The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-03-27
THE SNAKE SWALLOWED THE
CUB.
The Latter Taken Out Alive From the
Reptiles Stomach.


The Latter Taken Out Alive From the
Reptiles Stomach.
Mckinley" cub lion, was doing
beside the stove in the winter quarters
of Lemen Bros circus, in Argentine,
yesterday morning. Around the room
were creatures of the jungle placidly
passing the time away waiting for the
circus season to open. Not far from
the little sleeping lion cub stood several
| large boxes Of snakes, which have to be
! kept near to the stove to prevent the
reptiles from freezing. There was not
human being in the room. 1t was as
still as death
| Suddenly the head of large South
American boa constructor appeared
above one of the boxes. 1t rose slowly
up into the air until about two feet of
it's body was in sight, Its evil little
.eyes sparkled and it twisted its head
and looked around the room until it be-
| held the sleeping cub. Then its head
dropped over the side of the box and
| began moving across the floor Yard
after yard of snake came out of the
| box. 1t was a monster reptile and 1t
moved cautiously and with it's eyes still
fastened on Mckinley" The snake
Fmoved UP to within few feet of the
lion cub, when it paused. The cubs
tail was closest to the snake. 1t glided
closer yet and then drew the tail into
it's mouth. AS the tail disappeared the
snake drew closer and closer to the
cubs body, and then with a wide
spreading Of it's jaws it took in the en-
tire headquarters of the cub. ''McKin-
ley' awoke and began to cry in a
plaintive voice. Swiftly its body dis
appeared and louder grew its cries.
The mother of the only lion cub born in
captivity in the United States heard
the walls of her offspring, and looking
! between the bars of her cage compre-
Ihended the situation at glance. She
sprang to the bars and let out roar
that brought every animal in every
cage to it's feet, and pandemonium
broke loose. The mother of "McKin-
ley" roared necessarily, While the lions
Joined in the chorus; even the sea lions
beloved and soon the elephants began
to trumpet.
Only mckinley was silent. All of
his body had passed inside the snake s
jaws except a small part of his head
and his front paws. There was a self
satisfied look on the snakes face, The
turmoil of the animals reached the cir
Ecus attaches in another building and
they ran quickly to the scene. They
comprehended matters at a glance.
One of them ran to the elephants,
which were Juggling at their chains and
still trumpeting, and with an iron prod
quieted them Others tried to extricate
Mckinley" The snake, like miser-
able coward, tried to sneak away, but
was caught and held. Then one man
caught Mckinley" by the paws and
Iother men held the snake and they all
pulled together. mckinley" stayed
where he was. He either refused OF
Icouldn't come out. Occasionally lit
tie more of him slipped inside. Matters
were approaching a crisis. 1t was
either the life Of the snake or the cub
A quick consultation was held, and il
was decided to sacrifice the South
American native. Knives were pro.
cured and the snake was cut in two
When the blades penetrated its flesh il
seemed to realize it's position anG
struggled with its captors, the mer
finally falling upon it and holding il
still. The snake was handicapped by
Its meal IT did not take long to sever
the body and they then tried to pull Tho
cub through. but it stuck and stucl
tight, It was necessary to split the
snakes jaws and pry them apart before
the cub could be released. Then NC
Kinley" was taken out. He was nearel
dead than alive.
The snake was one that had beer
with the show for many years. The
cub is one of twins born just prior Il
the last election. Being born in captiV
lily and an exceptionally fine specimen
Ihe was highly priced. Last November
Just prior to the election, one of thu
lions gave birth to two whelps. Boil
were males. and in keeping with tn,
spirit of the times, one was named Bry
an. the other Mckinley. Just before
election the cub called Bryan sickeneC
and died Mckinley. on the contrary
grew sleek and fat and met with NJ
mishap until the escapade of yesterday
Last evening. after the attendant
had given Mckinley" a bath and
careful rubbing, he appeared to b.
quite recovered from the squeezin.
process he had undergone and gam
boiled about the building quite as happ,
and care free as ever.-Kansas Cit,
Journal