The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-05-22
FIERCE BATTLE
Waged on Steamship In Which Ele
plant Killed Puma.

From the New York Times.
On the British steamship ST. Andrew, in
yesterday from Antwerp. came one of the
largest cargoes, and without doubt the
worst-tempered cargo, of wild animals
ever landed in New York. There were
rs cages of animals In the hold and on
the decks of the big liner, and the beasts
were ugly all the way over, especially
since last Friday. from which time until
their arrival in New York yesterday they
had not a morsel of meat.
There were fights all the way over
between the beasts, an elephant killing a
puma, lion killing his mate. and Rus
sian wolf committing suicide after having
slain his cage mate.
The fight between the wolves was the
most desperate of all 1t started soon
after shutdown on May 2, and ragged with
such fury that the keepers were unable
to get near enough to part the beasts,
one of whom finally became so desperate
that 1t actually 1ammed its way through
the bars, which had been forced apart
by the beasts In their terrific encounter.
Once out of the cage the maddened ami
NAL snarling and bowling, started up the
companionway leading to the quarters
of the trainers. Ten trainers followed
1t, prodding it with spears and trying to
to be controlled, and once on deck, it
made Il wild dash, whittier 1t knew not,
and landed in the sea.
The next fight took place the following
day between the lions. The male fell
out with his mate, and before the trainers
knew what was up the lion and lloness
We're fighting vlciously For fully half
an hour the beasts roared and fought
and then the lioness began to give in
Ten minutes later she was dead Her
mate stood over her triumphant.
He put up another fierce fight when
the keepers pulled the carcass out of the
cage The keepers were too much for
him, but not before two of the ten men
that 1t took to get the dead body of his
mate out of the cage had been injured
One of them had piece of the calf OF
his leg bitten out: while the other receiv-
ed a vicious blow from lion that was
in the adjoining cage.
Next came the fight between baby
elephant and a puma. In storm the
puma got out of the cage and walked
to the part of the hold where the ele-
plants were tied. He picked out the baby
elephant as his prey, and made a leap
for her The elephant was ready and
caught him around the neck with her
trunk. Then she calmly braced herself
and choked the puma to death. This end
ed the finish fighting, but there would
nave been lot more mad not tne train
ers been on the alert and stopped further
trouble by separating the animals the
moment any of them showed i'll tenn
per.
Friday the meat gave out, and from
that time until the ship arrived at her
berth In the North River yesterday such
a bowling, roaring and trumpeting
made life almost unbearable aboard the
st. Andrew has seldom been equaed on
an animal-laden ship at sea. Day and
night the trainers were always on the
watch to prevent the beasts from kill
ing one another In their frenzy, as a re-
suit of their hunger, and 1t was not until
they had been fed on the ships arrival
yesterday that a semblance of order was
restored in the cages on board the st.
Andrew.
Among the animals. all of which are
destined for Bostock's show at Coney
Island. were n herd Of elephants. rs lions.
&c tigers, including one the press agent
declares Is the biggest Bengal tiger In
captivity; ID Great Dane dogs, 10 hyenas,
several cages Of leopards punas and
monkeys. seven chimpanzees, one of them
a trained beast of unusual Intelligence;
jaguars and scores OF other beasts.
Accompanying the animals were 30
trainers. including 10 women. one of the
women being In charge OF a group Of 10
small bears whose performance is de-
scrbed as comcal: every one OF them
is reported to be a clown beast of the
first rank. There Is also sacred bull.
tattooed or spotted otherwise, from In
dia
Three lion cubs. all born on the voy-
age, died In mid-oeean.