The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1903-07-09
A HOT TIME.

IdmpOell bros. Big Elepn10
VENUS
On, the War Path.
Harry r. Moore, the big, jolly, pres
agent for Campbell Bros. shows, which
are to exhibit in Fairbury, Saturday.
April Is, told a reporter the following
really truly honest, elephant story:
I'm my past 30 years of circus and
theatrical experience in the land Of the
free, he commenced, 81 have seen
many very funny, as well as some rath-
er startling occurrences. The affair
which left perhaps the most vivid Inn
preston on my mind happened while
the Campbell circus was showing In
Yankton, S. ID. Venus was the hero,
heroine rather, of the event. Venus
IS monster female elephant, the larg-
est OF her species In captivity, and 3
also one Of the tierest. She is q dan
gerous animal and has killed three men
In her time. Knowing this yon ON
imagine our dismay, then, when Ne
found that this dangerous beast had
escaped at Yankton. Just how sheac-
complished the feat Of getting away /
do not know. The first thing we knew
about the affair was when the news
reached us that some sea monster WAS
sporting in the muddy waters Of the
Missouri. The monster was Venus
and she was monster enough to strike
terror into the hearts of the boldest.
AS we approached she gave q vicious
trumpet, and started for the shore.
Can an elephant swim? don't know
but l do know that that elephant got
across the river without q great deal
Of trouble, and to all appearance she
swan. Across from Yankton isa great
brush covered marsh, and into this the
dripping queen of the circus tent
plunged. We followed her with ropea
a great gang of us, but we could not
get within 200 yards of her. She started
of at gallop, and soon disappeared.
The marsh was pretty soft In places
and she came near getting stuck once.
To tell all the things that that old
gal did the next two days would take
half the afternoon. She tore up the
country for miles around and scared
the country folks nearly to death By
chasing their stock into their very
houses. She seemed to have it in for
everything on four legs, though she
steered shy Of men. She killed four
cows, thousand dollar Jersey bull and
four cats that know Of. We paid for
everything but the cats. Well, ito
getting pretty near train time, SO I
won't go into further details Of her do
ings. We tried every available means
that we could think Of to capture the
willy brute, but all to noavail. Finally
Keeper Prof. Wood, African explorer
and elephant trainer, hit upon plan
which looked feasible. II there is one
thing in the world that Mrs. Venus
loves besides peanuts it is Hamburg,
no, not steak though you might call
it q stake-but baby elephant. The
professors plan was to entice the
youngster onto huge float, take him
out in the river opposite the marsh
and SO coax the old lady into the deep
water Once there, with lassoes, etc,
we thought we might trap her. The
baby is big baby anu weighs a few
pounds. There was but one scow in
the region that would hold him and
that was hardly large enough, though
we figured that by tying him solid Il
would do. We secured the services Of
the Q. N. b st. p. wrecking crew, the
pile driver crew, and all the available
section men with lot of blocks and
tackles aid went at elephant Junior.
There was such a swarm of us that We
accomplished our object in half an hour
and at the end of that time Hamburg
was lying onhis side, the boat anchored
IN mid-stream, trumpeting like mad
for aid. The boat rode nicely and We
were congratulating ourselves, (there
were IL boats Of us, on our success
when we heard Venus coming on the
run. just then Hamburg commenced
to squirm about. He kicked and
hunched until he worked from the CEN
ter of the boat nearly 70 the edge. What
If the thing should upset? The water.
we had sounded it, was II feet deep.
We1knew that If the affair turned over
the scow would still hold it's burden
and that the rope would also hold, but
wonld the critter live until we could
rescue him? Suddenly with great
splash and startling shrek from poor
Hamburg the boat turned completely
over. The water was churned into
foam, the boat tloated, but bobbed
y -