The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1894-03-03
THE MIDwINrER EXPOSITION.
CALHoRxIA NIDwINrRa IHrRruA. /
T1osAL EXroslTION - DxpARfnIH1
or PUDIJcfY AND Promotion.
tWsstiy Circular Lsttsr-No. nl

tWsshiy Circular Lsttsr-No. lSJ
An incident occurred in connectio,
with the AidwiEter International Emo
sition few days ago which furnished N
interesting commentary on it, inferno
tional character. and which establishsd
In an unmistakable manner the fact thu,
this great fair follows, in many rsspects
the lines laid down by its illustrious
predecessor on the shores OF Lake Micbi.
gan, and that At the same time, il pos.
esses m individuality which viii give /,
. prominent place Ia the future history
OF the eXpositions Of the world.
One OF the most prominent coucass-
ionai features Of the exposition has been
the Wild Animal Arena where Colonel
T. Daniel Boone has been giving per.
formances with lions and other animals,
which Ii said by those who have seen
both TO surpass the famous show given
by Hagenbeck on the Midway In Chi.
cago. Boone had an assistant in this
work in the person of Carlo Thiemxn, 4
brave. bold tanner OF lions, who was
only less familiar and less foolhardy, il
one may use that word, than Boone
himself. In his associations with these
big beasts. But, one night last week,
Thieman entered the den Of the lions to
prepare them for their usual appearance
In the Arena, when suddenly the lights
went out. Parneli, the biggest OF the
hons. fearful perhaps OF some danger
which he could not $50. made savage
attack on the keeper. The other lions
fell TO with him and poor Thieman was
NJ their mercy in moment Boone, the
master Of the beasts, forced his way into
the cage with crow bar and beat the
angry lions back. but not until Thieman
had sustained such injuries that his
death followed on the morrow.
II was Thieman's funeral that fur
nished the commentary At the opening
OF this letter. 1t was certainly most
impressive scene. Poor Thieman did
not have \ relative in all this great
America, but his employer. Boone, was
his warm personal friend. and all who
worked with him admired his courage
and his personality. Thus II came about
that the funeral Of the hon tanner was
40 notable. II took place in the animal
Arena Assertion Of the great iron cage
which shuts Cd the performing space
from that reserved for visitors, had been
removed, and through this opening the
comm wss carried A bier had been
made OF some OF the material which is
used for the lions to do their acts upon,
and here laid the dead tanner in the
fnthaf .af n ~ hss
the solemn burial service Was read by q
local clergyman.
Every seat IN the vast arena was occu-
pied. and there were hundreds who
wanted 20 get in bat could not. On tho
back row of seats, stretching almost
around the auditorium were Indians
from the Sioux exhibit. Each warrior
~as in paint and feathers, bu, their
bows were unstrung. and al carried
themselves with the quiet dignity which
always marks an Indian when . cer~-
nony IL being performed. Near to thee
were the Indians from the banks of the
YAqui river. and delegation from the
Esquimau village. Half dozen Of the
Turkish dancers had come across the
south Drive 20 mingle with the crowd
Al the funeral. A company Of South
Sea Islanders were there and quArt~tte
OF native Hawaiian singers furnished
the music for the occasion. singing in
their native tongue words Sc, TO old. IA
miiiar hymns. A big CossAck stood
down in front with his shaggy head
overlapping all his neighbors Swsrthy
Mexicans from the 40 Mining Camp sat.
sombrero in hand. and heads bowed
down. and dark-eyei senori,as shed tears
OF sympathy ~ they sat among the
mourners. Ii was an interesting CON-
rany Of people and such an one as had
probably never before assembled On n
similar occasion.
A band Of 10 pieces occupied a posi-
ton on; of sight Of the audience and its
music came Ia the ears of those present
In a somewhat muified tone. But tberr
were other mu'sied tones that fell upon
the ears Of this funeral gathering during
the exercises, which Were neither 80
swee, nor ~ pleasing, bu, which brought
terrible reminder Of what had caused
this polyglo, assemhlage. The cages Of
the animals are located under the raised
seats of the amphi,heaire. and the beasts
became restless as the hour for their
usual performance passed by and they
werc not summoned to play their part. |
The big lion whose paw had dealt the |
fatal blow to poor Thieman. growlcd |
and reared at intervals all during the |
clergymans address, and when tn.
music Of the band suggested to these
knowing creatures that there WAS a
crowd in the Arena. they seemed to
unite in chorus of protest and disAp |
proval. Strong men shuddered at the
suggestion conveyed by these loud
Women shed tears and
eome Of them were 50 overcome with
fear and emotion that they passed hur.
riedly out Of the auditorium. II was a
scene that will never he forgotten by
those present.
Then came procession through the
grounds. A Gordon Of guards occupied
the right of line. Back Of them marched
the band, playing q funeral march.
Keeping step to this slow rythm walked
the Indians, the Turks. the south Sea
Islanders, and all the representatives Of
the different concessions, who had
turned out 10 honor the memory Of the
dead lion tanner. The hearse was Gov.
cred with noral offerings. Hundreds
with the exposition walked in
the long line that reached from one end
Of the grand court to the other and that
wound its way between the beautiful
Industrial palace, out to the plroe where
dust was to he returned to dust.
Yet this was but an incident. The
next day the lions roared in the Arena
again. and happy crowds Of men, women