The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1894-02-24
DEMOCRAT, ONO "a 1894
HORROR IN THE DARK.
rrainer Thieman Attacked in tho Arena ~
the Midwlnter Fair by Three Full Grown
I.tops Ont for Hood and Bonos.


the Midwlnter Fair by Three Full Grown
Lions Out for Blood and Bones.
SAN Francisco, Feb 1S-Carlo THE
nan, attendant at Col Daniel Boone's
wild anima! show at the Midwinter
fair, was attacked by three lions Tues
day night and so horribly mangled that
he may die. The evening performance
had been in progress in Boone's arena
for about half an hour and the circular
enclosure was filled with people The
wild animals are exhibited in large
cage in the center of the arena and it
was time for the lions to go on.
Three huge beasts, Parnell, Romeo and
Commodore, were led into the cage by
Thieman preparatory to Boone's en-
trance. Suddenly the electric lights
went out.
There was short interval OF silence,
when suddenly shrek of agony came
from the cage. 1t was followed by war
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 shrieked
and tainted, but the crowd was finally
induced to remain seated by attendants
who had retained their presence Of
mind.
Finally lanterns were brought and
there In the cage lay Thieman with
three lions clawing and munching his
prostrate form. Col Boone seized an
iron bar and entered the cage. With
shouts and blows he drove the beasts
from their prey and dragged the unfor.
tunate man from the cage. 1t was an
exhibition of rare bravery and the big
crowd cheered the gallant colonel THE
man was taken to the receiving hospi.
tai, where his wounds. forty-three in
unb er, were examined. BY one blow
from lions paw he had been scalped
from tho forehead to the nape of the
neck. Under each arm there are ter
rible bites where the lions had attempt
ed to reach 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 horribly scratched
At the hospital he recovered con-
sciousness 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
Commodore, seized him under the
armpits and dragged him across the
cage while Parnell made general on
slaughts on his body. The lions ara
ell 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 busi-
ness
Col Boone in speaking Of the affair
said: 'It has always been my custom
to have lanterns and lamps about
tho arena in case the electric
lights should go out, as it is we'll
known that wild animals, no matter
how we'll trained, will attack a man in
the dark"
BY some oversight the lanterns were
not in their usual place last night and it
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 delay in opening it
when Boone entered the cage to rescue
Thieman. After Thieman had been re.
moved to the hospital the people left
the arena, as they had seen enough OF
wild animals for one night and the per.
formance was discontinued. The doc.
tors think there is possibility of The
mans recovery unless blood poisoning
ensues,