The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-09-08
NARROW, ESCAPE
Man Eating Lion Played With Baby's
Hand in Cage

Man Eating Lion Played With Baby's
Hand In Cage
Pittsburg, Sept. s.gAlthough It
sprang at the child just as it did when
1t killed three men and one woman,
Coma" the most dangerous and saw
age lion In captivity, only playfully
and affectionately licked and paved
the hand Of 3-year-old Lena Neck,
when she placed her arm within the
beasts cake in the Highland Park
zoo yesterday afternoon. The child's
mother, like others who witnessed
the venturesome baby's act, became
so horror-stricken that she was afraid
to snatch the child, fearing that
Coma" would, with temper reused,
attack the tot.
Guard James O'Neil, attracted by
the frantic cries Of the child's mother,
rushed to the cage and pushed the
little girl to one side. COMA" gave
a roal that shook the building, and
looked through the bars at the laugh
Ing child, as IL to welcome her back
to play.
The murderous record of this fa-
nous beast, with the fact that only a
moment before 1t had attempted to
break through thes partition of the
strong cage to get at an enemy,
Hans Wagner" another African lion
occupying the adjoining cell, makes
the escape of the little child from
"Conja's" ravenous teeth all the more
miraculous. Ernest E. Tretow, the
veteran keeper, was horified when he
heard the story, but was forced to
smile when Guard O'Neil and others
who witnessed the act described how
the savage beast had so playfully
licked and paved the child, handling
her with as much care as a mother
would her infant.
Lion FOndles Hand.
Little Lena lives with her widowed
mother and two brothers in Blacka-
dore avenue. East End. They went to
the Zoo yesterday afternoon to see
the animals. Quite a crowd had gath
cred about the cages occupied by
COMA" and "Hans Wagner" who
were making desperate efforts to get
each other, through the little door
between their cages. While he moth
er and nearly all others watching the
lions had turned their attention to
Hans Wagner" who was roaring, lit
tie Lena crawled under the bars and
in an instant had her little white arm
in the cage, waving her hand in well
come to the big lion.
"Conja," his eyes still fiery with an
ger and jaws wide sopen. sprang at
the child, striking against the big
bars with great force.
"My child!" cried Mrs. Neck. This
was followed by series Of frantic
screams from others-and even men
turned their backs, expecting the big
beast would tear off the child's arm.
For at least five seconds the lion
licked the child's hand playfully,
while she stood there motionless and
smiling. The big lion sseii1.i 70 have
forgotten the QUARREL with sshis next
door enemy and to be consoled with
the knowledge that he had found a
friend in the fearless little girl.
Guard O'Neil was at the hyena cage.
He heard Mrs. Meck's cries, ran to
che cage and grabbed the child, lift
ing her over the bars. Little Lena
manifested much surprise that the
people about would be SO frightened
and wondered why.
Coma is the most feared animal at
the Zoo. Even Mr.. Tretow, who is re-
ported to have made friends with the
most savage of beasts imprisoned in
the Zoo, has frequently expressed his
fear of Conja. COMA is the lion who
three years ago broke loose from his
cage at Luna park and killed wom-
an picnicker.
Five years ago. when with big
circus, by trick he escaped from his
cage and killed three guards in less
than flve minutes. Several weeks ago
one of the guards at the Highland Zoo
accidentally rubbed his hand against
Conja's cage The lion caught his
right thumb and nearly tore 1t off. He
Ills imprisoned in the strongest cage at
L the Zoo.