The evening Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1902-1902, 1902-05-29
rlan Slain BY Elephant

| New York, May 28-James F.
Blount Of Fort Wayne, Ind. a circus
hanger-ou, amused himself for half
an hour this morning by teasing the
elephants In the Forepaugh s. Sells
show, at Saratoga avenue and Halsey
street, Brooklyn. After he had made
most Of the big males nervous and
had set all the baby elephants to
squealing lie; began annoying Tops,
! big female who was picEeted thir.
teenth milne. She seized. him around
the body, lifted him high in the air
and dashed him to the ground. Then
size kneeled on him and crushed him
to death.
The tragedy occurred shortly after
5 o'clock, and was witnessed by sever
al keepers. Blount is believed to have
been a folmer employe of the circus
and was seeking employment. Last
night he had been drinking and
slept in a tent with several of the
circus hands. lie professed to know
agreat deal about the care OF ami.
mails. At daylight he arose and
crawled into the animal tent, carry.
ing with him whiskey glass and a
ha!f-burnt cigar.
The elephants were just waking
up, and some OF them were in a bad
humor because their breakfasts we're
not at hand. A keeper saw Bount
slapping and stroking the trunks of
the elephants, but said nothing, be.
cause he remembered Blount s boasts
about his familiarity with animals.
Bount went up to Dave, the lar.
gest male elephant. after shaking his
trunk held out the whisky glass and
said:
"flave smile, old man."
Dave stretched out his trunk to |
seize the gIittering object land Bount |
stepped just out of reach. Dave
grnnted and Bio unit repeated the
trick. Dave showed his iII.humor by
grunting louder and tossing hay over
his back with his trunk while he tug.
ged at his shackles and rocked ner-
vonsly from side to side.
Blount tried the trick on half a
dozen elephants unit! several of them
were swaying to aud fro and shorting
with rage. Then he teased the baby
elephants until he set them squealing
Soon there was hubbub among the
whole score OF big beasts, but BlounC
did not seem frightened. Finally lie
began to tease Tops. This big female
hates the smell of tobacco and she
hates men whom she does not know |
BIount held out the whisky glass to |
her,
Wake up. old girl, and have a
smile,' he said.
She reached for the glass and he
it back. Then he threw
handful of sand in her face. Size
'wayed back and forth and swung
trunk as ii in a mood for play. Blount
stepped forward to catch her trunk.
In moment the beast was avenged.
''linging the mans body to the
,round the screaming elephant knelt
N it and trampelcd it until it was
lalf-buried in the ground.
All the elephants began screaming,
nd the uproar brought crowd Of
lands to the spot.
Blounts body was pulled out Of the
1ay with poles, while Tops keeper
ot her quieted.
1t took the keepers half an hour to {
uiet the 20 elephants, and order was
OF restored until all of the lot had S
cen unprotected and put in other
laces, to distract their attention. A
Vt of hay was fed to them and Tops
as loaded with extra Shackles.
William Emory. who has been ;
ceper for Tops for several years, says l.
lat his charge had always had u {
rong dislike for tobacco. Once ,
ian approached her with cigar or I
pe she takes dislkes to him and a
ever forgets him. .
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