The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-29
FRANKS OF ELEPHANTS.
The Big Beasts Are Fond of Practi-
cal Jokes.
From the New York Press.

From the New York Press.
81 never keep bad elephant" said Mr..
]. A. Bailey, II always have had them
killed, sending the cured hide to some mu-
scum and the articulated skeleton to an
other would not endanger the safety of
one of my employees by having a vicious
elephant around my show. But l am very
fond of the big fellows, and love to see
them well trained. They are an exceeding
ly interesting study to everybody, and
more so, think, to all those who are ia
mlllar with their traits. 1t seems to me
that while they cannot laugh, they possess
considerable appreciation of what is COM
lc. i remember once l had occasion to
transport big elephant by boat from
Louisville to Cincinnati. For security he
was chained on the forward part of the
main deck, just underneath the pilot house.
Well, the wires to the engine room of the
boat We're exposed, and passed down right
IN front of my elephant. 1t was not long
before my animal seemed to comprehend
what the wires were there for Raising
his trunk he graSped them. Jerking them
vigorously several times Immediately in
response thereto the boat slackened speed
and soon came TO a stop in midstream. The
deckhandS and others on the boat were
surprised, and the captain more so. The
engineer too, wanted to know why the bell
had been rung, and complications were on
the eve of eliminating in fistcuffs between
all the parties, when again the bell sound
ed violently and continuously. A wild rush
was made TO ascertain the cause and my
elephant was discovered pulling at the
wires with his trunk.
That wasn't the end of the affair by
any means, for right beside where the
elephant was placed were a lot of barrels
OF molasseS, and certainly not more than
an hour had passed before my elephant
had tipped over one of the barrels Kicked
in the head with his hind feet, and, when
discovered. was reveling in the sweet
stuff; Not. satisfied with dipping his
trunk into the molasses and eating it, he
had smeared his whole body with it, as if
determined to lay in a supply for future
use. Some of the boats people, while walk
ing along the deck, got caught in the mo-
laSses in the same way that they might
in quicksand and that causing an inves-
en- barrel
Now you would think that two such
incidents would he enough in an hour but
they were not. To keep him from indulg-
ing in any more mischievous pranks, he
was placed behind board partition and
chained by his feet 10 a stout cleat There
he remained quietly for some time but
through some inadVeftence food of any
kind had not been placed within his reach,
and II is supposed that, becoming hungry,
or wanting more of the molasses, he de-
sired to get out. Soon every one on the
boat was startled by great crash of tim
bers, and upon running in the direction
of the sound the colossus was seen stalk
ing majestically down the deck, a merry
twinkle in his eyes, and dragging the big
NANctl az the emu VI HIS CIldlil.
That elephant, some years afterward,
in Madison Square garden, twice brought
the fire engines to the Twenty-sixth street
corner by ringing the fire alarm, which at
the time was near where he was tethered.
lie could throw any small object unerr-
1ngly at mark. and once threw a Ratchet,
which one of the workmen left within his
reach, so that 1t struck, blade first, in a
big beam and stuck there, remaining as a
proof of his dexterity for some time.
This was the same animal that got out
n ne linn . 10 an
started from Madison Square, and run
ming down Fourth avenue, turned into
TWenty-seVenth street, where he knocked
over fre-alarm lamp post. AS the post
fell an electric spark ignited the escaping
gas, causing a big blaze and the violent
sunuering of the tire-alarm wires brought
ever, the firemen had something to do. We
caught the elephant at Madison avenue,
and returned him to the garden, but not
until he had caused considerable commo-
ton among the spectators.
His mischievous propensities, however
brought him to an untimely end, for when
took him to Europe, with others. he polk
ed his trunk into the pocket of a passen-
ger, securing a box of the old-fashioned
lucifer matches, which he ate, box and
all, the sulphur or phosphorus on which
caused his death soon afterward. It's as
tonishing what a little thing will some
times kill an elephant, when several bull
lets fired into his body fail to cause DEATH
Near another one of my elephants was
a swiftly revolving electric fan, with, as
you know. the flaps turning their sharp
edges like the teeth of a buzz-saW MY ele-
plant deliberately placed his tail, IT is said
within reach Of these revolving blades, so
that about four inches of IL was locked
as nicely and delicately as if done by a
surgeon. But-and here's where the fun of
Il comes into find out, possibly how real
ly sharp the edges OF the hanges of that fan
were, with view, no doubt to future CD
erations, the animal put his trunk on
them, when--presto! part of the fingers or
tips were instantly cut off with neatness
and dispatch. Thus do all mischievous ele-
plants suffer for sticking their noses into
things they know little about"