The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-01-20
TORN TO PIECES BY A PET.
Jealousy Of Its Masters Bride Leads a
Young Lion to XIII Her.
From the Neto York Herald,

From the Net0 York Herald.
SILVER CITY, n. M, Jan. IA most
peculiar instance Of jealousy in an animal
is reported from ranch up in the range
northwest of this city. A Mexican named
Juan Lopez some years ago caught young
mountain lion aud raised it as a pet He
had the animal completely under subJuga-
ton, and it was as docile with him as a
house cat.
The lion is now about 4 years old and is
full grown, but it has always been &C.
customed to sleep at the foot Of the bed of
its master, and has followed him like a dog
when ne went around the place. He had it
trained for hunting, and it was always with
him except when he came TO town. 1t had
never shown any savage disposition when
with other people, and would allow visitor 8
to fOndle and pet it.
Lopez recently fell victim to the charms
of one of the senOritas of the vicinity and in
course Of time married her. The girl was
brought home to the cabin of Lopez, and
her first move was to insist that the lion
sh )uld be made to sleep out of the house, as
she was afraid of the big animal. Lopez as
sented to her wishes and built a house for his
pet near the door of the cabin.
HIS PET REBELS.
When he attempted to make the animal 20
in it that night the brute for the first time
was disposed to rebel against the wishes Of
its master. and the result was that it re-
ceived q whipping. 1t went sullenly into
| the box, but all night long the Mexican and
his bride could hear its low growls. Next
| morning the animal skunk into the house
and curled up in a corner, repulsing the
caresses of its master.
1t was sullen all day, but the bride no.
ticed that 1t watched her constantly and
| she became 30 nervous that she insisted that
her husband should get I'D OF the big lion.
| He promised to do so as soon as possible
| He told her that he would take it to town i'll
few days and sell it. The second night it
went to its hut outside with little opposi-
| ton and next morning Lopez started to
| town to find a purchaser for his pet. He
left the animal at home and told his wife to
pey no attention to it, but go about her
| work as If it was not in the house.
Lopez had no difficulty in finding pur-
chaser for his lion and about 5 o'clock in
| the evening started home pretty we'll intox-
icated with mescal and elated at the fact
| that he was to get 100 pesos for his pet,
which he had estimated TO be worth only
| about 25. He arrived home after dark and
was surprised to see no light as he ap~
preached the house, as he supposed that his
wife would be ready with supper for him.
He entered the place but 1t was SO DARK
that he could distinguish nothing and as he
kTOp dbOu5 no SluulDlGu ON0E bOIloLAluk Oi
the floor which gave to his pressure. Stoop-
down be discovered that the object was a
woman's body and he felt that blood had
flown down over the floor in such quanti-
ties that the place seemed to be literally sat-
urated. He quickly struck light and was
Mortified at the sight that met his gaze.
HIS WIFE TORN TO PIECES.
The young wife had been torn to pieces by
the savage brute, which had evidently
looked upon her as the cause its disgrace.
The struggle could not have been long, as
the marks Of the teeth showed that the lion
had jumped upon her back and broken her
neck at the first bite. 1t then had torn the
victim to shreds, the limbs being severed
from the body and the floor covered with
bleeding remains which had been dragged
about and shaken as a cat treats a rat.
Part OF the breast had been torn away
and eaten, and the face SO disfigured that it
was unrecognizable.
The animal after completing its bloody
work. had fled to the noun rains and has
not since been seen. Lopez hurried to the
nearest neighbor and the terrible story soon
spread.
The young husband refused to be COM
for.ed His grief was so great that finally
he became violently insane and had to be
confined to prevent him from taking his
own life.