The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1897-04-10
AM gLgenANr a pEEENnAML.



Accused Of Merderlug 2 Man and 1
Quilted After = Leesl urial
An elephant accused 81 murder has
been exonerated byfa corpners jury.
The occasion was the inquest on the
body of a man who had been killed ~
the animal. Ittook place ia London and
Is probably the most remarkable erenk
in natural history on record.
The elephant is Of Asiatic birth. IS
known as Charley. and is the star pes-
former in Sanger's circus. BE held that
position before the tragedy ii which he
recently became involved, and win cons
tinue TODD so. thanks to- jury Of hberaIr
minded Engiishmen.
Charley is an animal Of phenomenal
sagacity and dexterity. He can stand
on pegs with the ease aud nrace p6 a
hrst-elass acrobat. 1t IS q pleasing
sight to behold him standing on two
pegs with two feet and holding tbs
other two gingerly ia the air. Eof ~
animal Of the elephants build thiH
quite remarkable. Charley also stands
on his hind legs and waves hBf 8ral
IN the air. He whltzes with much sroes
and takes parti ii any kind ST process
with admirable precision.
He has been Sd the busiuas ior ~
years and kno9s much more about IS
than the average keeper. Itissaid thnz
he is as highly educated as an elephant
can be. Having SO much education and
experience, Charley exacts q considers
BILE amount Of respect from keepers. Ha
regards only a first-class elephant train
er as his superior.
For more than a year Charley had 4
keeper who beat him cruelty. About .
year ago the mar 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 ia
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. l remember several re-
markable instances. On one occasion,
when l had been separated from an ele~
plant 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 Rugged and caressed me
for a long time. Tears of pleasure ran
down the brute's cheeks.
Some years ago a nephew of mine. Q
child of three, vas 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 a man. He was So
clever that he would knock a knot out
of a partition with his trunk and kneel.
ing down peer through the hole to see
what was going or in the nextroom.
Those who hold the theory of ele-
plant perversity say that the only way
to keep the animal in subsection is "a
thrash him numerically. A pitchforl
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 beer 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 mar 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.
Corn Hualx he'd.
For an under bed cornhusks are
much to be preferred to straw, for they
.y;Il not haaorna 80 compact after .4ee