The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1903-01-14
TOPSY'S EXECUTION.
MAN -sLAYING ELEPHANT ELEC-
TROCUrED IN CoNEY ISLAND
PARK

She had Killed Three men-Elec-
tric Current Applied toher Feet
Submitted Patiently to
Preparations-Death
instantaneous.
New York, Jan. 5-The electro.
cution of man-killing elephant.
named Topsy in Luna Park, CO.
ney Island, was successfully accom-
plished yesterday. With 5000 volts
of current, applied to Topsy's feet
by means of wooden sandals put on
for the purpose, killed her almost
iastantaneously. The current was
turned on in a house 100 feet away.
and quick as flash the colossal
form of the elephant stifened for
ward. then quivering in the throes of
the mighty volt, sinking finally to
the ground without a groan. Fif-
teen hundred people looked pity.
lingly on Topsy as she was led to
j the death post. There was moth
ling vicious in her manner then.
she seemed to realize the sol
(emnity of the occasion, and with her
restless trunk reached out appeal
|ingly to those nearest, taking what
ever of food they offered. Whether
the attempt to kill her with cleo
Itricity would be successful was re-
garded as doubtful, and it had been
planned to accomplish her death in
three ways atrthe came time, Wis,
electricity, strangulation and poiso-
ming, relying upon any one or two
Iof the Methods if the other failed
Topsy was led from her barn in
Luna Park, and was to be taken ac-
cross a bridge, but when she reach
ed the latter, she refused to cross.
It was then determined to kill the
elephant in the road near the
bridge, where she had stopped and
turned to the crowd, begging for
food. She was in a gentle mood
when Golieth and Dundy, her keep
ers approached her and said:
Come Top, kneel down." she
/ promptly responded by Enee1ing
and holding out her big feet to be
chained to the stakes. With patti
ence that aroused pity in every
spectator, Topsy waited on her fet-
tlecks for the men to fasten to her
feet theimplements of death-round
pieces of plank with zinc and elec-
trio wires arranged for sending the
deadly current through her big
frame. When she arose, however,
she kicked them off, and the men
had to readjust them several times.
The elephants right fore foot res
ted upon a plate of zinc fastened
upon the wooden sandal, and elec-
trio wires were strung from this to
a near by house. Asimilar mechan-
ism was fastened to Topsy's left
hind foot. The wires met at the
place where the current was 10 be
turned on. DR. P. D Sharkey,t the
executiongr stood by the lever toturn
on the power, and DR. II J Brother.
ridge, the official veterinary surgeon
in readiness to count Topsy out,
lstood near at hand, accompanied
by DR.. II. v. Smith, representing
the Society for the Prevention Of
Cruelty to Animals: DR. Barker
of Union, S. c DR. Treadwell and
4 DR. Pierce, of Coney Island.
/ A hugh rope was tied In a slip
knot about the throut of the ele.
phant, stretched over pu1ly and
| fastened to a steam engine, twenty
| feet away. With this the execu-
TONERS planned to choke Topsy to
death in case the experiment with
electricity should fail. One of the
men directing the execution stood
lin front of the-animal with carrot
charged with 46o grains of cyanide
of potassium. This was to begiven
Ito her just as the electrician was
fabout to turn on the current and
/ the engineer was about to start the
pulling of the big rope about Top
sy's neck. All three efforts to pro-
4 duce death was to be as simultan-
Ieous as possible.
Standing on the deadly electrodes
and wearing the hangman's moose
about her big throat, awaiting hel
doom, poor Topsy seemed resigned
Through all the nudging and tug
! ging at her feet and throat she hao
kept her temper under perfect con
troll. So far from showing he
= l ri h ] .