Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-04-01
STORY OF "FIRsT" ELEPHANTS

Evidence to Show That Jeanette Was
Not the Earliest I'm America.
The African elephant, jeanette, which
died recently at Peru, Ind, while un-
doubtedly lone of the first" elephants
70 be imported to this country, was not
the" first to 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
1oO4- The first elephant to reach this
country arrived in New York in 1896 on
board the ship America, of which Capt
Jacob Crowninshield, of Salem, Mass,
was master. This animal was sold upon
its arrival IN New York for $4,000, and
was extensively exhibited throughout
the east. The Boston Gazette adver-
.tised its second appearance in that city
Oh Christmas day, 1897. 1t was 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 "OId
Bet She was Daliciously killed in
Rhode Island IN 1915. There was a cur
lent report that the animals hide was
bullet proof, and to test the truth of this
statement boy was instigated to con-
ceal himself beside the road along
which the elephant was to pass and
fire when it came within range. He
did Sc The bullet struck the animal in
the eye, causing instant death. The
hide nf fhic oIorH,.& 81 III
mounted, and was for many years one
of the attractions of the American mu-
scum in New York, being part of the
collection which afterward came into
the possession of the late P T. Barnum.
''Old Bet" was brought to this country
by sea captain named Bailey, and was
sold to his brother, Hackeriah Bailey,
of Somers, n. Y, one of the earliest
American showmen. When he retired
from the show business, about 1924, he
opened a public house in the little town
of Somers- He called it the Elephant
hotel. In front of the house he erected
a monument of "Old Bet" which was
still to be seen within a few years. The
image of "Old Bet" was carved in wood.
some three feet high and about four feet
long. his figure was originally gilded,
but after a few years exposure the
gliding worse off. and it was then
painted a sort of drab, not unlike the
animals natural color.
Another elephant which was brought
to this country early in the present cen
fury developed bad temper, and after
it had killed several keepers it 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
showmen's traditions with ''Old Bet
but there is reasonably good evidence
that this one was a male and was
brought to this country about 1914.
\ pair of elephants brought to this
country some time about 1880, and
known as Pizarro and Nirginius. were
drowned in 1S47 while endeavoring tO
swim the Delaware river Hannibal,
n large elephant, which was brought to
this country some time in the '3Os, was
exhibited until the summer of 1865,
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 as Romeo,
who killed several keepers, and finally
died in Chicago in 1872. At the time
of his death Romeo was owned by the
late Adam Forepaugh, and was said
to be the oldest and largest elephant
then owned in this country.-ChicagC
TimeS-Herald