El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-09-03
Heard In Hotel LObbieS
AXNNN<NANNAO

There 10 . baby leopard In Ell Psso.
known under the name of Mexican
tiger, but his real name is leopard. BE
belongs to the cat family, ard IL . fine
specimen of the tribe, albeit he is only
seven weeks old. He has been nick
PANIED Tod, In honor of Tod Sloan, th q
American jockey who has just won
this years Futurity on former SEQ
reiary OF the navy William G. Whit
Dey's recehorse Baliyhoo Bey. Tod
Is just able to have . name, and to be
called after the diminutive jockey 10
exceedingly appropriate, for Tod is no
larger than . nearly grown kitten.
Some day though he will weigh nearly
hundred and twenty five pouads.
The leopard, or tiger, or ]agusr, or
mou o tain cat, call 10 what you will e,
belongs 70 Charles Smith who is at
the Zsiger with his pes. The little
bsss. has not been seen by many
people. In fact very few have been
allowed to visit him. He would please
would no doubt vote him Cute.
Mr.. Smith 10 already fond of the
infant tiger. He obtained possession
u him " hen he WAS Gully ten days old,
and has raised him on = bottle, just
like q real human baby.
ToS's early life and capture are
shrouded in the deepest snd most
tragic OF tragedies. He would never
have been here now IL his gre 1t strong,
fierce mother had nos been killed fret,
but shat IL the tragedy. Tod's mother
was shot by q Mexican hunter while
she was guarding his baby life in 3
Mexican jungle.
The Mexican had . hard fight before
be saw the mother beast stretched OuS
In the forest. He was clawed and has
his hand chewed by she tigers sharp
teeth, for a mother of any eort will
SIGHT her fercest for her offspring, and
. member Of the cat family Is one of
the worst animals to arouse.
After he had killed Tod's mosher,
then IL was up to the hunter to catch
scurryipg of in the underground, and
made up his mind to take him alive.
Tod WAS only . week old, and be was
afraid to be OF in the woods so full of
things which he did not understand.
He came back to his mother, creeping
along cautiously and skillfully, for Tod
had all the Instinct of the wild animal
even then, though he did not have the
experience. The hunter knew this. He
also knew that the kitten would come
back. He waited quietly behind log,
and pretty soon Tod orawled through
the long grass with his brothers and
sisters. Tod had relatives then, but
thew are dead now.
That was the opportunity the hunter
wanted, and he bounced upon the lit
tie cats and gathered Tod in II one
fell swoop. The other baby tigers
escaped, but they we're too young 10
or been eaten by other wild animals
long before thie.
Tod bit and scratched the hunter
with all his might, but he couldn's get
away. The hunter put him in HE
game bag where Tod soon cried him.
seif TO sleep.
This oil happened down in the Mon
se yuma district. where there are many
more Wild animals. But there are not
Tod belongs to q race Of cats which 10
very rare, though there are more of
hem In Central America, and the
Isthmus. So rare is the littls tiger
IN fact that Mr.. Smith values shis
It ven weeks old bunch of fur and claws
~ one hundred dollars. he is the
irst one of his kind that Mr.. Smith
has ever seen, and Mr.. Smith has seen |
almost everything that there is
% he seen In Mexico.
He came into possession Of tho lit
he Mexican hunter who had killed |
ais parent. Mr.. Smith bought him.
md fed him on milk out of Q bottle. |
Tod grew rapidly, and 10 now almost |
Is large - . small dog. When Mr.. |
Smith came to Ell Paso on business she |
,the- day he brought Tod with him.
When the circus came to the city |
Mr.. Smith determined to sell the little |
elbow for exhibition purposes. The |
circus people wanted him, but couldn's
lfYord to pay hundred dollars, and |
Mr.. Smith wouldn't part with him for |
ess. So he decided to keep him, bus |
rod's appetite 10 something wonderful |
or Q baby of his age, and he will soon |
SIT more even than he does now.
Mr.. Smith this morning saw q tax
dermist on San Antonio street, bus |
Mr.. Neisius wasn't willing to pay the |
,rics asked.
"He would eat too many birds" eaid
he taxidermist, shaking his head. II
9 . serious undertaking to provide