The Portland daily press., 1894-02-01
WANTED TO EAT THE GOAT.
One of Hagenbeck's Tigers Preferred
Meal to a Free Ride.

Heinrich Mehrman, one of the trainers
of the wonderful Hagenbeck animals
now exhibiting at Tattersalls, Fifty-ffth
ST., and Seventh Avenue, is daily put
ting through their PAGES group of
beasts about as antagonistic as could be
brought together. 1t consists of four
tigers, two lions, two leopards and two
goats. They are all young, but, never
theless, seem to have inherited all the
peculiarities of disposition of their respec-
tive races. But they are gradually. learn
ing the tricks which some day they will
be called upon to perform in public. 1t
requires not less than two years of con-
slant drilling to prepare Them for the
ring.
The first step which Mr.. Mehrman- takes
is to bring in his tigers ambitions. They
are placed on stools around the edge OF
the cage and securely fastened to the
iron rods which form portion of the
heavy barricade which keeps them with
in certain bounds. This in itself is no
easy task, for one of the hardest things
to do is to teach wild animal to allow
ANYTHING to be put around its neck. They
hate chain, and for days after it is first
mt on they will scratch and tear at
everything that comes within range of
them in vain attempts to get it over
their heads.
The goats were brought in with them
for the first time the other morning.
For some monthssthey have been in ad-
Joining cages, where they could see and
become more or less used to each other.
The first to come in was handsome An
cora goat, with long wool and scurling
brass-tipped horns. He dragged after
him little wagon. in which it was des-
tined tiger should sit; He had hardly
got into the centre of the arena when all
The wild beasts, sitting carefully teth-
cred around on their different stools,
pricked up their ears and ssviewed him
with hungry sort of interest. When,
at the keepers word, the goat halted,
the beasts made a spring as far as their
chains would allow them toward the
goat.
and bleated piteously until Mehrman
went over and stood beside him. 1t
took nearly half an hour to restore or
der, and then came the trial of putting
the tiger into the wagon. It was very
delicate undertaking. Charlie, the largest
tiger was chosen and unloosened. The
keepers whip in front of his face, and
slowly he was marched over to where the
little red wagon stood ready to receive
him. When alongside, instead of max
ing an attempt to get into the wagon, as
he had been educated to do, the tiger
made one spring at the goat, and, in
spite of the trainers efforts, reached
him. His goatship, however, is blessed
by nature with two horns and nimble
neck. and instantly he. showed fight.
Ian went one horn into the tigers jugu-
lar. while another blow caught him in
the neighborhood of his eye. This
rather disconnected the big striped beast,
and he held back for moment, growl-
ing ferociously.. =.
Down came the whip On him, but it
only made matters worse, for all the
other animals lad set up howl as
though they were anxious to get loose
and have their share of the goat meat
that seemed promised to Charlie. II the
tiger is anything he is sly. He obeyed
the.whip, and finally put two.teet IN to
fine wagon, but he had no more Intention
of taking ride behindsa goat than he
had of forsaking a meal which seemed
ali too ready for him. He turned on
Mehrman SO suddenly that the trainer
retreated couple of steps. That was
Charles opportunity. With turn as
quick as lightning he made for the goat,
ed itself in the shape of Sultan, the big
Stuttgart boar-hound, which took the
nart Of the poor goat and few at the
tigers throat. For five minutes pan
demonium reigned in the fifty foot ring
| at Hagenbeck's. Mehrman had his
hands full. The. tiger was ferocious
the dog determined and the goat def
Mehrman finally got the three beasts
separated and forced Charlie up into the
wagon and made him take his ride.-N.
| Y. Times.