The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1897-07-29

most remarkable event in natural
history on record, says the New YorK
Journal. The elephant is OF Aslatic
birth, is known as Charley and is the
star performer in a circus. He held
that position before the tragedy iii
which he recently became involved and
will continue to do, thanks to a jury
of liberal-minded Englishmen. Char
ley is an animal of phenomenal sagac-
ity and dexterity. He can stand on
pegs with the ease and grace OF d
hrst-class acrobat. 1t 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
fore legs in the air. He waltzes with
much grace and takes part in any kind
or procession with admirable pre-
clslon. He has been in the business
for thirty-one years and knows much
more about it than the average keeper.
1t is said that he is as highly educated
as an elephant can be. Having 80
much education and experience, Char
ley exacts a considerable amount OF
respect from keepers. He regards only
a frst-class elephant trainer as his SUI
per1of. For more than a year Charley
had a keeper who beat him cruelty.
About a year g the man was dis
charged from the circus. Recently he
was re-engaged to work in another de-
partment. He visited the elephants
quarters the other day to speak to
the keeper. Charley 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. 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 kindness. re-
member several remarkable instances.
On n occasion, when | had been
separated from an elephant for two
years, the elephant, on seeing me,
seized nj round the waist with his
trunk and would not let me 20 until
he had Rugged and caressed me for a
long time. Tears of pleasure ran down
the brute's cheeks. Some years ago a
nephew of mine, a child of 8, was play
ing 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"
- nfhnrc fnCtifnI 70 tho ~~~
of Charley and the jury returned a ver-
dict of accidental death without blam-
ing the elephant. There are persons
experienced with elephants who will
no agree with this decision. They
hold the views expressed in Charles
Reade's exciting story of an elephan,
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 thu
lookout to smash a man. He was sc
clever than he would knock a kno,
out of a partition with his trunk ant
kneeling down peer through the hol,
to see what was going on in the mex
room. Those who hold the theory O
elephant perversity say that the onl,
way to keep the animal in subjectiol
, is to thrash him numerically. A pitch
| fork is often used. A punishment
which the elephant fears very much (;
( beating on the soles of the feet. which
t are in him extremely sensitive. Ac
, cording to this view of the elephant
!, character the homicide committed b,
i. Charley was willful murder and Shout,
have been punished by death. TIL
enemies of the elephant explain thai
+ while he was in the custody of th1
keeper he never dared to attack, be
cause the man was always on the alert
i, knowing the evil character of tn
beast. But when the elephant was i
another mans care the old keepe
. naturally forgot his precautions an
q the animal took a cowardly advantag
. of his and killed him