The Yale expositor., 1898-12-30
TRIALS OF AN ELEPHANT.
Court nIartiaied and Whipped for Kill
ing Ills Keeper.

Court Martialed and whipped Tor Hill
ing His Keeper.
The court-martialing of an elephant
Isn't such an everyday occurrence as to
pass unnoticed, even in central India,
where the doings of tho jungle folk
are unusually dark and vain, says the
New York Herald. Consequently the
celebrated trial and punishment OF an
elephant. residing In the vicinity OF
Mhow form q theme upon which the
native loves to dwell. The clePhant
had killed his keeper. That fact was
clearly established. A number OF wit
nesses bore testimony TO the manner
Of the mans death. He had been a ma
tive soldier He and his charge didn't
seem to hit IL Off very well. There
were frequent jars engendered by the
elephants indisposition to yield readily
10 the demands and commands OF the
native These occasional demonstra-
lions OF characterization were invaria-
bly, followed by the introduction OF
sharp spike into the tenderest part or
the elephants anatomy. After that the
situation was somewhat strained ana
when this particular elephant met
other elephants and stopped to pass the
time of day he complained In trumpet
tones of the unreasonableness of men
and Of his keeper specifically. Matters
appear to have reached a climax when
the keeper one day appropriated a por-
ton of the food supply allotted to the
elephant. This was more than eie-
plant flesh and blood could stand. The
big fellow remarked to himself that
while he might occasionally be In
duced TO work overtime at the ardous
labor of drawing heavy trucks-thus
laying himself liable-to expulsion from
the Elephants Labor Union-at least
it could never be said that he so far
forgot his position as to suffer the loss
OF a square meal at the hands of mere
man. And so It came about that Mr.
Keeper suddenly felt the weight OF a
great foot. What followed Is not sup
piled by the keeper, for he was by this
time a subject for the obituary writer's
Eye witnesses, however, averred that
the elephant raised him by the trunk
line and thoroughly beat tattoo with
him on the stoniest ground in that
vicinity. The elephant was properly
tried in the presence OF all the ele-
plants belonging TO the station. These
had been marshaled IN two parallel
lines. In the center stood the prisoner,
his giant feet chained into four holes.
A chain held his neck secure and each
end of the chain was firmly attached
to big elephants, which stood on either
side Of him. The brigade major was
the Judge. He and his staff were
mounted on horses. The facts In the
case were related after the major had
announced to the elephant that he was
on trial. No counsel was assigned tor
the prisoner. The prosecution had
things all its own way and the SEN
tence of forty-eight lashes with chain
was carried out Immediately II had.
been passed. The corporal elephant,
was selected to put the judgment in
execution. He was provided With a
heavy chain, and grasplng It. tightly in
his trunk, he applied tho four duzen
strokes so vigorously as to bring forth
most agonizing groans from the prison
er. In addition to the flogging the
murderer was sentenced to draw log
chain attached to his leg for three
! months.