New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-04-24
M CAGE WITH LEOPARDS.
SENSATION OF A STRANGER WHO FINDS HIM
SELF THERE.

SELF THERE.
THE s1LKFN.CoATED CREATURES SUBMISSIVE
UNDER THEIR MASTERS WILL But
ALWAYS TREACHEROUs
There IS n young man in this city VINO Is n ne''
disguised at present 1t al comes rom olS"pp'''
mont lie conceived the idea some time aso umu "
would mike interesting reading 10 write up the iel'
ingS OF n man In cage Ut Wild animals ui'u "o
managed AT last after much trouble to get the per
,,t.t, ., Afr raIl.y Of Inrrum & Railev's show. 10
co inn one 81 the cages there. 1ncSiay morning WAS
appointed for the attempt and there was gathering
u nninnl men and employees OF the Sh"" ""'uu '"o
cages To watch results. ". H. CTkhh' barhnm q
T.ilcy's superintendent Of animns. was on nhHu ~
act as c1Ilde philosopher. and friend. and "TOdy
Hamilton acted A. bird OF i'll omen. by oNcr'hg I"
make bets on the number and sire of the pieces that
vould h, left 81 the e1pcrimentcr II he had sue
c.cdcd I'm closing any bets he would have lost Tor
the reporter came ont asain unscratchch
The idea first wac Ia 90 into the tigers cage. But
Il was found that the partitions separating IN" tif'"
animal, could be- raised for fear Of Their hgh'ns
a. soon as they came together. 80 that cage WIS
I'D and the reporter hnd IN content himself with
serving his apprenticeship. A. It were By merely
lattlng old Ned and rubbing his head
Then tho Hons cage approached. but they were
extremely nervous and irritable on Tuesday morning
and Conllin decided II too dangerous % take
stranger in
It was then determined 10 visit The ieopards. Th"s"
leopards arc rs fine specimens Of their ttbc ms are
70 bc seen anywhcrcs. There ar I'VE OF thcm' "i
which one Is beautiful. large. black male. The
other four are spotted eopnrds, two males and three
females The black one IS called Niger. and tho
other male Is Dick The females are Minnie. tho
prize beauty Of the lot Kitty. the snu'es one, ana
Jenny as nasty and vicious brute "a was ever
brought from the jungle The trainer 81 these am
mas who hns been with them for two years. Is Nat
Mckay lie warned the visitor that Jenny was cx
trcmey dangerous, and at his suggestion long pole
with "A hook Wa used to drag her into the further
commandment where she was locked In safety Win
Dick md Kitty. Her language was bad In III" en
IRENE and the reporter id not Insist on her company
Tn. black lcclaId In IL" compartment NJ INC
other end 81 tho cage and Mr.. Conhin entered tho
centre compartment. which was occupied by Minnie
and then looked out from behind the bass with
smile.
aCome In. dare you aid he The reporter
feeling that the eyes II mo show we've on him.
walked up to the door Are yos really coming In y
asked Conkln and receiving an affirmative" answer
n. opencd the grating and admitted the newspaper
man The door Of the was slammed l" al
once and or the first time I'm his life the reporter
t,rd himself among Wild beasts. Minnie crouched
,t MI. feet growing bit May touch herI'
asked the cXpcT1mcnicr.
'Ncs, only be careful ,,.,
The animal submitted to being pcttcd and pri'Keh
nm her carr slightly when her head was scratched 'r
tr.rt,uI hide yas soft a. velvet and extremely thick
| and smooth giving trcmulous thrill DnI NOT
sen.,tions of dread Thea the compartment holding
y,gpcr was opened and he came out. His temper was
dlncrent from that Of Minnie. While he Wa lo'ked
| in he had roarcd and shifted. and reached out his
| claws b. seize the visitors. When he came III INC
centre compartment the first bit OF real excitement
| came. ,
The black leonard with the hair bhStling on his back
and his tail whipping his tanks, halfcrouchcd on the
boom Of the cage and began 10 approach stcalthly
lie did not once take his glazing eyes OF inc TWO
men for an instant and Conknn watched the o's '"V
as sharply. suddenly with wonderfully quick hthc
| motion, which must have seemed extremely brdcciuI
| ., ,bo spectators who we're on the outside OF the
cage the animal reached the reporters side IL was
done so quickly that he hardly realized H. but Conkln
had been OH the alert and muttcring 0ngnly Back,
| back Niger" he caught the leopard firmly by the
back OF the neck with both hands, and forced him
aside.
Get to the back Of the cage" he said ~ the rc-
porter and look out and don't let him try 10 leg you
| again"
| "what do Won mean by logging me ?" asked the
| other.
| "Why they want 10 catch you by the
| leg. II they succeed they may not bite hard at
FIRST but merely their jaws around the calf OF your
leg. But they get hold there, holhhg can m"h"
| them let 60. and II you try to pull awny or MT
Them they'll nip and You, and you won't get out
Of the cage sound and whole II you get out ut ALL"
| Again and again one another OF the trcacherons
beasts tried TO catch the of their guard and
seize them from behind. Bnt Conklin always warned
his companion In Time though several times It was as
| much as he could do to pull the eopars away. The
reporter discovered for himself what enormous strength
was hidden under their velvety skins and what superb
and powerful muscles the animals possessed when he
| endeavorel, at time to push the large spotted
leopard Minnie, from his legs He Is stronger than tho
average man. but II only by tbc exeron OF all the
muscles Of his body that he could manage 10 keep the
leopard away lie realized then for The first time that
no man. with without weapons. would hive single
chance for his life In such close quarters II OF the
animals were to become savage and attack him. Tile
fact that unarmed and unprotected, men could enter
the cage and h0,1 them In subsection aroused II certain
pride ~ the sup rOrty Of the human mind that
| of the wild animals around him. which added greatly
| 10 the reporters confidence and helped him keep his
| nerve after he had been In the cage for ten
fifteen minutes when the animals, which had gradually
| become more and more excited began To- show their
| temper in some extremely unpleasant and alarming
| ways.
| bad spirit. The reporter had Just pced her MS she
crOuched at his feet when she began slowly that IL
almost impcrceptible, to turn her back with
motion like n snake a resemblance which was further
| lIer lips cured back from her great. white
| curved teeth In vicious grin, ami from her
chest there came succession Of growls. She lay
corner and 1t decidedly uncomfortable quarters
for them. for the big black leopard was there too
| he required constant watching. as he was beginning
10 growl ominously also. The eyes OF both animals
had become a shining green and the pupils were be-