San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-12-21
APES ON TIE WARPATH.
A Man and His Wife Fiercely AS
sailed and Nearly Killed.

sailed and Nearly Killed.
San Francisco Examiner:
The patrons of the Wigwam Thea
tire Witnessed an exciting battle
about 1890 o'clock last night, and it
was not down on the programme. 1t
was fight in which man and
woman did battle for their lives
against compile of monster apes,
and it was only by the courage and
presence of mind of some ten attaches
OF the theatre that the enraged brutes
were prevented from killing both
people.
Part of the evenings entertainment
was furnished Oy Prot. Samwells'
troupe of trained animals, consisting
of goats, dogs, cats and five large
apes. Samwells hal dies the ANNA
himself while on the stage, his wife
and their assistants rtmaIn in the
wings ready to take charge of the
aCimals as they go Off the stage.
The monkeys are kept in a large
cage, and this has always been looked
alter by Mrs: Samwells, she taking
the animals out and returning
them to the csge when her hus-
band is through with them. During
the last part OF the performance the
largest ape is dressed like lady and
rides about the stage in . little phae-
ton dawn by one of the dogs.
When the ape was sent To the stage
by Mrs. Samwells last night it was
rather sullen, and at first refused to
get into the vehicle 1t showed its
teeth every time it's master ap-
preached, but at last was induced to
take its seat in the pheatOn,
LIKE A TIGER.
The Professor patted him on the
head and then stopped to adjust the
harness on the canine steed. Then
quick as flash the cunning brute
sprang from the vehicle aud fastened
it's long tusks in his lett wrist, driving
them clear to the bone. In an instant
the house was in an uproar, women
screamed and strong men turned their
heads aside as the msddened brute
bit and tore at the mans arm, while
his screams for help rang through the
building.
"Grace, Grace, for Gods sake take
him off; he is killing me-" shouted
SamweIls to his wife. Mrs. Samwells,
who was holding another huge ape in
her arms, threw the animal from her
aud rushed on the stage to her hus
bands assistance. She seized the
Dig ape by the throat and tried with
all her strength TO choke the beast in
order to open its jaws. but she might
as we'll have tried to strangle Ben
gal tiger.
She then did what few men would
have done, thrust her hand into the
brute's mouth and by superhuman
effort wreuched the terrible jaws
apart. 1t was just at this instant tnat
the ape which Mrs. Ssmwels had
left In the wing sprang on the stage,
ss if to the assistance of it's comrade.
There was a cry of Look out for the
other ODe," ana the next instant the
newcomer had seized the woman by
the lett hand, and driven his sharp
teeth clear through 1t. SsmweIls,
now free from the grasp of the first
monster, sushed to aid his wife, but
he could render her but little sssis-
lance, a. both his hands were almost
torn to pieces.
THE AUDIENCE TO THE RESCUE.
AT this moment several men
uSbcu Ou thO sung duu bbO
brutes were beaten into inseDsibilit
with clubs and pieces of board torn
from the scenery. The victims were
carried from the stage, and as soon
as the patrol wagon arrived were
taken to the Receiving Hospital.
Dr.Simpson, who was in attendance,
found that the mans left thumb was
almost torn from the hand. The
tendons were completely severed,
and there were dozen wounds,
reaching from the tips Of the fingers
far upon the wrist. The wounds
made by the animals teeth looked as
If they had been inflicted by tiger,
so badly was the flesh torn and LAGER
ated. Everyone of the wounds had
to be sewed up, and after this was
done and the dressing applied Mrs.
was sttenDed to. She was
not nearly so badly injured as her hus.
band, but her hand was badly torn.
Mrs. Ssmwells said that this was
the second time the same brute had |
her husband. They were |
showing In San Jose on Thanksgiving |
Day. and after the street parade the
brute sprsng at Samwell while he
was undressing 1t, and tore his right |
hand in fearful manner. The injury !
was not properly attended to and