The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-04-01
AN ENRAGED ELEPHANT.
Gipsy, the Queen Of Harris Circus, Kills
Her Keeper.

Her Keeper.
CHICAGO, March 26.-W. Fl. Harris
big elephant, Gipsy, became unman-
ageable 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 build.
ing and created great excitement,
which drew thousands of people to
the scene. Harris's circus is quartered
at the corner of Roby and Jackson
streets in six story brick building,
and Gipsy occupies the greater part OF
the first floor. Her regular keeper is
Bernard Shea, but Shea is at present
in Omaha and the animal was tempo
rarily in charge of F rank Scott, lion
tanner. Early this afternoon, Scott,
by orders, took Gipsy out for a ride in
the alley. Gypsy did not seem inclin-
ed to stop at the boundary of the al
ley, 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, pro-
ceeded to pound him with her trunk
and succeeded in killing him and
knocking him through a board fence.
Mrs. Harris came to the rescue with
pitchfork. She was knocked down,
but pluckily jumped up and COM
menced battle. She soon had blood
streaming from wounds in the ele-
plants side, and the beast ran away
towards the end Of the alley. Here
was standing large crowd and many
were the bruises received in the scat
tering which took place when the ele-
phant started out of the alley. Gypsy
did not 60 far. but went back for
Scott, who in the meantime had been
moved into a wooden building just
opposite the elephants quarters. The
animal knocked in the whole side of
the building in her efforts to get at
the man again. During this time Mrs.
Harris had sent for all the bread and
cake that could be bought in the
neighborhood, and also telephoned for
Claude Orton, the horse trainer, who
soon arrived. The elephant quieted
Tdown some while she was eating 80
loaves of bread, a large number OF
cakes and other delicacies which were
placed before her. After she had
finished eating, she walked into her
barn and the heavy doors were shut
after her. The door had no sooner
been shut than the elephant, with one
blow shattered it and ran out again.
By this time every street in the vicini
ty was crowded with excited people.
Three wagon loads of police came to
the rescue, but could do nothing fur.
ther than keep back the crowds. None
of them wanted to undertake the job
of claiming the enraged beast, and il
was impossible to kill her with their
small calibre weapons. The elephant
had her own way for about four
hours, when she went back into her
stall and allowed Orton to chain her.
Harris has owned the animal for five
years and has had no trouble with her
before. Frank SCOTS right name is
unknown. He would never tell who
he was, and although he has been
with Harris circus Tor six years, no
one knows anything about him, ex:
cept that he went under an assumed
name. His body is in the hands OF an
undertaken and will be buried from
the home of Mr.. Harris.
HER SEVENTH VICTIM.
OMAHA, Neb., March 25.-Bernard
Shea, the former keeper of Gypsy. the
elephant which created so much trou.
BILE in Chicago today, was seen tonight
and will take the first train for Chica.
20 in the morning to assume his old
position. In an interview he stated
that Gypsy is only another name for
Empress, the original old Empress,
the first elephant imported into this
country, and that the killing of her
late keeper, Scott, makes the seventh
victim of her vicious temper.