The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-11-24
KILLED HER KEEPER
THEN A 5-TON ELEPHANT TERROR
lied VALDOsTA.
HUNTED BY GREAT CROWD.
GREAT BEAST WAS FINALLY KILL
ED SIX MILES AWAY.

MY Lord, the Elephant" Gave VAL
dosta the Greatest Sensation That
Place Has Had for Some Time
Beast Belonged to the Harris
shows After killing Jim
O'ROuke, Her. Keeper, She At
lacked and Almost Killed Ed Mem
sers.
Valdosta. Ga, Nov. 2S.-"Gypsy," the
big 5-ton elephant of the Harris Nick
el Plate Shows, trampled her keeper to
death in this city last night, and then
ran amuck. creating a wonderful
scene of excitement on the streets, Gull
minating in the death of the elephant,
at Cherry Creek, six miles above here.
The shows were preparing to go in
winter quarters at Pine Park when
the first tragedy occurred the ele-
phant being on its way to the park in
charge of Jim O'Rouke. the Irish
keeper In both of the performances
of the day the big beast appeared to
be perfectly docile, doing several acts
in the ring that showed her wonder
full intelligence. Among the acts was
the blowing of harmonica, being in
troduced as the only elephant that
performs on a wind instrument of
any kind"
1t is said that the keeper had been
complaining all day and that he had
taken a good deal of quinine and
whisky, and was probably under the
influence of the latter. In charge of
the elephant, he left the tent. where
the circus was going ON. at about 8
o'clock. The big brute ambled along
the street with O'Rouke sitting on
her head and appeared to be under
perfect control.
Mashed O'Rouke to Death.
At the corner of Central avenue and
Patterson street, instead of going
straight out Patterson street, the ele-
plant turned toward Toombs street.
and, for an hour or so. wandered
about the Streets O'Rouke appearing
to be asleep on the big animal On
Toombs street, in front of the resi-
dence of Mrs. Glen. O'Rouke lost his
balance and fell forward from the ele-
plants head. The animal, as quick as
thought, deliberately kneeled down on
him and crushed out his life. Then
with her tusks and trunk. she rolled
Iiae- limp body along the street fer
probably fifty yards.
Some one who saw the tragedy gave
the alarm, and the police officers and
EhoWmen started out to catch the
beast. The animal finally became thor
oughly aroused and dashed about the
streets. In the meantime. pistols were
brought to play, and a number of
shots were fired into the hide of the
Infatuated beast.
She Attacked a Clown.
At the new Christian Church. just
opposite the Hotel Valdes. one of the
clowns in the show, Ed Mensers, tried
TO get control of the animal and was
chased to the vestibule of the new
church. He could not get into the door,
and the elephant grabbed him and
hurled him some distance Then the
animal turned to end his life as she
had ended O'Rouke's, when she fell
over a carpenters bench.
Two young men rushed in and pulled
Mensers away before the elephant could
renew her attack. The man was I'M
conscious and was carried to the VAL
des where he later regained conscious
ness.
The elephant then had possession of
the streets, but did not attempt any
damage, more than to terrify people.
one walked up anu QOWn the SIDE
walk in front of the Valdes and final
ly started off down Toombs street, to-
ward Pine Park, where she went as
straight as though she were being
guided.
AT Pine Park an effort was again
made to get her under control A large
number of travelling men from the ho-
tel joined the chase with guns and pis-
tolls and excitement ran high. The
elephant was followed to the park,
where she was shot with a rifle two
or three times.
With a mighty effort, the big animal
dashed against the enclosure around
the park and took to the open country.
About fifty armed men and boys fol-
lowed her until far into the night, when
most of them returned to the city to
get lunches. The search for her was
renewed this morning before daylight.
With a Krag-JOrgensen.
Chief of Police Dampier, with a Krag-
Jorgensen rifle, was in the party The
animal was overtaken about six miles
from the city and was killed at a sim
gle shot from the chiefs rifle. The
bullet passed through her head, just
behind her ear.
The body of O'Rouke, the dead
keeper, was prepared for burial. The
funeral took place this afternoon at 2
O'clock The remarks were drawn to
the cemetery by six beautiful white
horses and buried in the presence of a
large crowd, including all of the peo-
pie with the Harris Nickel Plate shows.
About the same time a dozen men were
cutting UP the body of the big ele-
plant, six miles above here and bury
ing it. O'Rouke is said to have wife
in New Orleans though he was orig
inally from San Francisco.
Mrs. Harris, who is manager of the
shows since the death of her husband,
wanted to try and control the ele-
plant last night, but it is said that
she was restrained from doing So as
the animal had become thoroughly in
furiated from the pistol shots. the
animal, one of the largest and most in
telligent on the road, had very bad
temper, and is said to have killed six
or seven keepers in the past.
Her escapade and its tragic culmi-
nation give Valdosta one of the great
est sensations it has had in recent
years.
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