The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1893-07-08
KILLING a DEcRePlT OLD LION
Shot to Death BY Orders Of His Owner.
His Fightf for Life,

y VlS IOI LIE,
I The big lion belonging to tho Wood
ward gardens m%enagerie in San Fran
cisco was recently shot to death. 1t
took a number Of bullets from a wiu-
chester rifle to lay him out. His new
owner caused him to be shot for his
skin. The noble looking brute was ly-
ing down and licking his forepaws
when a s~harpshooter, who otiiciatcd as
his executioner, raised his gun and
aimed at his heart. At the first shot,
says the Examiner, the lion leapcd to
his feet and rushed first into u far COR
ner of his cage, and then down to the
bars, where he showed his teeth as he
looked savagely ut tho crowd
that mad gathered to see him
killed. AS he thus stood for
q second or WI the rifleman again
took aim and just as he was about to
press the trigger the lion began run
ming to and fro in the way common to
his kind. The man lowered his rifle,
not wishing to iniure the skin by maxi
ing too many holes. Presently the
lion stopped, when a second and third
shot We're fred at him in rapid success
sion. He was evidently wounded, for
blood Immediately began to tricklc
down his left shoulder. Then the king
of the forest began to show his mcttle.
He tossed up his head, shaking his
heavy name as though it were 4 flag Of
defiance. and emitted Il roar which
caused the crowd involuntarily to fall
back a few steps. The wounded lion
turned nround four or five times and
made another dash for the bars, leap
ing up until his paws were ncar the
top,
The shooter took advantage of the
favorable opportunity to pour in four
more shots. but they only seemed to
have the effect of maddening the brute,
whose blood was now discoloring his
legs and beginning to form pools on
the floor. lie roarcd louder than evcr
and ran about in blind fury, never once
evincing any sign that he intended
giving up unless n pound of lead was
poured into him. The sight was pitt
full, and most of those present began to
wish that his life might be spared. 1t
was some time before another good aim
could be taken, SO restless was the VIC
tim. He was, however. showing signs
of exhaustion. When stopping for n
minute to swallow some of his own blood
two more bullets were driven into him.
These We're decisive of the conflict. The
lion staggered a moment and then fell
heavily on his side with his back to-
ward the front Of the age He made
desperate attempts to rise again, but
his roar had now changed into q most
distressing groan. The blood from the
slaughter pen began to run out through
the bars, but the lion still lived and
moved, his struggles being mainly to
get up on his feet again. AS the brute
was evidently in great misery it was
determined to fire a few more shots at
HIM, so the rifeman never stopped un-
til lie had emptied ten shells in all. BY
the time the last shot was fired the
wretched lion ceased to move, and it
was evident That he was ~lifeless. Tho
lion thus killed was born in Wood
wards gardens in 1881, ana the circum-
stances of his birth excited much in
tcrest at that time. The late Mr..
Woodward named him Garfield, after
President Garfield, who had not yet
been stricken BY Guiteau's bullet.