Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-02-03
lille. Minnetta the First of Her
Sex TO Tackle Lions.
5NE VERY MARROW ESCAPE
,lmost Torn TO Pieces by One of
Her Fierce Pets.
Err ACT CREATED A Juror.
ut She Rounded out Her Thrilling
Career by Posing ns the Ifon-
Jnwcd woman.

Many women nave culint1 10 PC tne uI"t
iiginn 'lady llor" tanners. but II secma
;at Mile. Minnetta. who In private ne
pos by the lesa high BOUNDING cognomon
Minnie Wells. was the nrst woman to
BIER lion'a cage In this country and make
40 king OF beaatn perform, The authority
Ii thLa statement Is the perennial Bohemian
turnaist and circus manager. j. NJ. Sean
md. who. although he has mover done
bubble turn IN The awdust arena with
ieasly monkey. has mad great experience Ia
70 circus and theatrical business.
HIS story of Minottl. who has eyolutc1
pm lion tanner to the Iron lawed woman,
not without a tnRo Of humor and pathos
tho Guatcd-iar-and-away from friends
md. In ha quaint, Enanpy way he recent
4 told tho story VI the woman Hon tmur,
tnnotta.
i''Many yeara ago be said. ~ was 'buated
the sage bruaE land OF Nevada, where
lhad gone 90 inFt session " the Legls
lure. whcn variety show struck the
laie capital. Carson Clty. Tao troupe con-
bted OF tho manager, who did the Juggling
III, and two ladea, who sang and danced
ID gave character sketches, One Of tho
tliea was tho famous Minnie Wolla, thu
ilat woman Hon tanner IN America. She
s,s employed by Dnpum and came near
sing Killed one Jay by a Hon She entered
No cago when tho beast waa hungry and he
Y Jed 20 mako a meal on her ThlA catlAcl
ir 10 quit tho avuratlon " performing
y 'nh and she became song and dance ar
lt which abe cOnailrred atop downward
III her professional career. As a lion tamcr
lnnle was cunaderel prodigy by BAR
IA, VINO knew sensational and good thiug
Z pen he saw II, Her act M the cago with
big African lion waA AZ thrilling and
ring ae aome OF tho foala performed In
Z tcr day shows, The day aho came near
Ing Killed eho entered The cage with A
iall riding whip inalcad uf a short iron
". Even when tho lion waH tfylng Ia
gar her TO pieces uho never Lost her prea-
leo OF mind. hut coolly gave dirouuona 10
\ circus attendants VINO had come TO her
licuo"
THIS circus historian beat tattoo on tho
y OF his SILK hat aud continued IN his
smlniscont vein. 'MnuDttA got out of the
aHlneia In time, bucnueu "a soon as her
anc as lion performer became known
4 shhreds OF ireusneryod women were tnuEh,
10 Ia cagea and oatenalhly gublue tho
4ng Of beasts. But to resume. / was ON
N lookout for anything when the Minnie
selis troupe struck Catson CRY. and Iolncd
i.8 In tho capacity o. assistant manager,
esA agent and general performer We
ied IN barnA aud dinipg-rG1ma TO au-
ishcta OF eattlomen, mlnorn and Indians,
4 nnle, the hrst woman lion tanner, played
ft3a panJD and danced beautifully hut
lNlld see that shs considered II Ereat
eme down FOR her Tho troupe dlshnndrd
Il ~ We each went our several ways. | am
w II partial TO cold weather, no two ycarB al,
thls driftcd TO South America 10 enjoy
i'se ealorlo season and wear pongea trous,
& ~ Ono day IN Bahia entered u big cir.
4.V Nnt
4 oman os perfect form. somewhat lits
ll, danhlhg Aledc Capitalize, swinging from
ttfflylng trapeHc by her teeth. She was Min,
+ ilia. tho original woman lion porf0rmHr On
ii II billA Hhe was called tho world-famed ath,
s,te OF iron jaw and teeth OF steel. And
( Ntlly her athletic performance was ungN-
flcd ny any that | hayu taen, and / have
& On thtm all. Suspended by hur feet Nh,
IS Yuld hold between her teeth chain at.
( 1hed TO man weighing over two hundred
yNnda and he would draw up by another
un a boQ-pound weight. 1t was not 4
pier mache weight but zoo pounds Of
81 tel, for J examined It,
lta NcS tay NfnNclA MA ynlond,d chapc
3lfNtii slle e.seN' huslnege forever. but sh,
lcd to avail herself OF the golden opportu
ti4y. she was invited to biz ban
Ct and one " tho high Official
the city wanted to marry her
,rring her dnwry OF $50, 900. whiol
. ~ irpn-Iaw strip. and hrsides he wanted Il
3alrry a woman who had tanned llons--i
uld give an air Of stamina to his domes
establishment As Minnie had hus
nd--all women lion tamora have--sh
lNtid not accept tho rich nraKlllan's one
4 marriage. Now onlncs the humorous mar
her trip, l Joined tho circus and playe,
Pend clown and OF course. went 10 III
NJ town with tho circus, We had
camping biz audience, and among the hlgl
tDatarles " the town present was IN
+ talde. an antique specimen OF medlaeya
hes. who viewed Minnie's Performance
th surrnptitious avn and drofd. III ny
sed her 70 be arrested because no as
iftqd thai no one could be 40 Glrung with
being IN league with tho devil, / won
what that mossback aicAido would thinl
,ha could see CinQuevAlll3"
throwlnR IN ha hat and balancing II n,
4 tlA e,sd OF his noAo a few seconds tho clown
tnaFcr resumed his narrative, "Of conrse
tlt oficlnl rohher, tho nlcalde. had Min
ia arrested and all the rest OF us.
10 the airalde 20 understand that Il h,
God Minnotta IA prison she would pul
e'tAown lika samson dld the Temple !
j aar. The upshnt was wo all paid a lnl
4, f'al % $1,000, and leit before wu eonld h
q lfnhcd uf our clothing Then We went I,
HNistralin, where tho original ilon.tamr
Ma 40 up IN a balloon holding on b,
IiI> teeth, We witnessed an exhibition o
pluerang throwing by hushmen and thNi
puettt do hcr srcat balloon ascanaiol
VIII They had mover Hocn hut float In IN
Xxi ana tho sight almost paralyficd then
7Iiih fear. They formed IN line aud danced
yinE for the safety o. the white sniri