Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-14
MANGLED BY LIONS
An Animal Tanner Attacked in the
Cage.
AWFUL SCENE At A PERFORMANCE
Prompt Bravery Saves Carlo THE.
mans Life.
RECOVERY YET POSSIBLE

SAN FRANCISCO. Feb. 1A-Carlo THE
man. attendant at Col. Daniel Boone's
wild animal show at the midwinter fair.
was attacked by three lions last night and
was horribly mangled.
The evening performance had been in
progress in BOone's arena for about half
an hour. and the circular inclosure was
filled with people. The wild animals are
exhibited in a large cage in the center OF
the arena, and 1t was time for the lions
to go on. Three huge beasts, Parnell,
Romeo and Commodore, were led into the
cage by Thieman. preparatory to Boones
entrance. Suddenly the electric lights went
out. There was a short interval Of silence.
when suddenly a shrek Of agony came
from the cage. 1t was followed by q roar
Of enraged lions, the crunching Of their
terrible jaws and the groans Of the man
in the cage.
The large crowd Of spectators became
panic stricken and started for the doors.
Women shrisked and tainted. but the crowd
was finally irduced to remain seated by
attendants. who had retained their pres
ence of mind.
Finally, lanterns were brought, and there
in the cage lay Thieman with three lions
clawing and munching his prostrate form.
BOOne's Prompt bravery.
Col. Boone seized an iron bar and entered
the cage. With shouts and blows he drove
the beasts from their prey and dragged
the unfortunate man from the cage. 1t
was an exhibition Of bravery seldom seen,
and the big crowd cheered the gallant col
onel.
Thieman was taken to the receiving hos
pital. where his wounds, forty-three In
number, were examined By one blow from
forehead to the nape of the neck. Under
each arm there were terrible bites, where
the lions had attempted to reach a vital
spot One Of them nearly succeeded, for he
just missed a large artery. The mans
arms. legs, thighs and buttocks were also
bitten and scratched.
At the hospital he recovered conscious
ness and managed to tell his story He
said he was attending to some OF the cage
fixtures when the lights went out. The big
lion Parnell jumped for him and knocked
him down with blow on the head. Then
the other two lions, Romeo and Commo-
dore, seized him under the arm pits and
dragged him across the cage while, Parnell
made a general onslaught on his body. The
lions are all full-grown beasts and have
been exhibited as trained animals for some
time.
Thieman has been an animal tender for
eighteen years, and was considered one of
the best In the business.
Col. Boone. in speaking of the affair, said :
1T has always been my custom to have
lanterns and lamps about the arena in case
the electric lights should go out, as it's well
known that wild animals. no matter how
we'll trained, will attack man in the
dark"
BY some oversight the lanterns were not
In their usual places last night, and 1t was
some time before they could be found To
add to the horror Of the situation, the cage
door became stuck, and there was some de-
lay in opening 1t when Boone entered the
cage to rescue Thieman. After Thieman
had been removed to the hospital the peo-
pie left the arena. as they had seen enough
wild animals for one night, and the per-
formance was discontinued
The doctors think there is a possibility Of
Thieman's recovery unless blood poisoning
enSueS,