Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1902-06-05
Killed BY An Elephant.

]. F. Blount, helper in the Fore
paugh-Sells circus, was crushed to
death by an elephant he was teasing
in Brooklyn a few days ago. His
death was horrible one, but he HIM
self was to blame for it.
Blount had been helper around the
circus for several days. He professed
to know a lot about animals and told
some of the circus hands that he was
going to get a job tending the ami
mails in the menagerie tent. Blunt
was drinking and slept in a tent with
several of the circus hands.
He rose early and was seen TO take
drink from bottle of whiskey. He
left a tent carryinga whisky glass
and bottle and cigar in his hands
and at 5 a. m. crawled under the flaps
of the tent and began playing with
the animals. There were twenty of
the elephants, and Tops, the largest
female in the lot, was picketed well
down the line.
The elephants were Just waking up
and some of them were in bad hu-
|
NOR because their breakfasts were not
at hand. A keeper saw BlOunt slap
ping and stroking the trunks Of Dave,
Dutch and Queen, three elephants that
stood side by side at the head OF the
line, but the keeper said nothing, be-
cause he remembered Blounts boasts
about his familiarity with animals and
thought he knew enough to take care
of himself
Going up to Dave, the largest male
elephant, Blount, after shaking the
elephants trunk, held out the whisky
glass and said
Have a smile, old man"
Dave stretched out his trunk to
seize the glittering object and Blount
stepped just out reach. Dave grunt-
ed and Blount repeated the trick.
Dave showed his ill-humor by grunt-
ing louder and tossing hay over his
back with his trunk while be tugged
at his shackles and rocked nervously
from side to side. Several times
Blount repeated his trick and at last
Dave gave a loud snort that was taxi
en- up by the other elephants and
passed down the line. When he came
to "Tops" she trumpeted and the baby
elephants, away down at the end OF
the line. squealed.
Blount teased good-natured Dutch
and Queen for while and then stop
ped before "Tops," who hates tobacco
and strangers. The baby elephants
began squealing Just then and Blount
went on. After he had amused HIM
self with the small elephants and
raised a hubbub that set the other
animals rattling their chains, Blount
went back to Tops" She tapped
her ear, and swung slowly back and
forth, but there was wicked & lean
in her eyes. Blount held out the
whisky bottle to Tops"
wake up, old giil, and have a
smile" be said.
The man tossed handful Of sand
into her face and then held out the
bottle again. TOPS" gave her big
ears one more flap and then walked
up. 1t was all over in an instant.
Her trunk shot out and encircled
Blount's body. The man uttered a
cry OF fright and struggled desperate
ly. The elephant lifted him high
above her head and flung him to the
ground with crash. The breath left
Blount's body with sound like the
steam rushing out of an escape pipe,
"Tops" knelt on the body, and
crushed it with her head.
"Tops" is one Of the biggest ele'
phants in the show. She was captured
in Asia 80 years ago when a baby
and has been in a circus ever since
She had never killed a man before
but had injured several keepers whom
she did not know. She weighs three
tons and stands II feet in height
When standing on her hind legs with
her trunk elevated she measures u
feet in height. Tops" has always
been kind to women and children
and it was a feature Of the show tc
see her eat peanuts from the hands
Of her little friends.