Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1894-05-16
ONLY MADE HIS LEGS SHAKY.
Unsuccessful Attempt to Kill the
Big Man-kiiling Elephant
at New York


man-killing elephant, gave the park
commissioners and favored medical
men great deal Of anxiety to-day and
finally batfled them in their attempt to
kill him. When few days ago the con
clusion was reached that the gigantic
pachyderm was incorrigible and con-
stantly becoming more vicious, means
of ending his ensanguined career were
discussed. The conclusion was reached
on Wednesday to kill him with poison,
and cyanide of potassium was selected
as the most likely drug to do Its work
quickly and painlessly.
Tip is the object of much interest
since his doom was announced, and
visitors to his quarters at Central Park
have numbered we'll up into the hun
dreds of thousands. 1t was the inten-
ton to administer the fatal dose
soon after daylight to-day, and
in order that the task might be
easier, Tip was deprived Of food
for twenty-four hours. At 6 A. NJ. Park
Commissioners Clausen, Straus and
Bell, accompanied by Supts. Smith and
Burns, arrived at the arsenal in Central
Park. A few minutes later Drs. Hunt
ington, Allen and Spitzke joined them.
Tip was meanwhile swaying restlessly in
his cage and swinging his enormous
trunk viciously Tom, the trick ele-
plant, and Juno, who occupied
the adjoining cage, were driv-
en- out to the open space
behind the elephant house and chained
there so that they would not be dis
turbed or frightened by the expected
trumpeting of Tip when he would get
his pill" Thirty policemen sur
crowds away from the doors, and none
but journalists and visitors with per-
mits were allowed to enter the building.
At half-past o'clock everything was
in readiness. To avoid possible &C
cident, all were excluded from the
elephant house except those directly
concerned with the momentous event.
Exactly at 6:5S2 Otto Mops, who has
been for years an animal train
er both in Germany and this
country, walked up to the
cage and handed Tip rosy-colored ap-
pie which had big dose Of cyanide of
potassium hidden within it's surface.
The big fellow nibbled at it for a mo-
it in his capacious mouth. But when
he crunched it between his teeth
he evidently felt that there was some
thing wrong with the taste, and spat it
out. Mops then tried him with a carrot
which was similarly drugged, but Tip
refused to taste it as he did another
apple and carrot which were passed to
him afterwards.
Keeper Mops then gave Tip piece
of bread containing about two ounces of
the deadly drug, but the big fellow after
munching it slowly a couple of times
threw that also on. the floor. Tip I'M
doubtedly had his misgivings about the
dainty morsels which were being fed to
him, but the doctors said that he had
certainly got enough poison into his
system to Kill dozen horses.
The drug did not seem to have very
much effect on him until nearly an
hour afterwards, when the violent
motions Of his head, body and trunk
became less rapid and his legs seemed
to be getting weak. This lasted only
short time, however, and then Tip re-
gained his wonted vigor. 1t is not def
nitely decided what shall be done :ext,
but the talk is still of finishing the work
with poison, probably this afternoon.
Sentence of death was passed on Tip
last Tuesday when the park commission
ers voted unanimously that he should
be put to death as quickly
as possible. When the matter
the Park Board Secretary Burns read
report which included history of Tips
murderous career and the opinions of
Carl Hagenbeck and other animal ex-
perts that he ought to be killed. Tip
was bought by Adam Forepaugh in
1882. The same year he killed one
keeper and severely injured two others.
In 1884 he killed two keepers.
In 1888 he killed three men and
oil Of
sons killed. He was presented to the
Central Park menagerie by Mr.. Fore
paugh on December 20, 1883. In 1885
Tip severely injured two keepers. In
1892 he broke the chains with which he
was fastened and came near escaping.
Carl Hagenbeck examined the animal
last week and reported: I'm my expe-
rience with animals have observed that
elephants with temper and disposition
such as this one has shown always
grow worse as they get older. In my
opinion Tip is dangerous and should be
killed" J. H. Bailey, the veteran
Board from Washington: 1T has always
been my opinion that Tip elephant was
dangerous to the public as well as to
his keeper. It seems to me that the
only safe way is to kill him, and the
sooner the better. If he was mine
would kill him before night. "~ The COM
missioners then voted Tips death sem
terce.
There were evidences after P NJ
that the poison was doing its work.
Tip was breathing very hard and
seemed scarcely able to move his trunk.
There was a belief in the mind of DR..
Allen that the elephant might die be-
fore nightfall. -