The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-01-21
BEN, zoo TIGER,
IS CHLOROF ORNED
COaXed Into Strange Box to
Meet Death.
ONCE WITH THE ClRC u S
Keepers Hated the Task of Killing
of the Powerful
Beast.
ONCE WITH THE CIRCUS

Ben. the big Bengal tiger, and one of
the flnest animals at the National
geological Park. was chiOrofOrmed yes
terday morning. Old age was the rea-
son for the forced demise of this great
animal Despite his twenty-five years,
ne was almost as vigorous a few mo-
ments before his humiliation as he was
on the day he was first housed in the
Zoo in 1893.
Ben died as he lived-growling claw
ing. and swapping at everything within
possible reach. He had been an ugly
beast all his life, and during his youth
gave the keepers an unlimited amount
of trouble For years he was the star
attraction in the menagerie OF the ia
nous FOrepaugh shows. When the cir
Gus met with financial difficulties in the
early SOS, and the equipment was taken
over by the Barnum organization, Ben
was left out in the cold. Bsruums cir
Gus had all the tigers they cared 10 eX-
hibit. The managers cOntended that
they We're Just as fine specimens as Ben,
and, besides, they We're not nearly so
ugly, not even the most feTocious ones.
For Years at Zoo.
So this fine animal came 10 the local
Zoo. and for years he has been the one
animal that visitors have never failed
to admire. During the last few years he
Gained down good deal On several
occasions lately he is said 20 have shown
signs of friendliness.
The chloroforming procedure yesterday
morning was in the nature of star
chamber session. and only the elect wit
messed this ruler OF the jungle as he
breathed his last.
\ large wooden box had been made
10 slide up TO the door of the cage. At
10 o'clock the doors Of the big animal
house were locked and the box, almost
air tight. was slid up to the door Of
the cage. An iron tube was put
through the side and stuffed with cot
ton The tube was so arranged that
the chloroform could be poured in from
the outside and the fumes be confined
70 the interior.
Coaxed With Scraps.
Head Keeper Blackburn and one Of
his assistants stationed themselves on
either side of the opening in the cage.
and when the big door was swung open
il was made clear 10 Ben that he was
expected TO dispossess himself from
the cage. Ben, however. seemed per
fectly well satisfied with his present
abode. and it became evident that per-
suasiVe measures would have 10 be re-
sorted to-. COaXing vas without avail
He only grOwled and looked at the big
box in a manner that clearly indicated
he was far from pleased. Scraps ana
other utensils incident TO an animal
building were put into use. and after
a few minutes the beast was finally
lodged in his death box
The slide was dFO7D ped. and the big
tiger had seen his last ray Of Sunshine.
1t was "a hard task for the keepers to
put old Ben" out. It had been con-
templated for some time. but on one
preteXt or another the ordeal has been
postponed. Ben was failing fast, how
ever. and was suffering from dyspepsia.
There was a tear or two in some of
the keepers eyes when the ghI1roform
was poured into the tube He had been
an ugly beast az times, but men who
spend their lives with animals learn to
love them, and hate 10 see them die.
Died Hard.
II took just an hour and half before
Ben was pronounced dead DR.. Butler,
of the Agricultural Department. was
present and performed the autopsy. In
the animals right shoulder a bullet was
found. he had evidently been wounded
by some hunter of big game before his
capture for exhibition purposes. 1t was
also found that one of his lungs was
diseased. and his condition was such
that pneumonia might have developed
at any time had he caught a severe cold.
He measured Q feet inches from tip
TO tip. His weight was only 275 pounds,
but this was because Of poor health and
old age. Ben ordinarily would have be-
longed 10 what the keepers term the
"400-pound class" II is more than like
~. however. that in his prime he ap-
preached the 5OO-pOund mark.