Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-07-14
WOMAN AGAINST TIGER.
The Circus Audience Saw a DeS-
 perate Fight For Life.
INA CAGE WITH THE MAD BEAST.

IN A CAGE WITH THE MAD BEAST. It Was the Tigers First Appearance-AIIsS WBerE Rescued by Three Trainers After
 Being Badly Ipjured-other Animals In the Cage.
 CHICAGO, July 14-Miss MarcellA Berg, the woman trainer at Hsgenbaok's circus in Midway plaisance, was iercely attacked by a half wild tiger Before tbe enraged beast could be torn from the body of his victim the woman was severely bitten, and blood was streaming from three ugly wounds in her right thigh. Il
 The exciting encounter took place in the arena before a large audience. Five wom- en tainted at the sight. The opening act had just been finished and the horse with a lion on his back had galloped out from the big round iron cage about which the seats for spectators rise in successive tiers like an amphitheater.
 The audience, which numbered several hundred, were punched mainly in that part of the hall nearest the entrance. The stage manager stepped forward and announced that a change in the programme would be made and Miss Berg would exhibit some animals which had never been shown to the public before.
 They have been in training for months, but this was to be their first appearance before an audience. Then Miss Berg trip ped through the opened door leading from the cages in the rear to the barred arena. She made a graceful little courtesy and then turned, whip in hand, to watch the animals file into the arena behind her. On each side of the doorway were five small, square platforms,
 They were fixed to the bars which walled in the arena and about yard apart. On them the animals sit when not perform ing feats themselves and watch the antics of the others. First to enter the cage came a tiger. The beast was a medium sized | animal, with dark stripes of a rich, glossy fur.
 Gagged With the Tiger. No sooner had the tiger got fairly inside | the cage than he stopped short There be | lay. at the very entrance to the caged are na, crouching and flashing his tail with vigor from side to side. Miss Berg stepped up to him and struck him two or three 1 sharp blows with her rawhide across the face and neck.
 | The beast obeyed the whip, though with evident reluctance. He crawled into the | cage with his white belly close to the floor l uulll ut TtstCutO HIS fldllOTul uGIl, ln- stead of jumping upon the platform and | holding out his neck to be chained, as he | ought to have done, the big cat crouched | underneath. For the second time the | woman trainer walked over to the beast | and gave him a couple of smart cuts across | the head.
 l The tiger only snarled and showed TOW Il of white shiuG teeth. A third blow aroused | his wild nature, which does not seem to I !, haV ha1f aI TIa crouched lower still and, gathering him. self together. with sudden bound sprang | forward. Straight at the defenseless wom- | an he Il
 Miss Berg half turned to flee. and the | beast landed upon her side. He made a fierce slap at her right arm, which was | nearest his mouth. but with the unnatural | strength born of the excitement and terror | of the moment the half frenZied woman pushed him of Crouching low again the tiger sprang upon his victim. | This time the beasts hold was too firm to be shaken of. One strong fore paw dug it's claws deep in the gay yellow dress of iLc performer. while the other caught her leg. The tiger buried his teeth deep in her thigh. The woman uttered one low shriek and then made no sound. She did not faint. but silently and pluckily fought tc l make tbe beast loosen his hold
 Fought With Her Whip.
 Her only weapon was a thick rawhidt whip about three feet long. The tiger die | not seem 10 mind the blows which the lit tie woman rained fast and furiously upor him any more than he would the tickling of straw.
 Three men were in the arena by uhistime One was Trainer J. II. Mehrman and th, other two were his assistants. All thre sprang to the assistance of Miss Berg a T1 1I | Careless of themselves, these men bravel, seized the tiger and began to pull him of the bleeding woman.
 Il Twice by main strength they succeedet , in tearing him away. Each time the tiger maddened by the taste of human blood
 dashed the men away and leaped upon tn woman.
 The third time the three men dragge | him away, and one of the assistants hun
 ried Miss Berg out of the arena, while tn
 other two beat the beast into submission.
 The injured woman was immediAtel
 taken to the hospital. The fight was owe
 in two minutes, but to the terrified aud
 ence each second seemed an hour
 All the while the struggle was going O
 the other nine animals who were to tax | part in the performance were filing int
 the arena.
 There were lions. leopards hounds an r another tiger. No trouble with them O. l cured.
 I To show that he had completely coI quered the angry tiger, Trainer Mehrman
 took Miss Berg's place and at once wer
 right on with the performance as if notl
 ing had happened. But few of the aud
 ence remained to see the performance fl
 ished.
 TELEGRAPHIC MlNCE MEAT