Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-08-09
Panic Seized Circus Crowd at
Fort Dodge When the Lion
Got Loose
HORSE FALLS PREY TO BEAST
People Took Part With all Kinds Of
Weapons tho Animal is Surrounded
and Enticed Back Into the Cage -
Trainer Was intoxicated.
Special to Ttmes-Republican.

Fort Dodge, Aug. "a small size
panic was created at the circus ground
on Round Prairie, where the Norris 1
Rowe circus was showing, by the es
cape of vicious lion from one of tn
cages. The accident occurred In tn
side show tent, where the lion wa
featured as one of the star attractions
The tent was filled with women an,
children mostly. when the accident oc
Cured, and 1t is TO be marveled at tina
every one escaped. and that only
horse feb prey to the vicious anima
after t had made Its escape from tn
cage in which 1t was confined.
The liberation Of the lion was due t
two things, the intoxicated condition il
which Hall, the trainer, entered tn,
cage, and the failure of the safety dool
to work quickly. The trainer is al
Englishman. and for more than yeal
has daily entered the lions cage. anc
gone through sham battle with him
keeping the beast at bay with a re-
volver. Saturday evening when he
entered the cage, he was well under
the influence of liquor, a fact unknown
to the management. who would have
forbidden him to enter the cage IN
that condition. and after battling with
the lion for several minutes. attempted
to leave the cage. Instead OF backing
out, as was his custom. he deliber-
ately turned his back towards the lion
thus endangering his own life and
that of the spectators, and before he
could reach the door, the animal shot
past him and out through the safety
door before it could be closed.
With chance Of liberty once in
view. the lion became wild and vicious
On arriving at the door OF the cage
which remained open only a fraction
of second but long enough for him
to make his escape, he gave one bound
out over the heads of the women and
children in the front of the cage, light
ing In clearing made by the crowd
about II feet from the cage, where he
Immediately ran to the side OF the
tent, and disappeared in under the
side wall before his flight could be
arrested. So great was the excitement
in the tent and threatened panic. that
many of the women underwent such
q stress of mind as to imagine many
impossible things to have transpired
during the brief twenty seconds which
elapsed from the time of the liberia
ton of the animal until its escape
from the inside of the tent.
AS soon as the lion was we'll out of
the tent. a cry went up which arrested
the attention OF some OF the employees
near by. A sight that was enervating
met their eyes. The lion had gone
about fifty PAGES unnoticed, and was
nearing bit of clearing opposite the
on which the tents were
pitched when 1t came upon horse
and light buggy tied to a tree With
one bound 1t was upon the horse and
had torn large piece from it's flank
before the terror stricken circus en-
ployes could make any effort towards
recapturing or arresting 1t. The
frightened horse pitched about, COM
pletely demolishing the buggy, and
finally dropping from agony and
fright.
BY this time a we'll organized party
had set about to recapture the liberated
lion. 1t was growing dark and every
one knew that whatever was done
must be done quickly and without fur
Their wait. Seeing the party OF men
running towards him. the lion left the
horse and Hoped into the timber, where
1t crouched down in some underbrush.
The party was not long in locating It,
but difficulty confronted them. As
they closed in upon him, all well
armed, he sprang towards the weakest
side, where an opening presented itself
A few seconds sufficed to clear the cir
Gle of men, and he started on lope
down the road towards the steep hill
at the foot Of which is the Third
street viaduct He was adroitly headed
off by another party of armed men
and driven back into the circle where he
was at first found.
BY tn time a large portion of the
side wall canvas of the menagerie
tent had been taken down by order of
one of the foremen, and it was
stretched about the portion of the
timber in which the lion crouched.
More side wall was soon at hand, and
when finally it became so dark that
nothing but the glazing orbits of the
animal could be seen to tell It's loca-
ton. the canvas circle was complete.
Next the cage of the lion was hauled
forward and placed at the only opening
left, with the door standing wide open.
An effort was made to brighten the an
imal so that 1t would attempt to es-
cape thru the opening and be captured
in its cage, but it was without effect.
He lay crouched in the bushes as be-
fore.
When this scheme failed to work a
large piece of meat was placed inside
the cage with a torch at one side of
it. The fire arms We're discharged into
the air. which SO thoroughly frightened
the animal that with few bounds it
reached the cage and sprang inside.
after which the door was slid back and
secured.
The horse that fell prey to the lib
Grated lion is the property of Charles
Dayton, an employee of the gypsum
mills south of the city, and is now ut
the hospital of a veterinarian. where
it is receiving treatment. 1t is in q
very bad way. and cannot possibly
live The damage was settled at once
by the treasurer of the circus, who had
the matter in hand.