The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1897-03-11
AN ELEPHANT ON TRIAL.
Arraigned for the Murder Of Man
In London.
Acquitted Of the Crime After Due
Legal Process-A Remarkable
Event In Court His
tory.

An elephant accused of murder has
been exonerated by coroner's jury.
The occasion was the inquest on the
body of a man who had been killed by
the animal. 1t took place in London and
is probably the most remarkable event
in natural history on record.
The elephant is of Asiatic birth, is
known as Charley, and is the star per-
former in Sanger's circus. He held that
position before the tragedy in which he
recently became involved, and will con-
tinue to do so, thanks to jury of LIBERAL
minded Englishmen.
Charley is an animal of phenomenal
sagacity and dexterity. He can stand
on pegs with the ease and grace of
frst-class acrobat. It is a pleasing
sight to behold him standing on two
pegs with two feet and holding the
other two gingerly in the air. For an
animal of the elephants build this is
quite remarkable. Charley also stands
on his hind legs and waves his forelegs
in the air. He waltzes with much grace
and takes part in any kind of procession
with admirable precision.
He has been in the business for 81
years and knows much more about it
than the average keeper. tits said that
he is as highly educated as an elephant
can be. Having so much education and
experience, Charley exacts considera-
BILE amount of respect from keepers. He
regards only first-class elephant train
er as his superior.
For more than q year Charley had
keeper who beat him cruelty. About a
year ago the man was discharged from
the circus. Recently he was reengaged
to work in another department.
He visited the elephants quarters the
other day to speak to the keeper. Char
ley was eating his supper when he saw
his old enemy. He Immediately seized
the man with his trunk, pushed him
against the wall and crushed him to
death.
Sanger, the owner of the circus, was
the great witness in Charley's favor at
the inquest. He said he was the kindest
elephant ever known. He added:
elephants do not forget injuries or
kindnesses. I remember several re-
markable instances. On one occasion,
when had been separated from an ele-
phant for two years, the elephant, on
seeing me, seized me round the waist
with his trunk and would not let me go
until he had hugged and caressed me
for long time. Tears Of pleasure ran
down the brute's cheeks.
"Some years ago a nephew Of mine, q
child of three, was playing around
Charley and climbing up his legs.
Charley gently resented this, but the
child continued. Charley then took the
child up, shook him gently and put Him
down some yards away"
Others testified to the good character
of Charley and the jury returned a.
verdict of accidental death without
blaming the elephant.
There are persons experienced with
elephants who will not agree with this
decision. They hold the views expressed
in Charles Reade's exciting story of an
elephant trainers life, Jack of all
| Trades
Chief among these views is that the
elephant is the most cunningly malig-
nant animal in existence. Charles
Reade's elephant was always on the
lookout to smash q man. He was SO
clever that he would knock knot out
| of partition with his trunk and kneel-
ing down peer through the hole to see
what was going on in the next room.
Those who hold the theory Of ele-
plant perversity say that the only way
to keep the animal in subsection is to
thrash him numerically. A pitchfork
is often used. A punishment which the
elephant fears very much is beating on
the soles of the feet, which are in him
extremely sensitive.
According to this view of the ele.
plants character, the homicide COM
mitted by Charley was willful murder
and should have been punished by death
The enemies of the elephant explain
that, while he was in the custody of this
keeper he never dared to attack, because
the man was always on the alert, know.
ing the evil character of the beast. But
when the elephant was in another mans
care, the old keeper naturally forgot
his precautions and the animal took a
cowardly advantage of this and killed
HMM. Y. journal.