The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1902-05-24
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THE: ELEPHANT
PLUCKY ISABELLE WHITLOCK HAS
PROVED POWER OVER HUGE
PACfITDERM.
SOME DIFFICULT TESTS
HER POWER ILLUSTRATES
STRANGE FACT.
"Billy'' Although Terribly in Fear
of Her, Obeyed Her Slightest
Commands.

Commands.
Henry Becker, in Cleveland Plain
dealer:
New York.-Only two things in the
world have any terror for an elephant
For all his enormous bulk and strength,
an elephant, no matter what his size,
is afraid of a woman or mouse. Ele-
plant trainers all over the world have
noticed the fact, but no one has as
yet succeeded in explaining it. Let a
lion or any other wild or ferocious
beast Approach an elephant and he will
instantly show fight, and in the strug-
gle which follows give a good account
of himself
But let little mouse come anywhere
near an elephant and the great beast
will instantly show every sign of fear.
He will wave his great trunk nervous
ly, shift his feet and even below with
absolute terror. The mysterious in
f1uence of so. small an object as a
mouse over the great bulk Of the ele-
plant is a problem for the psycholo-
gists.
The influence exerted by women up
on elephants is equally inexplainab bic.
In all elephant history there has been
no such thing as a woman elephant
trainer. There have been pleHty OF
women animal trainers, and many of
them have been amazingly successful.
They have succeeded tanning lions and
tigers and teaching them to obey like
dogs, but for some mysterious reason
not one has ever proved successful in
the same role with elephants.
At the near approach of woman an
elephant begins to show signs of great
uneasiness and even fear. The wom-
en- who have tried to master them
have found them much too restless and
distraught to do any serious work in
training.
An interesting test of the mysterious
power exerted by a woman over
great elephant was made the other day
Ill the presence of several animal train
ers. Billy, one of the great elephants
now starring with Sells Brothers cir
Gus, kindly volunteered his services for
the test Every small boy in the coun-
try and large proportion of the popu-
latlon besides has known Billy we'll for
years. generation of clowns has
turned somersaults over Billy's broad
back.
The lady selected for the test, Miss
Isabelle Whitlock, was also well fitted
for the task, since she proved herself
quite fearless.
:: Billy was. first confronted BY his
Would-be tanner in his quarters in the
catacomb-like passage beneath the
floor of Madison Square garden. He
was standing with a score of his rela-
tives or friends when the party ap-
preached. The elephants regarded the
approach Of the party lazily until Miss
Whitlock stepped just within the rail-
ing which usually separates the ele-
plants from their visitors.
Instantly a thrill seemed to run
through the entire herd. Every ele-
plant in the line at once faced about,
strained at it's chains, swung it's great
trunk and. showed every sign of agita-
ton. Several of them beloved.
Billy was unclaimed and let out, but
believing. He seemed greatly agitat-
ed, and his keeper was OBJ iged to :ab
him several times with steel prong to
remind him of his company manners.
The old fellow climbed the intlire
leading to the arena in front of Miss
Whitlock, aud showed remarkable
agility in keeping as far as possib e
from her.
The actual tests were made in the
arena. Biily's trainer stood ne-r by
throughout the experiments, armed
with a huge steel hook, to be used in
case Billy became ugly. The other
animal trainers grouped thems elve 9
about to see the unusual test.
1t was thought that if the lady in the
case could catch and hold the ele-
plants eye she would be able to exer.
power over him even greater than
that Of his keeper. In going throug :,
his long repertoire Of tricks B lily wi
obey no one but his trainer. It has
taken years Of training to teach Billy
to obey even the simplest instruc tons
It was not believed possible that he
would obey anyone else, let alone a
stranger and a woman. For lack Of a
better name, we call this mysterious
power hypnotism. In a sense. there
fore, Miss Whitlock was actually al
tempting: to hypnotize the elephant
There was some difficulty at first Ito
catch Billy's eye. Whenever MISS
Whitlock approached him.. he would
lower his head or turn :it"aside with
every appearance of runeas;ness or
hashfulness. It. was noticeable
throughout, however, that he constant
ly faced his adversary. An elephant
never turns his back on an enemy.
When the amateur hypnotist at last
caught his eye, however, the effect
was remarkable. He never once shift
ed. Then Miss Whitlock approached
to within few feet of him, and the l
slowly, but without shifting. her eye
from Billy's, moved around HIM. The
great elephant numbered around IS on
a. pivot, always keeping his face to-
ward his adversary and his eye ON
hers.
After making two revolutions In this
way the two stood for a moment fac.
ing each other. The elephant still
showed signs Of resti<s ness, hut to