The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-01
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mand to accomplish this purpose. Henry
Haas, the youngest lion tanner in America,
came out of a cage in which he had been
teaching six of these monarchs of the
jungle to mount chairs assume a deVo-5
tional attitude and then retire to their bed
on the floor He is now scarcely more
than 20 years of age and began his haz-
ardous profession at the age of Is.
This is the boy, said the manager,
who does the wrestling act with Prince,
that big lion over there. It's a fine per
Torrance from a showmans standpoint,
but there's no telling when the lion may
get il-natured and handle him too rough
ly. That sort of thing happens right along
: in this business and the only way such
disasters are avoided is by the watchful-
ness OF the man in charge. He can see
expressions on the faces of the brutes that
sometimes escape the man in the cage.
And when he detects a mean look in the
creatures eye it's mis- duty to call a halt
and order that no more performances be
allowed"
That's right" interrupted Captain"
Lawrence. a Yankee youth who ran away
from his New England home eight years
ago to become an animal man" Take old
Bob, the tiger in the cage behind you. For
several years he was a fine performer, and
woman handled him without the least
difficulty. But one day he ieaped from
the fop OF his wagon during a parade anu
killed one of the horses. We rODed him
before he did any more damage, but from
that moment his whole disposition seemed
to be completely changed. There was no
use irving to work him, for he was sulky
and ill-natured. Now the best trainer in
America wouldn't be allowed to enter his
cage which is cleaned from the outside
"Is there any basis for the popular be-
lief that trainers subdue animals by look
ing them straight in the eye?' Lawrence
was asked.
1--WE been asked that a thousand times, .
he answered. There isn't a thing in that
theory. If we had TO depend wholly on
that for safety we would probably b. kill
ed the first time on entering a cage of I'M
worked animals. How can a man look a
half dozen lions in the eye at the same
instant when they are prancing all
around him? That's simply nonsense.
The meanest experience l ever had was
Il with a lion that came directly toward me.
The eye theory didn't work that time for
the old brute came straight at me and
sunk her teeth into my shoulder just as
was about to back iout of the door. Her
claws tore into the flesh of my leg, and
she also got my arm between her jaws
1t was during a public performance down
In Maine, and not one of the whole audi
ence knew l was being hurt. 1 was able
TO cOntfOl myself until tne non released
her grip on me and then l slipped out of
the cage. Just as soon as recovered
made il my first business to go back into
that cage and teach that brute who was
master of the situation. She had a whole
meal of humble pie that time, and 1 have
never had any trouble with her since. If
l hadn't gone back and punished her she
would probably have been spoiled >aer
performing.
i've never been afraid of the animals
but my heart used to pound like a trip
hammer when entering a cage for pub
lie exhibition for fear that I would do
something awkward that would cause the
people to laugh at me- Some people sup
pose that a trainer takes weeks in which
to get acquainted with the animals before
! he goes in with them. This is mistake
No Snowman is going to pay trainer big
wages for time spent getting used to the
creatures, no matter If they have been
, captured but a few weeks before If he
hasn't the nerve to so into any strange
| cage on a minutes notice and act as if
he'd always been there, he'd better get
out of the business"