New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-24
TIP AT HIS OLD TRICKS.
AN ELEPHANT TRIES TO KILL A MAN.
ONE OF THE KEEPERS AT THE CENTRAL PARK
ZOO BADLY HURT BY
DANGEROUS BRUTE.

DANOEROCS BlsI
Tip the elephant presented BY Mr. Forcpausn
to the Central Park menagerie. came near ADDING
another human victim yesterday TO his record OF
eight keepers that he has already killed. lip mas
been irritable for some weeks and not long ago
his tuslSs were shortened with the aid OF q 81"
about foot On the tusks were also rivctcd iron
bands, 10 which were attached martinsales fas
tened to a strapped band around his body Ills
OFF, hind leg was also chained TO all iron stanch!on
| in his cage.
1t was early yesterday when William Snyder.
who has charge of the elephants, was cleaning up
| the cage Of Tom and Lizzie, happy couple OF
elephants that live next door to Tip, when no
heard report like a pistol-shot, and the next
| moment Tip was trying to knock down the par
ttion between his bachelor quarters and those OF
| the married couple next to him. Snyder entered
| Tins cage and found that the brute had broken
| the band about his body, and was charging al the
wooden wall that kept him from his rival, lohi'
The keeper went to quiet the animal, but WIN
| that scream that is peculiar TO rogue 'ne
elephant turned on him, seized him Win l's 'luhN
and held the man in mid-air. Three or four tunes
the animal thrust at the man with its tusks ana 10
was in -warding off these attacks that snyders
right hand was injured, and it was owing to the
| animals arisks having been cut that the man was
| not killed at once
The elephant enraged at his il-success in trying
70 kill his keeper then threw him violently on the
| ground SNYDER struck the back partition OF tne
| Gaze with his head and was rendered unconscious
| The elephant bent on crushing out the mans lie
| by trampling on him, rushed toward ltS 'lc'nii
SNYDER had however, fallen outside the elephahts
| range who again and again tried TO reach 'he
keener but the one chain on the hind leg was
true and the brute finding itself foed IN one way
then began to batter tie partition again, Knocking
out large splinters OF wood
Park Policeman John F. Murphy had seen from
the front of the cage what had happened. ana nc
ran around to the of the building ana oraGee"
out SNYDER with no little risk to his own lie, 1or
! the elephant was trying to break the chaih tha'
| held him, and with his trunk was trying to reacn
Snyder, and on the policemans appearance the
brute trumpeted savagey at him. Snyder, VINO
was dragged out by the legs, soon recovered con-
seriousness. and except for a bruised head and
wounded right hand, seemed none the worse for
| his narrow escape.
The other keepers at once came to the help OK
their comrade who determined more securely TO
chain up the angry elephant This was no easy
matter but Snyder, despite his severe shaking up
mana ged to get a chain around the near 1ore-ies
which was soon made fast to one OF the IRON Dais
of the cage These bars are three lnches tnlCh,
and in his struggles the elephaht pehU oic 20, t
badly MaftlngaeS, however, were nAcu W .tio
tusks and a new chain thrown around the
animals body, and IL was then practically harm
less. -, ri. ia bo
SNYDER. in speaking about the affair, said ne
knew that Tip wicked. but he thought nc
could manage him. After he was grabbed up Dy
the elephant he remembered nothing until he
! found himself outside. and he put down ms s es,
| cane 10 the fact that the brue's tusks had been
sawed off. lie also said that he felt rather sore sore
! about the ribs and back, which he thought was
| owing to the grip the beast had got or him WIN
| his trunk. Police officer Murphy. in speaking OF
| the affair. said he heard noise in the elcphaht
| house, and on entering saw Snyder lying at the
| FAR end Of the cage. and the elephant trying TO
butt down the partition. As soon as he got
around to the back door Tip tried his utmost 10
yet at him. and screamed with RAGE. 1t was
prctty close shave for Snyder" he said
In the afternoon Tribune reporter entered
| Tins cage lie is chained " fore and aft;
chain also from each tusk is attached to strong
chain that goes around the body Of the beast.
rogue" this elephant truly is. in the true sense
of the word, applied TO elephants lie ana
his utmost to get al Snyder and the Tribune
reporter and trumpeted in impoent rage, and.
though he is a magnificent specimen OF his race,
il was the general opinion of the visitors at the
Zoo" yesterday that he should be shot.