The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1897-04-03
STORY or FIRST ELEPHANTS.
Evidence 10 show That Jeanette Was
Not the Enrltest an America.

Not the inrlteat an Af,Acricns
The African elephant. Jeanette, which
died recently at Peru. Ind, while UNI
doubtedly zone OF the first" elephants
20 be imported TO this country, was not
1.-THE" first 10 reach these shores. Ac-
cording to reliable accounts, jeanette
did not reach New York until 1924.
There is indisputable evidence TO show
another elephant arrived from Bengal
nearly 30 years earlier. and that still
another was brought here as early as
1904. The first elephant TO reach this
country arrived in New York in 1906 on
board the ship America, of which Capt
Jacob Crowninshicld. OF Salem. Mass,
was master. This animal was sold upon
its arrival in New York for $40 900, and
was extensively exhibited throughout
the east. The Boston Gazette adver-
tiSed It's second appearance in that city
on Christmas day, 1897. ltwas female.
and then about three years old.
Another elephant arrived here in 1904
and was extensively exhibited during
the next dozen years. This animal was
also female, and was known as "Old
Bet" She was maliciously killed in
Rhode Island in 1916. There was a cur
lent report that the animals hide was
bullet proof, and TO test the truth Of this
statement boy was instigatcd to con-
ceal himself beside the road along
which the elephant was 70 pass and
Gre when it came within range. lie
did so. The bullet struck the animal in
the eye. causing instant death. The
hide of this elephant was stuffed and
mounted, and was for many years one
or the attractions Of the American mu-
scum in New York, being part of the
collection which afterward came into
the possession Of the late Il. I. Barnum.
"Old Bet" was brought TO this country
10y a sea captain named Bailey, and was
/ sold 10 his brother, Hacleriah Bailey,
| of Somers, y. Y, one of the earliest
/ American showmen. When he retired
! from the show business, about 1924, he
\ opened public house in the little town
l Of Somers. He called il the Elephant
hotel. In front Of the house he erected
a monument OF "Old Bet" which was
etill 20 be seen within few years. The
image of "Old Bet" was carved in wood,
some three feet high and about four feet
long This figure was originally gilded,
but after a few years exposure the
gliding worse Off. and II was then
painted sort of drab, not unlike the
animals natural color.
Another elephant which was brought
TO this country early in the present cen
tury developed bad temper, and after
IL had killed several keepers il broke
away while travelling through South
Carolina in 1927, and after being pur-
sued for many miles was finally shot
to death by its followers. This latter
animal has often been COMPOUNDED in
slowmen's traditions with "Old Bet,
but there is reasonably good evidence
that this one was n male and was
brought to this country about 1914.
A pair OF elephants brought 70 this
country some time about 1880, and
/ known as Pizarro and Nirginius, were
drowned in 1s47 while endeavoring "a
swim the Delaware river Hannibal
a large elephant, which was brought to
this country some time in the '3Os, was
exhibited until The summer OF 1868
when he died Of lung fever in Center
Vile, Md Columbus, another large and
an extremely vicious elephant, fell
through a bridge in North Adams
Mass, in October, 1851, and was fatally
injured.
Another vicious brute among the
earlier elephants brought to this coun
try was the animal known na Romeo
who l,illed several keepers, aud finally
died in Chicago in 1872. At the tiin'
OF his death Romeo was owned by thI
late Adam Forepaugh. and was sale
TO be the oldest and largest elephant
then owned in this country. -Chicag,
Times-Herald.