Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-11
A Life 0 ROMANCE !
FRANK DosTocK HEGAr MS
CAREER AS 1.rHE BOY LION
TRls.AAIsEn.,'
INTENDED FOR THE. MINISTRY.
Plan. Of his Parents ,1iscarrled, Tor
the strip1ing who Had Been
Raised In Wombwe1l,s Menngerte
Found no Other Occupation Con.
Eenin.-How the Animal show
Was Started. 3.
INTENDED FOR THE. MINISTRY.

+ Z Z
The large and varied collection Of wild
and savage animals known as the Bos-
took Animal Arena, now exhibiting II
the Horse Show building in Richmond.
comprises among its specimens Of zoolo-
gtcal interest animals Imported and cap
tured in almost every known part Of the
world. The giant polar bear Of the Arc,
tic seas, the black-maned lion Of Africa.
the imperial and lordly double-striped
Bengal tiger on India. the cheetah or
hunting leopard of Persia, the sleek and
beautiful jaguar from Brazil. ocelots.
bears. from Thibet and Alaska, cinnamon
bears. brown bears,1Russian bears, bears
that do hoochee coochee, are to be
found in this collection.
a few words about the history of Frank
c. Bostock, who has made the most enor-
gical world in this country till he is
now known as the Animal King" can
not fail to be interesting.
CONNECTED WITH THE WOMB
WELLS.
Mr., Bostock comes of family that Is
known the world over as possessing the
the greatest travelling menagerie in the
| world-tle WoEbwells, of England. His
grandfather, George Wombwell, started
in business in the year 1906 with a couple
Of boa constructors purchased by him
from an East Indian merchantmen at q
cost of $50. which laid the foundation o;
this exhibition. Mr.. Bostock's mother,
formerly Miss Emma Wombwell, sue.
ceeded to her fathers vast menagerie
and he himself first saw The light Of
dpv IN, ba nf Harlirofor m n
being actually born on the road, and in
the private living carriage Of his parents
which was fitted up as a miniature Pull
| man car. His boyhood days were passed
in the menagerie with baoy lions, mon
| keys. dogs. horses. ponies. and other
objects of geological interest as his play
mates. He was sent to school and to
! Kelvelon College, for it was his parents
wish that he should become minister,
but what is bred in the bone comes out in
the flesh, and young Bostock was never
! happy unless with the show. On his 18th
birthday he visited his parents at Edin-
boro, Scotland. when a colored perform
er was cruelty ill-using lion in an exhi-
btion, This animal was a feature of the
show and but for the prompt assistance
the trainer would have been killed by
the enraged animal. Although boy he
was not without experience and entreat-
ed his parents to allow him to become
the lion tanner. They consented and for
two years was known as ale boy Lion
Tanner" -s&
LION TAMER BECOME PROPRIETOR
His natural talents were too large to
rest satisfied with this, and after persua-
sion he was given a f1ve-Wagon show.
well stocked with choice selection Of
animals and 500 pounds sterling as a
backing, and at II years Of age he was a
proprietor himself and 50 successful that
at the end of his first year he had repaid
his parents the whole of the outlay.
He was the first man to use the port
able electric light plant in England in
connection with his show. He introduced
the first baby elephant to the European
public, took his show through France
and Belgium and Great Britain. Like
Alexander he had still another world to
conquer. and in 1898 made his first APP
pearance at the Madison Square Gar
dens, New York city. where he introduce
ed the first boxing kangaroo to the Amer
lean public, and placed it In the principal
vaudeville houses in the States at the
enormous salary of 1000 week.
This was followed by the lion Wallace.
and In 1894 he brought over a small. five
wagon menagerie as an experiment,
which proved so successful that he con-
stantly imported and added to his attrac-
tons,
American soil proved favorable to his
animals his first year in Tie country
No less than hfty-two baby lions were
born in his establishment, and as baby
Ion at birth is worth s-.o 1t can be read
lily seen what a prosperous undertaking
this was.
HOSPITAL FOR WILD ANIMALS.
The care Of his animals is hobby
with Mr.. Bostock No animal with the
slightest ailment is ever allowed to per-
form, and within the confines of his zoo
is e complete geological hospital where
sick animals are removed. taken care
of, and treated by experienced attend
ants and competent veterinarian.
In conducting his establishments Of
geological wonders he has been fortunate
to ally himself with celebrated trainers,
among them Captain Bonavita with his
natchless group Of twenty-seven lions
Madam Morellt. the queen of jaguars;
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