, 1896-08-08
IN THE LIONS MOUTH.
A LITTLE CHILD'S HEAD CRUSHED
BY AN INFURIATED KING
OF BEASTS.
man. Crazy Over Religion, Kills
Jersey Wheelwomen Attacked by a
Tramp, Who Gets yhe Worst of 1t.

accident occurred at the fair grounds
this afternoon. A portion of Hagen
beck's animal SHOW occupies the tent
just inside the gale, and a big lion was
chained in front Of the tent as an at
traction. Eddie Hurd. the 2-year-old
son CT Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas Hurd. who
have charge of the show, was playing
near the lion. The brute watched the
child as he came nearer and nearer and
finally. with a movement quick as light
ming, seized the child's head in its
jaws. The boys father and mother
were standing near by and a great
crowd was in front OF the tent. Wo-
men tainted and confusion reigned SUI
preme. The father sprang on the lion
and with the greatest difficulty forced
the beast to open it's jaws. The top of
the Child's head had been crushed.
"A panic followed among the crowd
surrounding the tent and the people
who were inside watching the show.
1t was at once reported that the lion
was loose, and it is a miracle that no
one was seriously injured in the stam-
Eeie that followed. Another child hap
pened to be near the cage with the 9th
er lions at the time of the accident and
was rescued from the angry brutes with
great difficulty. They smelled the blood
and became excited at once. The con-
slant roarings alarmed the crowd in the
grounds.
Mr.. Hurd picked up the ~lifeless form
OF his boy and bore it into the tent.
There was a great cut on the forehead
where the lion had first struck down its
prey with its paw and around the top
of the head were terrible wounds made
by the beasts strong teeth. The skull
had been crushed. Mrs. Hurd was fran
tic. Her screams echoed through the
grounds for half an hour. She seemed
utterly crazed by the accident. The
boys death was instantaneous. His
mother sat nursing the MANNED body
and refusing all consolation.
Mr.. Hurd was employed by Hagen
beck to do the talking on the outside
and his wife posed as the snake charm
er. The child had been left near the
lion by a negro servant. who had been
sent to get a bucket of water, and some
one remarked to the mother that it
was playing dangerously near the lion.
but she replied that there was no dan
ger. as the lion was perfectly gentle
..l .,a,,Il ,N, l. ,r, ,rr ~ An in
slant later the tragedy occurred. The
lion was a great pet and had never
been known to attempt to injure any
one before. 1t was an especial favorite
with Hurd, who patted it every time he
rlsaed it. going in and out Of the tent.
1t is supposed that the lion was enraged
by the crowds and vented its anger on
the first person that came within reach.
There is a woman with the show who
makes n regular practice of putting
her head in the lions mouth, but that
feature will be omitted from the pro-
gram for some TIM to come. h lion
was presented to the show by Pugilist
James J. Corbett.
BUTCHERED HER SISTER.
Brooklyn. n. Y. August 7.-Mrs.Kate
Larkin, 80 years old. is dying in the
Homeopathic hospital from seven scalp
wounds and three fractures of the skull,
She was hacked to pieces with an ak by
her insane sister, Alice Heaney. as she
lay asleep in bed in her apartments at
13 Classon avenue at 3 o'clock this
morning. Alter washing her sisters
blood from her hands and face the crazy
woman went to She police station and
told what had occurred.
Mrs. Larkin is the widow of Terry
Larkin, an old-time baseball player.
She had been separated from Larkin,
who died about a year ago. Then she
engaged the basement floor, consisting
of two rooms, at 1913 Classon avenue.
Alice Heaney, who Is 90 years old, was
at that time an inmate Of an orphan
asylum. Mrs. Larkin took her sister
from the asylum and gave her a home.
The girl was religious. and soon be-
came insane on the subject. Alice
dreamed Tuesday might That her sister
was cutting her throat. She awoke
with a start, and sprans out Of bed.
Mrs. Larkin was sleeping soundly.
Alice went to a woodshed in the rear,
and secured a heavy ak with a handle
three feet long. Returning to the bed
side she dealt her sleeping sister a blow
on the head. Mrs. Larkin awoke, and
tried to get u OF bed. Alice rained
blow after blow upon the head of the
defenseless woman. Mrs. Larktn man
aged to get on her feet, but fell uncon-
scious across the foot Of the bed. Alice
became exhausted and stopped hewing
her sister. She returned the az to the
its place in the woodshed. Then she
went to the police station.
WHEELWOMEN ATTACKED BY A
TRAMP.
Mount Tabor, N. j., August Mrs.
Hedden, wife Of DR.. Hedden, and Mrs.
Ohlweller, of Orange, who own cottages