New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-04-30
lDY

WILLIAM GRIFFITET
many foremost animal exhibitors, IS the most
important step made in the study and
training of wild animals
As John T. Smith, director of the Central Park
Menagerle, New-No remarked in discussing the
many trials and tribulations of his calling a wild
animal, such as the lion leopard, tiger, hppopota-
mus and VenomouS reptiles really never IS tanned
1t Is only trained and he declared all the training
on earth will not stamp out the smolderng animal
instinct to fight and slay. But in Classifying the
laws OF claw and fang, number of acknowledged
authorities animal lore agreed that a naturally
healthy beast seldom will attack keeper trainer
without provocation. Only when mental follows
physical arrangement the Jungle denizens prone
to rend and slay in their fearful and fearing efforts
to throw off and escape their ancient and pesti-
lontial bogies, disease and pain.
Returning to Prince, a lion that has seven victims
his credit discred had his keepers known four
years ago that Prince subject chronic abscesS
in the region of his right eve, II probable that the
seven lives which he sacrificed would have been
saved, for II not until year ago that his
discovered that Prince stone-bnd in his right
optic. An abScesS had been four years forming
under the eve and extending backward to
affect the optic This abscess was discovered
in a remarkable way.
The menagerie of which Prince is a star attrac-
ton, exhibiting at Richmond, Virginia, when
with three other hons imprisoned in the cage
with him In course of the encounter one of the
lions slashed Prince under his right eye laying open
portion Of the nose and freeing nearly pint of
pus which had accumulated under the organ.
The abscess was in such an advanced stage that
an immediate operation was decided upon as the
only means of preventing blood poison and death
As Prince was worth more than his weight in gold
as mcnagcre attraction, 1t was necessary to cover
the cavity from which the useless eye was to be
taken. Hence the novel eXpcdient Of giving Prince
a glass eve was decided upon.
On the night preceding the delicate operation the
huge lion left severely alone in his cage, and his
fear and terror were SO palpable TO attract the
attention of his keepers. All through the night
vigil the poor brute covered in a far corner of his
cage a perfect embodiment of fear. Early the
next morning, Bonavta his trainer got into the
cage and tired to cnticc the invalid to the front
where he could be lassoed and strapped to the bars
Bonavita SAID afterward that he himself never had
those few minutes that were required to drive the
wounded lion within range of the lassos
Finally when the moose fastened the trainer
choked off agonizng roar by thrusting big stick
between the crashing teeth OF his invalid charge
Prince managed TO get one foot into the moose in
final effort hur himself upon the trainer;
but the rope was pulled taut and the great brute
was thrown violently the bottom of the cage
~ and securely
E5G strapped. Then
80 aninchropewas
81 passed between
E&sSMNESS his Jaws and
- al ;::..:. i. :. Is: =
SssSS9gsnh sp twisted to
Y lNE$agifkSs rgEA prevent his Bit