The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-02-06
zoo ANIMALS STRIKE
Wild Ass Percy Uses Heels in Pro-
test Against Halter.

They have busted 'Chappie.' and
the row is overt trumpeted the elephant
to his neighbor. the rubber-necked 81
raffe. across the aisle.
The giraffe snorted disappontedly.
Organized labor received a marked
setback yesterday In the breaking OF
the strike at the antelope house in the
New York Geological park in the
Bronx.
Ever since the new antelope house
was thrown open TO the public the
fine collection OF wild asses, Zebras. ele-
plants, Giranes, deer, gnus, and what
nots have prided themselves that
while they were still In captivity and
had to work for a living, in the sense
Of being show-folk, they had not yet
been civilized, and no neck in the
place had bowed to n yoke or a bride,
save old Gunda, the elephant, who. OF
course, carried children on his back
about the park
Recently Dr., Hornaday. the director.
gave orders that the Persian wild
asses, the African ZebraS, and Chap
mans zebra, together with other folk
in the house, should be broken TO the
halter and every morning tied to a
hltchlng post and gToomed In the most
approved stable fashion. This was to
keep their coats fine.
Keeper Gleason looked surprised at
the order and shook his head He was
not so sure II could be done.
When dawn broke the next morning
and the keeper went gently into the
cage where the Persian wild asses live
he carried in his hand an ear of corn
and behind his back q leathern halter.
He held out the corn temptlngly.
Percy. a wild ass, came forward con-
fidently and smclled the corn. Then
he became curious and stuck his head
under Gleason's arm and nibbled at the
halter. In moment II was slipped
over his head. But though he wore the
halter, he hadn't discovered what it
was for. He thought 1t was some sort
OF a joke. and he put back his ears
and grInned,
Look out Percy, you're in a trap"
trumpcted Gunda, the elephant, from
across the aisle.
Percy looked at Gleason and tried
to shake off the halter. 1t would not
come off. He was tied to a post When
the keepers approached with card and
curry comb. Percys heels suddenly
flew into the air like falls. and kept
moving like wings of q windmill He
wouldn't be combed at first, but finally
submitted.
a little later Chapman's zebra was
haltered likewise and was tied up and
groomed. She didnt like IL, either. All
the other animals were tied up and
groomed and then released.
But yesterday when the attempt was
made to put halters on the heads of
the animals there was quick and sud-
den revolution. One OF the asses po-
litely kicked over keeper, another ran
into the yard and smashed the fence,
and another drove every man out OF
his yard. The Chapman zebra, ia
miliarly called Chappie. took advantage
of Keeper Gleason, who was trying to
halter her, and induced him to get upon
her back. She then tore out through
the small door into the yard Gleason
clinginG desperately to her neck, and
few around In a circle, the guards and
keepers yelling for Gleason to let go.
1t was evident from the concert of
action that the animals had reached
an understanding and had decided to
strike. The strikers were successful
TIL breakfast time. Then when tho
employers refused to furnish food un-
til each animal was wearing q halter
and had been groomed, the leader OF
the strike. Chappie, was the first TO
give In. Now the strike is broken, but
none of the animals is speaking TO
Chappie. She is a social outcast-New