The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-02-04
THE HOUNDS AND THE LIONS.
USES OF TBE sREtT DOCS IN TIE
HA0BNBACK sHOW.

position on the Part of the VIVA AuirnnIs.
The boar hounds which appear with the
wild animals in the Hngenback show have
frequently been referred to as police dogs"
but they are scarcely that. although their duty
in the various acts in which they appear is
that OF lookout or sentinel They are not po-
lice. In the popular sense Of that word. for
they are. with one exception, dreadfully afraid
OF the lions they appear with. and could not
be induced to fight or arrest" them. Even
the one execution is only partial one that is,
there Is only one lion ore dog is not afraid OF.
The boar hounds are all known as Stue-
carts. that beiHg the best breed Tor this ne
cular business. They are valued by their
owners at from 500 up to impossible prices
some Of them. indeed. could not be purchased
at any price Less than one which would permit
their owners to retire permanently from the
wild animal business
The hounds-there are sixteen OF them are
not owned BY the owner OF the show. but nre
the individual properties OF the trainers. Their
usefulness results from their attachment to
their masters. and their fear and distrust ofall
lions. This makes them Removed watchers
in the ring, something very much required by
q trainer who in some part OF his act must de-
vote all OF his attention to one or more animals,
with his back turned to ono or more. At such
time the hounds narrowly eye the amin ais not
under the trainers observation. and give
quick. sharp warning OF any ugly or mis-
chievous disposition on the part OF the unen-
gagged brutea
Trainer Darling has one hound. Nero. which
is on terms Of reasonable friendliness with one
lion. with ready convertibilitY named Leo
Nero and Leo we're pup and cub together in
Hamburg. aud there dwelt together in peace
and harmony in one cage. The dog indeed
developed the uglier disposition Of the two.
and when his training days began evinced
such desire to bite the unlucKy Ierson who
had to call him for rehearsal or performance
that he was deprived OF his teeth. His rela-
tons with Leo cannot be called friend
ly exactly. but he is not afraid OF him
and will attack him. even. II his trainer
is In danger. Once. in Chicago. Mr..
Darling was driving out OF the ring in
chariot drawn by three lions. there being two
loose lions and Nero in the cage. Nero. OF
course. watched the Embarrassed lions. and
when the chariot struck an edge OF the gate In
going out and was brought to a standstill. one
OF the lions at largo In the cage made jump
for Darling. but Nero gave such quick warning
that Darling had time to turn around and fight
of the lion with his iron rod. while the as
sistants In the passageway took care Of the
lions in harness. That was an instance OF
the hounds watchfulness saving n trainer from
Wnht might nave Dceu u ud0BeTOuS utbhull
That incident illustrates. by the way. tho
most common cause OF ugliness and assault
by the lions during performances. So long as
everything goes smoothly and exactly accord
ing to programme the lions are not likely to
be ugly. But an accident OF any kind excites
them. and then they are likely to be ugly
Nero got lively thrashinG once In Ham burg
for giving n warning. lion struck n hurdle
board which had been thrust into the ring be-
tween the bars In clumsy manner. and
broke 1t with his paw. He was ugly in an in
slant. and turned toward Mr.. Darling. whose
back was turned. Nero set up warning
howl. and was promptly Knocked out and had
four ribs broken by q blow from the same paw
Two or three days ago Trainer Philadelphia
was in the ring with the lion Black Prince a
horse and n hound doing what they call tho
race around" the lion leading. the horse
next and the hound in the rear. The horse
crowded up on the lion and struck him with its
fore hoof. Tho lion was ugly instantly. and
the hound was the first to discover 1t. Phila-
delphia had bad slashing from Black
Princes paws few weeks ago. when he
kept his nerve and finished the act. al
though painfully wounded This time his
nerve was not so good for some reason.
and at the hounds warning he backed quickly
out OF the ring and the next day concluded to
accept the arrangements offer OF an errand
which would take him to Hamburg for few
weeks He thinks his hound saved his life
that night None Of Philadelphia's fellow
trainers doubts his courage. They say that
he had had a bad accident little while before
and needed rest 1t Is risky business. and
the best OF the trainers sometimes suddenly
feel their nerve slip away from them.
While 1t Is admitted that the big fierce
hounds are well scared by the lions whenever
Ia frnu thav wi readily tun IL
any other beast they enter the ring with.
Recently Trainer Mehrman had his group 10
the ring with which he forms a pyramid
tiger that night was In q bad temper. and two
OF Mehrman's hounds tackled 1t. The tiger
thereupon tackled the lion. who tackled the
leopard who tackled the white bear. the apeS
mass on the floor. The bear had had the
longest fall. and received such bump that he
He made numbering break for the gate.
when the hounds Jumped upon him and drove
him" said one OF the attendants
Trainer Pe9is has what he claims claims to be the
vicious, and 1. always muzzIed except when
In the ring, When PenIe is working with the
t.s III asn on H Ss Hf Ro sso%.
b l. Only put; his tsil Between b; les: and
II there lisa light in the air, but his PROMPT
ness IN discovering any mischIsvous intsn-
There Is a daily exhibition in the big iron
cage which tho public are not permitted 20
see. yet which is the prettiest sight imaginable
OF its kind. Some group or other 10 always be-
ing rehearsed in the mornings. After the re-
heRrsal the domestic animals-the sheep.
goats and horses-are sent out Of the ring, the
dogs only remaining with tho trainer and the |
wild animals When the gates are closed the |
trainer gives a signal and the lions and tigers |
have a free romp They charge at each other. |
wrestIe box and roll aTou nd In splendid. grace
full. powerful action while the dogs look on In |
cautious watehfulnesA Sometimes a tiger will |
swagger up to a leopard and bat IL over the |
head Ia free aud easy style, which does not |
suit the leopard at all. and II will be inclined
to be ugly. The dogs give PROMPT warning.
and the trainer takes hand In the game Tor |
no animal Is ever allowed to leave the ring |
alter an exhibition OF temper without being |
made TO do penance. When the play hour is |
over the gates are ODened. and the dogs set up |
3 bAyinR which plainly says move on. there" |
Prof Darling has dog so small that 1t would |
seem q midget In the toy class at a bench |
show. One evening recently. in sudden fancy. |
Darling took this consequential little fellow |
into the ring filled with a big group. The i'm |
mr. IN " RlaetFtnAd nv the muRig tha |