The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-12-11

the suit. Mr.. Parker disclaims ever
having invested in the trio, AL G.
Barns, another defendant, refuses to
assume the responsibility, Harley Ty-
Ter and Roy Cramer refuse to be
tagged and point their fingers at AL G.
Barns.
Therefore there are three lions that
no one wants to own, simply going to
waste. James Orr of Atchison, one
of the attorneys for Mrs. James,
started to attach the lions at one time,
but when he met the proposition face
to face, he decided that taking care
of the lions was a bigger responsible
ty than he cared to assume-so moth
ing ever came of it.
The story on which the suit is based
runs something like this:
Mrs James, whose home is in Tex
as, secured employment as a lion
tanner in an animal show which was
run in conjunction with one of the
Parker Amusement companys attrac-
tons On the first of June. 1906, it
is claimed, that this animal show
which had among its attractions
bears, lions, monkeys, dogs and ponies
was at Ellsworth. Kansas.
rehearsal was in progress by the
James, she was detained to try 't out IL
with the lions. She alleges that the
management failed to acquaint her
with the character of the three Nu-
bian lions, which play such a promf-
nent part in the suit. Accordingly,
she claims that she went into the iron
cage with a feeling of security. believ-
ing that the animals were of the usual
temperament when under training.
1t is stated by the petitioner that
through negligence a large quantity
of fresh meat was placed in near
proximity to the cage, but that she
was unaware of its existence until she
got we'll within the cage. AS soon as
she entered, says Mrs. James. she dis
covered that the lions were nervous
and excited and that her presence
was rapidly working them up into a
frenzy. She demanded to be let out
of the cage and asked the attendant
to open the door. She claims that
they tarried and urged her to stamp
her feet and subdue the beats. This
she was unable to do and although she
states that she was standing close TO
the door, the means of ingress and
egress was so poor that the lions
struck her down with their paws and
lacerated her badly before she could
be rescued. She claims that one of
her arms was badly chewed and that
her face and back were lacerated to
such an extent that she will retian
the scars for life.
She charges that the presence of the
fresh meat was in a large measure
responsible for the nervous condition
of the lions and that the failure to
demanded all contributed to the preci-
pitation of the accident. Therefore
she asks $4,000 in camages.
Then comes her attempt to place
the ownership of the lions-in doing
so she was forced to file two supple
mental petitions to her original bill
fixing anew the ownership. In each
case returns are made in the form of
answers on the part OF the defend
ants entering a denial to the owner
ship.
In tho first petition suit was filed
against G. w. Parker, c. w. Parker
Amusement company, Al G. Barnes
and Jerry M. Barnes. In this petition
it was stated that the shows were
owned by the first named three de-
PENDANTS and that Jerry NJ. Barnes
was the manager of the show which
exhibited at Ellsworth. In the sec
ond petition as amended the same par
ties were named as defendan but ie
was stated that Dreamer and Tyler
were the general managers and gen.
eral agents of the Parker Amusement
company and controlled the amuse-