Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-06-14
Baltimore Sun, June sth.

died on the scaffold yesterday after
noon. He was hanged in the Bolton
Yards of the Pennsylvania Railroad Co
at 16 minutes of Z o'clock in the pres
ence Of multitude Of People. Death
released the great beast in exactly nine
minutes, and his huge carcass swung
limp and lifeless.
The solemnity of the occasion ap-
preached that of the execution of a
human being and filled with awe the |
hundreds who saw it. The staring, |
CLASSY eyes of the elephant, his great |
pasping mouth, his waving trunk and |
the terrific strain and struggle as he |
vainly opposed the irresistible power of
tie steam derrick combined to make |
the fatal moment when he swung into
space thrilling one. Many persons in
the crowd turned their faces away, I'M
able to bear tho spectacle OF the ami
malls sulferings. Tears over the dead
elephant were shed by his keeper,
George Mullock. One woman saw the
execution from inside the yards.
SPORTS LAST HOURS.
The last hours of the stricken animal
we're spent in company with Keeper
Cole. who ofiiciated at the death watch.
Z All day Sport lay OH one side in his
car, swinging his trunk back and forth
and apparently taking no interest in
what went on about him. On either
side the elephant had two large sores
were he had rubbed himself since his
accident He seemed utterly unable to
move his hind legs and at intervals
would sigh and groan.
Sport ate some hay and drank several
buckets Of water during the afternoon,
spraying his body with some of the
water Once he tried to get up and
started for the door Of his car, hut his
injured spine gave way and he fell
back on the floor with a series of
groans that echoed far down into the
yard.
Keeper Cole said that the elephant
seemed to give way almost altogether
ON the morning of the execution and
lost even the little spirit that he had
retained after the accident. At 8
O'CLOCK the people gathered about the
door prevented the air from circulating
through the car and the srentorian
breathing of Sport testified to his APP
probation OF this. The door was shut
then and not reupened until few min
utes before the end.
All the while the crowd gathered the
big steam derrick of the railroad COIN
pany, which was the instrument of
death, stood clinched down to the
tracks by strong iron clamps. The i'm
mense iron pulley hung out from the
powerful beam, and there was an omin-
Gus kissing as Engineer Charles E..
Warner began to get up steam. AT
this time the elephant and the gallows
were at opposite ends of the yard.
W DR.. Robert Ward, the veterinarian,
superintendent and managed the
execution. He arrived about 8. &c
o'clock and was soon in consultation
with Mr.. L. G. Frederick, station
agent at Bolton, as to the best means
of getting the elephant to the gallows.
Mr.. James E. Tate, well-knowr
local athlete, offered to shoot tn,
elephant If there was any difficulty il
the way of hanging him. He hat
brought out a formidable rifle used IL
hunting moose in Canada and wa
prepared to hit the vital SPOT Al
elaborate sketch of the elephants heat
had been prepared by Mr.. Hugl
Nicholson, tine miniature painter
showing the exact location of the brai
/, and the proper spot for the shot. Dr.
be no need for the rifle or sketch ant
succeeded in getting an engine attache
to the elephants car.
fhOtEooloN I'll III GAilIbWS. ..
The start of the procession to th
gallows began at 6. Is o'clock, whe
engine No. 2088 slowly pulled the CO
down the yard, stopping just littl
in front OF the derrick on side tract
Mr.. Bostock. owner of the elephan
was inside busily engaged in examinir
the animal. Capt Baker and about :
policemen from the Northwestern an
Central districts forced the crowd bac
from the car and the derrick and tt
active preparations for the hangir
began.
1t was at first thought that it wou
be necessary to give the elephant son
bepumbing drug or administer ether
chloroform before adjusting the noos
but after looking him over DR.. Wa
decided that il would be perfectly So
to attempt it without the drug, al
that the sufferings of the eleEha
would not be increased. In case of
struggle, however, a yeast powd
bottle of prussia acid was on hal
ready for use at moments notice.
In the car with Sport were N
4 Bostock, Mr.. Francis Ferrari,
charge of Womble's Noah's Ark She
Of Wild Animals; George Mulloc
keeper of the elephant, and Mr.. Char
II. Knapp, exalted ruler of the Bal
more Lodge OF Elks.
Mr.. Bostook took upon himself mt
of the labor Of preparing the animal 1
death. Long coils Of heavy rope We
brought at his order. The rore b
been procured for the hanging and "
of manila, three inches thick. 1t W
capable. an official OF the railroad sal
of sustaining weight Of two tol
Nearly 40 feet of this rope was USE
four wraps being taken around I
elephants neck before tho moose "
Il. adjusted. Mr.. Bostock tied the no,
Il himself and was assisted by Keel
Mullock in passing loops of the sa
thick rope about the body and legs
the elephant. While these preparati,
were going on Sport aroaned most fe
fully and trumreted his despair
tones that struck dismay to the hea
IN of those about him.
Finally every knot was tested O
every detail. completed MIR. Bostt
gave the sign to the engineer on
derrick. There was hiss OF steam
spout Of hot wafer from the rear end
the boiler, the big pulley straightel
out and the ropes grew taut. {
awful q Dan came forth from Sport
then the struggle began.
MIR. Bostock, Keeper Mulloek {
two other attendants remained in
car to help the derrick in dragg
Sport out of the door. The task wa
terrific one, but slowly. very SLOW
the powerful derrick RULED him ou
his corner into the centre of the