The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-08-27
WILD LION
RUNS AMUCK
Jungle Beast Escapes From
Cage and Nearly Kills
Woman Spectator.
KILLED BY POLICEMAN
Untamed Animal Succumbs to Fifty
Revolver Bullets After Creating
Panic in Park.

Pittsburg, Pa. August 27.-Cedar an
untamed African lion. escaped from, bis
cage at Luna park this afternoon. and
befort it was slain fatally injured Mrs.
Anna Hucke. aged 81 years. and threw
great crowd of women and children
into terror
Four policemen fired fifty shots at
the animal before it was finally killed
and in the fifteen minutes between its
escape and its death there was a panic
in the park
The lion belonged to an animal show
that came to the park this week Ac-
cording to the managers it had been
IN captivity only short time and was
savage, Attempts at tanning had been
made, but they had been abandoned
and the lion was used as a free at
traction in front of the show
The animal show is next to the
music pavilion, and almost every one
in the park was listening to a band
concert. 1t was $3.50 o'clock and the
lecturer was telling of the untamed
lion when the animal threw his weight
against the iron bars and they gave
way
Jungle Beast Leaps Into Crowd.
As soon as he found himself free the
lion sprang toward the crowd. Mrs.
Hucke was at the front and the beast
alighted beside her, brushing against
her with sufficient force to throw her
to the ground. Then with one blow of
its paw he crushed every rib in the
woman's left side Before any one
could interfere the beast sank it's
teeth into her hip, tearing away a
piece of flesh.
Park Policeman w. A. Downey was
the first man to the rescue. He fired
a shot at the lion, hitting it in the
side. Leaving the unconscious woman,
the lion turned to Downey, who fired
another shot at him, beating off his at
tack at the same time with his club.
Policeman Stops His Flight.
Then the lion turned from the officer
and made a clear path for himself
through the crowd. He passed the
music pavilion and started for the en-
trance of the park. Policeman George
Sheridan had heard the shots and came
running into the park just in time to
meet the lion as he was about to ascend
IA long flight of stairs that forms the
entrance. Sheridan opened fire, hit
ting the lion several times and finally
driving him into corner.
In the meantime, Downey had caught
up with the lion, and Park Policeman
u.s. L. Leighart and Albert Green had
also Joined the chase. Surrounded by
the four officers the lion fought des-
perately for his life AS fast as they
could reload their weapons, the officers
pumped lead into the beast, but the
small caliber bullets had little effect.
1t was not until nearly fifty shots
had been fired. more Than half of which
took effect, that the animal toppled
over dead.
Woman 1t Attacked Is Dying.
While the fight was in progress peo-
pie in the park sought every imagin-
able place of refuge. 1t was only by
a miracle that many Of them were not
trampled to death, but all of them es-
capped serious injury.
Mrs Hucke was hurried to the
Emergency hospital in the park and an
ambulance summoned from the Homeo-
pathic hospital. 1t was found that
and the one rib punctured the lung.
and that oner ib ponctured the lung.
There is also a deep wound in her hip,
the muscles being torn away. In adj
dition to this injury her right arm was
broken by the blows. 1t is not be-
ieved she can live.
The skin of the animal will be stuff
ed He was a large specimen and the
owners valued him at $1,000.