Waterbury Democrat., 1901-09-13
JOE BoTToMLRY'S LEOPARD.
Waterbury Boy With Forepaugh & Sells Bros Circus Has Exciting Time.

J c
 Sells Bros Circus Has Exciting Time.
 The many friends of Joe Bottomley in this city will be interested in a let ter which was sent to the Democrat yesterday which contains an account of an experience he and other attaches of the circus had out west with an es- capped leopard, or "black eat" as he calls it. Joe is a member of Water bury lodge of Elks, as are many of the talent connected with the circus, and he speaks also of an interesting happening that took place in Grand Rapids with the lodge in that place. The letter is as follows:
 Dear Friend: 1 write you these few lines to let you know how I am get ting along, also to find out how the Elks are getting along with the new rooms. 1 suppose they will have swell rooms by the time 1 get home, which will be about the first of December. Three weeks ago to-day we were i'll Grand Rapids, Mich, where Zonella and Garnell, partners of Denny Ryan, reside. They are both members of Grand Rapids lodge of Elks, which has the finest equipped lodge rooms, not only of Elks but any other secret lodge in the United States, if not in the world, which statement they will back with the goods. It is certainly the finest thing ever saw in all my life. We had a royal time there. A few days before playing there female elk belonging to this show had a baby elk. We told few members about it, and nothing would do but for them to christen it, which they did, the whole lodge turning out for the occasion. It was named Grand Rapids, after the lodge. We were in Chicago two weeks ago to-day. Aweekago yesterday we had an exciting time with a black leopard, or cat, which got out of its cage as it's keeper was feeding it. You have probably read of it in the pa- pers. I had just returned from the dining tent to the menagerie when some cried out, '"The black leopard is out of it's cage" Talk about your ScrambleS to seek a place of safety. There were quite few ladies in the menagerie at the time including Mrs Louis Sells and her daughter Mary. MT Sells was sitting at the main candy stand, near the entrance to the menag- erie, when the cry went up that tie ''black cat' had got loose, and he quickly ordered the nH&a near by to pick sup the cage doors of the other dens and build q stockade around the dCb. NACEc tue lDldCh lGODdEu idly concealed. l, with the rest, picked up a door and started for the "hip'' den. When l was about, eight yards from the hip den-the black leopard leaped out from beneath the den in my direc- ton, striking one of the animal men who was about to block up the bottom of the den with the cage door, He Knocked the door from his hand and bit Him two or three times on the arm. 1 was about four yards from him when this occurred and next.in line, for the ''black cat' after leaping off the ami nal man started in my direction; but somehow the cats attention was at tracted the other way, where a can vas man stood. He made one leap, landing squarely on the mans breast, knocking him down, but didn't bite him, but did scratch him up very bad ly. After that I didn't stop to see what occurred, but took to my heels, and I bet I ran faster than ten seconds to the 100 yards, and didn't stop until I was on Thirty-fifth street. I came back again just in time to see the cat get knocked out by a blow from a stake in the hands of a canvas man by the name of-Fenda. After receiving the first blow everybody Sprang on him and rained blow after blow on his body and head. 1 got one crack at him which satisfied me for the scare lie gave me. They soon got him back in his cage and everybody thought lie would be dead in the morning as he got an awful beating, but he still lives and looks none the worse for wear to- day. The animal came from Europe and had just been captured. It was the most exciting time have ever had in all my life and I don't want any more of that in my soup. Denny Ryan is making great hit this year all over the country and he is in my opinion, the best all around circus performer in the country. He sends his regards to all his friends in Waterbury, I will now bring my letter to close Remember me. to yall my friends in Waterbury. Yours respectfully,
 JOS. w. BOTTOMLEY,
 Forepaugh x Sells Bros shows.