The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-06-25
PARK ELEPHANTS SET FREE.
HITTIE SOLvES ITROssB1R ptI.
ILE GVD avs THE OetN.

TheH eiaasis NJ lier ltead fss Pure Js, NJ
tgetea IN the a,Bsitae -NtFe arfVeH
slsH,s tgt . tgeWefUua Pultie's PesaH's
end me lsa ileas's see tHsVarhied
Tho chains were hHoehsd from the fret
NJ the two elephants In tho tcnifsl Pat'
mona rrls yesterday, and for Nv" nfs'
time sine They entnfed tho Park they an
enioyad Tho ffeedom ~ lhrif stalls without
fsiters. fhrir Rtrrty was q houn, ~ They
showed ny their actions
The heavy rear dnora wetr thrown oren
10 allow The conl hfeese IA ehtsf tho build.
ing A heavy crosahar vas put In place
In the middle ~ each doorway Ia prevent
the animals from leaving tho building
Hattie. tho young trick elephant, walled
about her enclosure when HeHdheeper
snyder removed her ahackles.
She saw anfne visitors in the building and
she went % the inner end ~ the stall and
extended her trunk for expected peanuta
or candy. But tho new wire screen which
brought about her freedom prevented any
giving of food by visitors, That was what
the screen was put there for, Hattie
ambled over TO the rear door and took q
look out over the landscape.
D1b VONll W " tNlNNNh w kif'h hiitNitV'
dotted with trees and bushes, and the call
Of the wild came to her with her newly
found liberty. There was only a crossbar
between her and the inviting hillside,
where the green caves and the long grass
indicated fine eating. She has been taught
10 do q number Of tricks. but she needed no
training TO inc out how to remove that bar.
The keeper had gone to the lion house for a
time and did not see Hattie's trunk testing
the bar at all points.
She finally raised II out Of the grooves.
and there was the liberty OF all outdoors
before her. II didn't take her long to get
into the yard, but there the sense Of freedom
was too much for her to enjoy quietly.
Selecting a grassy spot, she stood on her
head, to the great interest Of the visitors
that stood alongside the iron fence. This
was one Of the stunts she was trained to
perform when che first came to the park,
and she did it this time to please herself.
When she got on all fours again she looked
to be open. She started toward 1t to in
vestigate, but Snyder had learned that she
was out, and he met her at the gate and led
her back to her stall.
Jewel, the big elephant, who is many
much exuberation. She has beer in the
park for about eight years, and during all
that time she has been held captive by a
heavy chain. Her only exercise has been
weaving that is, swaying her big body
from side to side without removing her
feet from the floor. The big beast is Of a
gentle disposition, but she is known as a
una way elephant. Nothing would suit
her better than a run to the Battery or
Harlem il she got a chance.
But the force Of habit was too str ong
for her after listening to the clanking of
her chain for 80 many years. When the
letters were removed she continued to
weave as che stood in the same spot. Her
~forefoot remained just where it had been
when the chain was upon it. She seemed
to think that If she moved 1t the chain
would cut into her flesh.
She made no attempt to remove the
crossbar in her loo when she saw Hattie
frolicking out in the yard. She was still a
captive In her own Imagination and the
keeper had to take her by the ear and lead
understand that her liberty had been en-
larged. m >.
roam about their enclosures was that a
new wire screen reaching from the floor
to the ceiling had been put up in front OF
the sta lis 40 that visitors could not feed the
animals. The visit ors mean well, but
their too generous feeding nearly caused
the death Of Hattie several months ago.
Director Smith received a number Of com
plants about the animals being tied up,
but he didn't want Hattie killed by over
feeding. He then thought of the screen
idea, and il was completed in time to turn
the animals loose yesterday.