The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-03-26
AN ELEPHANT KILLS A KEEPER
THE ENRAGED BRUTE ALSO TEARS
DOWN A FRAME BUILDING.

The Wife of the Owner of the EIe-
phant PIucISiIy Attacks the beast
With n Pitchfork and Puts Her TO
FIight-The Animal Brought Uu-
der Subsection Only After Four
Hours OF Exciting Work.
Chicago, March 25.-W. II. Harris big
elephant Gypsy became unmanageabIe at
its winter quarters on the West Side this
afternoon, and before she could be got
under control, killed her keeper, tore
down a frame building and created great
excitement, which drew thousands of peo-
pie to the scene.
Harris circus is quartered at the corner
of Roby and Jackson streets. in six
story brick building, and Gypsy occupies
the greater part of the first floor Her
regular keeper is Barnard Shea, but Shea
is at present in Omaha, and the animal
was temporarily in charge Of Frank Scott,
a lion tanner.
Early this afternoon Scott. by orders,
took Gypsy out for ride in the alley.
Gypsy did not seem inclined to stop at
the boundary of the alley and Scott gave
her jab with an iron hook The beast
became enraged and throwing her keeper
from her head, where he had been riding,
proceeded to pound him with her trunk
and succeeded in killing him and knock
ing him through a board fence.
Mrs. Harris came to the rescue with
pitchfork She was knocked down, bur
pluckily jumped up and commenced bat
tie. She soon had blood streaming from
wounds in the elephants side. and the
beast ran away toward the end of the al
ley. Here was standing a large crowd
anu anu many We're the bruises received in
the scattering which took place when the
elephant started out of the alley.
GYPSY did not go far but went back for
scott, VINO, IN the meantime had been
moved into a wooden building lust on
poslte the elephants quarters. The animal
knocked in the whole side of the building
IN her EFFORTS to get at the man again
DuIlhs thls time Mrs. Harris had sent
LOT an the bread and cake that could be
Dought in the neighborhood and also
telephoned for Claude Horton, the horse
! ualner, VINO soon arrived. The elephant
quoted down some while she was eating
HIty lOaVes OF bread, a large number OF
cakes ana other delicacies which were
placed before her. After she had finished
satlhg she walked into her barn and the
| heaVy doors were shut after her.
me door had no sooner been shut than
the elephant, with one blow shattered II
and ran out again.
BY this time every street in the vicinity
was crowded with excited people Three
wagon loads or police came to the rescue
| put could DO nothing further than keen
| back the crowd None of them wanted 70
undertake the job of chaining the enraeed
peaSi, and 1t was Impossible to kill her
| with their small calibre weapons.
me elephant had her own Way for about
| Iour hours, when she went back into her
| stall and allowed Horton to chain her.
Mr.. Harris has owned the animal for
| nVe years and has had no trouble with
her before. Frank Scott's right name is
/ unknown. He would never tell who he
/ was, and although he has been with Har-
! rls circus for six years, no one knows
! anything of MIN except that he went nm
/ DER an assumed name. His body is in the
| hdhds OF an undertaken and will be bur-
| led from the home of Mr.. Harris
Omaha, Neb., March 25.-Bernard Shea.
the former keeper Of Gypsy the elephant
which created so much trouble In Chicago
/ to-day, was seen tonight and will take
/ the flrst train for Chicago in the morning
/ 10 assume his old position. In an inter-
| view ne states that Gypsy is only another
| name Tor Empress, The original old EN-
! press, the hrst elephant imported into this
| Gountry, and that the killing of her late
keeper, Scott, makes the seventh victim
OF her vicious temper