him.
| seized box of pepper and tried to throw
some into his eyes, but l couldn't connect.
] had dog upstairs and kept calling him,
but he was tightly chained.
Fully fifteen minutes passed in this way.
The cages. barrels and other distractions in
the room served to protect me. When the
panther Jumped | would dodge behind Que
of these, and he would go over my head.
Finally got paper file from the desk. It
was only q little piece of pointed iron wire,
about six inches long, but l felt a bit
stronger when got that in my hands.
Then l nursed my footing 10 trying to
prod the brute, and he was on me in sec
ond He caught me in the arm above the
elbow. jabbed the spindle into his side;
and he let 20 and leaped to the other end OF
the room. The blood spurted cut of the
hole made in his side.
1--WE came together again, and before we
separated 1 was bitten in several places.
Luckily for me the panther was not an old
one. and the teeth were not long. They
were long enough to tear the flesh terribly,
though.
II was getting weak from loss OF blood,
when a policeman from the Oak street sta
ton opened the door and closed 1t quickly.
l had the panther by the throat, put ne was
working out OF my grasp. l yelled again
for helm. and two l0ngshoremen came 10 my
rescue. They beat the panther of, and with
poles handed in from the outside we drove
the beast into bis cage again."
Mr. Burns was badly lgcerated about the
body, aud his face. TOO, showed marks or the
desperate struggle Miller is out OF Job.