Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1907-06-15
MRS. MORRILL, WRITES OF
TIGER ACCIDENT.

her experience at the Sells-Floto cir
Gus the day the tiger escaped from its
cage. and killed little girl, Mr.. and
Mrs. Morrill, having been among those
closest to the tiger from the time it
escaped till it was killed:
"When the keeper commenced to
feed the animals, left Mr.. Morrill,
talking to neighbor and moved some
twenty or thirty feet towards the rear
of the tent where, in cage, some
polar bears were being fed. While
standing there | saw large tiger
getting through the door of his cage,
the second cage from me. AS he
dropped to the ground he made two or
three jumps toward the cage of bears
where | was standing, then to another
cage Of tigers. upon the bars of which
he then sprang, then turning his head
toward where the ponies stood, he i'm
mediately dropped from the side of the
cage and at about the second jump
cleared the rope enclosure of the cages,
passing quite number of men, wo-
, men and children, then springing upon
the back of small pony, sunk his
teeth into its neck. severing the juglar
vein.
He had not had hold of the pony
more than five or six second. when the
keeper, following him, struck him a
heavy blow on the head with his feed
| ing fork, an iron about an inch in di-
ameter and five or six feet long, when.
being struck, the tiger let go his hold,
jumped back behind the ponies, then
springing upon another one, fastened
his teeth into its neck. The keeper,
as soon as possible, struck him another
blow upon the head. at which the tiger
quickly released the pony as before.
jumped in the rear of the ponies and
again tackled another as he had the
two first. Again he was dealt ter
rife blow on the head by the keeper.
which caused him to drop to the
ground between the ponies, where he
tried to get hold of their legs. At
that moment l saw my husband who
was directly behind the last pony at
tackled. start at rapid walk toward
the entrance of the tent, he being the
only one left on that side, and before
| could call to him to let him know |
was in the tent behind him. to my un-
speakable horror | saw the tiger come
from between the ponies and bound di-
rectly towards him, and it seemed to
me that it was just upon him when |
saw Mr.. Morrill, look around and, as
quick as thought, turn and face it in
a crouching position. with his head
nearly on a level with the tigers, and
at the same time giving a loud yell,
at which the tiger jumped to the right,
Mr.. M. jumping twice by the side of
the animal, still yelling. trying to
turn him to the other side of the tent,
keeping it from going out at the en-
trance. AS the tiger got two jumps
beyond him it turned again and went
out at the entrance, with Mr.. Morrill,
following as fast as he could behind,
while | followed as fast as | could.
AS | neared the entrance / heard some
shots fired, and had only gone few
steps farther when | met the tiger
coming back into the tent, but being
wounded nearly to death it paid no at
tention to anyone. 1t seemed to be
trying to get back to its cage, but
after getting to it. passed out under
both the cage and tent. running about
200 feet further when 1t staggered.
fell and died.
"Mr. Morrill, says that the tiger
passed through the left passage-way
and rubbed against lady's skirt as
she was turning the corner. AS he
saw only a portion of the skirt, which
happened to be the color of mine. he
was sure it was me, so as fast as he
could he went out by the right passage,
which was the nearest way out, just
in time to see the tiger make bound
and bear little four year old girl to
the ground and fasten it's jaws to the
child's neck and shoulder. For a mo-
ment he lost sight of them as he passed
some object between them and himself.
and as he again caught sight of them,
he heard the report and saw the smoke
of revolver close to the tiger s
shoulders, which caused it to let go its
hold, then quickly two more shots
were fired into it, just behind its
shoulders, and as it turned to go back
into the tent. another shot was fired
into its head. Mr.. Morrill, followed it
back into the tent, where he met me
just as the tiger passed me.
ITO close, | will say that it will
be a long time before the remembrance
of my feelings during that terrible ex-
perience will leave me. :"