Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-03-28
ELEPHANT MAKES
ANOTHER ESCAPE
NERO AGAIN BREAKS FROM HIS
TRAINERS
HEADS SECOND TIME FOR SAN
RERNARDINo
Citizens Flee In Terror from His Path,
but Circus Employees, Aided by
Posse, Recapture Paehy-
dern

COTTON, March 27.-Evidently de-
lighted with his brief but spectacular
dash for liberty in San BernAIl.lo'
Nero, the big elephant belonging u che
Norris & Rowe circus, broke loJse
from his trainer a second time cary
this morning and was mead On d
return trip to San Bernardino when he
was finally driven into the southern
Pacific stock yards, where the circus
attendants had to chain him down TO
keep him from demolishing the cattle
sheds,
Nero's little taste of freedom dt ing
the wild escapade in San BelJarlino,
when hundreds of frightened citizens
pursued the animal for hours. yet not
daring to lay hands on him, proved
Just enough to whet his APP Ute Tor
more. Leaving a wake of wrecked
fences and outbuildings and scores o.
nerve-shattered citizens who had en-
deavored to stop the 'elephant 10 Lts
rampage in the midnight world, nero
was captured and brought to Cotton
yesterday for shipment to Pasadena,
where the show will apear next.
When the circus was loaded at Col
ton Nero grew restless. The waving
of his big trunk and his hoarse grunts
of rage aroused the other animals in
the menagerie. He tugged at his
chains and when led toward the cars
he tore loose, and the astounded
trainers for the second time watched
him trot away toward San Bernardlno
in dignified haste. So impressed was
Nero with his previous reception at
the latter place that he took straight
path for the scene of his former en-
tertainment and pedestrians and We
hicles scurried out of the way in wild
disorder.
Never has Cotton had such a thrilling
experience as the rounding up OF the
huge animal. Nero tossed aside all OBJ
stacles that came in his path. Fear
ing the worst, telephone messages were
sent to San Bernardino to prepare for
his coming.
People Flee in Terror
Men, women and children fed in ter
ror, while the elephant explored the
far precincts of Cotton on his way 10
San Bernardino. A posse of citizens
was hastily formed to brave danger
and cooperate with the circus men in
recapturing him.
Nero was in a less destructive and
more amiable frame of mind than dur
ing his first stampede and did little
damage, with the exception of a few
fierce swings and uppercuts with his
trunk on nearby fences, but as he
charged from the yards where the
circus was being loaded, with trunk
uplifted and his battle cry sounding
afar, he was a fearsome sight, and all
I'M his way stopped not on the order or
their going, but went with dispatch.
After more than an hour spent in
chasing the elephant, he was finally
turned from his journey toward the
! scene of his former exploits and, sur
rounded by an army Of trainers and
circus hands, was driven into the cat
| tie corral and at last induced to board
the train. Nero, however, for the time
has replaced the king of beasts in his
rule over the other members of the
circus menagerie and is lording it to
his entire satisfaction.
Damage to fences and buildings, not
to count the outraged feelings OF hun-
dreds of panic-stricken citizens, will
amount to at least several hundred
dollars. and this the circus agents say
will be repaid on demand.
In the meantime the police of Pasa-
dena are preparing for his coming,
and extra precautions will be taken to
guard against any further outbreak by
the capricious beast.