The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-01-10
.ANGERED LEOPARD
TURN50N TRAINER.
Mrs. Russelle May Die Of
Wounds Inflicted by
Jungle Cat.
LOST NERVE 70 BLAME.
Had Hoped. With Help OF AMI
mails, to Support Children
in Virginia.

Especial to The Times Dispatch
New York. January 9.-The specia
devil that makes jungle cats turn bad
in a flash. got into Clayton. u fine, big,
beautifully marked leopard at Huber's
Museum this morning. He turned
suddenly upon Mrs. Pauline Russclle,
who was driving him and his mates
through8a rehearsal, knocked her to
the floor of the cage with a swing OF
his forcpaSy and tore her throat so
badly that she may never live to walk
out of Bellevue Hospital.
1t was the hardest kind of luck for
Mrs. Russellc, because she had cX-
pected to get n new start in the world
by exhibiting CLAYTON and the other
leopards, Arnold and Roy She needed
the money sorcy. She had been out
OF work, and there We're two children
down in Virginia to take carc of, as
we'll as herself. Her leopards We're
Gagged on the top floor of Eiuber's and
Eshe had been training them there for
three months. Tho three We're young
and absolutely green when she got
them from an animal dealer In Bucks
county, pennsylvania, and they had tn-i
ken TO training readily and intclli-s
gently.
She dressed FOR her work in a loose
blouse. corduroy trousers. II short skirt
ana high boots, Over her blouse she
9buttoned "a short coat heavy with SPAN
giles. The rest Of her equipment was
n revolver loaded with blank cart
ridges and a short heavy -handl ed whip.
signs of TROUBLE.
M Harry Hcndrickson. her helper, who
stands nv outside the cage with
sharp pointed iron rod, was waiting
for llor when she climbed to the top
floor. Frenchy, the sweeper, Was the
only other. person III the ROOM There
were certain signs, that all trainers.
of Wild animals recognize the minute
athey8put foot ina cage. that something
was wrong with all the leopards this
morning. Mrs. Russelle realized that
she was in ortrouhle. She went to
work with all three, taking them one
Mt a time and making them perch on a
big ball and roll 1t across the iloorsof
the cage 'rlicy did II snarling. spit-
ting at llcr and iabhtng n paw angrily
| whenever she flcled them With the
lSwhip. When she tried to make them
| Jump up to the little platforms fixed
| around the cage, Clayton baked, back
ed away and crouched in a corner OF
/ the cage.
With Roy and Arnold In the cage
there was no use trying to conluersthe
! principal mutineeE so she deftlS. OPEN
cd IA slide door between the big rehear,
sal cage and a little ono where all
three lived when they weren't work
ing. She scared Arnold and Roy into
IT. closed the slide door swiftly and
turned to Clayton, She, lashed him
with the whipSunti he ran round and
round the cage whining in rage and
fear, She forced him into the corner
nearest the platform to which she
meant to make him jump and cut him
again with the whip. He took the
jump, landed on the platform, caught
his balance and snarled down at her,
Loses Her Nerve.
Something caused Mrs, Russellc to
lose her nerve as the leopard gathered
himself together, She duclsed her head,
turned half way toward the door Of
the cage and cried to tIendrickson To
hand her the iron spear. Thac instant
clayton shot off his perch. straight
for her head. She tried to throw her
self out OF his way. but a forepaw
{claN'ed her head rs She lodged and the
force Of the blow sent her to the floor
OF tf,e cage. Tie leonard was on / op Of
8heissin a flash, planting his forefeet on
It,onlillued Son Page. mo cnlnu,n S.l