The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-08-05
TIGER ATTACKS CIRCUS ATTACHE
Romeo, Fine Bengal, Laccrates
Both Arms of Boy.
Charlotte News,

ANohN", rAhc J3cHSdI, LdCcrdtcS
Both Arms of Boy.
Charlotte News.
Five bloody tiger cav rents in his
arms, reaching from above the elbow
to the palms, was the fate Of Boyleston
Nils, carnival attache, at Spartan
burg late last night. Soon after his
ferocious attack the tiger was brought
to Charlotte.
Romeo did the sanguinary work.
Romeo, Gagged from out of a Bengal
jungle in India. The victim is an
Abbevil!e, N. c., boy, who lately went
with the Johnny J. Jones Greater Ex-
position shows, which are now in this
city. Disregarding warnings which
are always given to new employees,
that it is dangerous to expose ones
self near the large cage. Mills last
night leaned his arm up against a bar
Of the cage in which stood Romeo and
his mate, both beautiful specimens of
the royal Bengal breed Of tiger, the
fiercest animal living.
"A lion will kill only when he is
hungry" said Keeper Wilson to
News man today. "but a tiger will kill
for the pure love of killing"
Boyleston Mills was feeding the ami
mails Of the menagerie as the shows
were packing up preparatory to COM
ing to Charlotte after the exhibition
at Spartanburg. Mills carelessly, as
stated, leaned an arm against the bar
Of the tiger cage.
Instantly the arm was in the grip
Of the tiger Romeo. Like a flash of
lightning the spotted paw had shot
through the space between the bars,
and the arm Of the unfortunate boy
was drawn inside the cage, the tiger
rending it with his great paws, the
smell Of blood making him angrier ev-
cry moment
The boy thrust the other hand into
the cage in order to free the bleeding
arm from the grip Of the furious mon
ster Of the jungle. The tiger at once
c!utched this arm also, and with his
great talons gripping tight into the
flesh, pulled the arms far into the
cage, alternately tearing long, bloody
rents in each.
The cries Of the boy, and Of the
other attendants who saw the plight
Of the young man brought Capt Cur
ley Wilson to the spot He tells this
story Of the affair:
LAS soon as heard that there was
trouble about the tigers cage I seized
my pistol and ran to the spot. I
thought that perhaps some Of the
animals had got out Of the cage. AS
soon as I saw what was hapepning
ran to Romeo, pointing my pistol at
him and shouted to him. He knows
my voice, as I constantly perfo rm
with him in the cage and he released
his grip Of the boys arms and retired,
growing. into the cage.
But not before he had torn five
great trenches in the flesh Of each
arm OF his victim, extending from
above the elbow to the fingers. The
whole bottom OF the cage was flowing
with blood and the boys clothing
was saturated with it. We at once
sent for a physician, DR.. Maddox, and
he took Mills to his house and kept
him there last night. We sent a man
back there today to see after him and
have him taken to a hospital. The
accident occurred only a few moments
before our train was to pull out for
Charlotte.
How big are tigers claws? Well,
you know how a cats claw looks?
Just imagine a cats claw magnif1ed
until 1t is as thick as a mans index
finger Crook that finger on your
hand and then imagine what such
claws could do for human flesh"
Romeo and his mate are now in
Charlotte. as the carnival in the open
lots back Of the South graded school
opens tonight. Capt Wilson and Ro.
meo do stunts together in the cage.
Mills people live in Asheville.