The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-04-19
LENA, ANCIENT
ELEPHANT, PUT
TO DEATH HERE
Stricken With Paralysis of
Leg, Pachyderm is Strang-
led By Keepers.
TWENTY MEN FORM
PARTY OF EXECUTION
Companion of Famous Jum-
bo, Animal Has Travelled
Millions of Miles.

Lena, herd-mate of the famous
| Jumbo" and for nearly so years an
asset of the circusses of which the late
| p. T. Barnun controlled, is dead. The
| decree of execution pronounced by
! ALI T. Ringing after the aged beast
| had showed symptoms of decrepitude
was carried into effect at the winter
quarters this morning under direction
| of Chief Elephant Trainer Harry
/ Mooney and other circusmen who
came from New York to view the
strange sight
Nearly 20 men were required to per-
form the act and to control Albert
| the biggest elephant in the Barnum
& Bailey show. Albert refused to be
moved from the elephant quarters
while Lena was there and witnessed
seemed to denote satisfaction with
the decree, Of death and it's consum-
nation.
Lena, suffering from paralysis of
the forward right leg is believed by
attendants to have been fully cogniz-
ant OF her impending doom for it
was observed that she took particular
note Of the stake driving operations
kduring the pre1irninaries and trum-
petted shrilly as she saw the ropes and
other equipment being laid. When led
to the training ring in the big shed,
while the ropes were being adjusted,
she knelt without command. AS the
moose was being adjusted the small
eyes of the huge beast were rowing
about and the trunk ginger1y curled
about feeling tho inch hemp rope.
A pathetic sight that almost brought
tears to those engaged in the death
act was the caressing stroke of the
big proboscis as it gently wound itself
about Mooney as If in last act of
70 oil Ac he hi kicTa Cd
in their strang1ing grasp there was not
a round of rage as is usual, but little
helpless cries like those from q babe
in arms, scared to the very hearts of
the rough and ready men who were
jeopardizing their own lives in the
work of killing an animal they loved.
The history of Lena, interesting in.
its detail, penetrates beyond the reco1-
lection of any man today. The mem
ory of the Oldest attendant at the cir
circus grounds can reach back only
thirty years and Lena was an aged,
animal then. 1t is definitely known
that she arrived in this country
about go years ago, having been
brought from Asia for show purposes.
Tt is believed she has travelled more
than any living human being or ami
NAL, with a mileage of more than
one million miles to her credit. Dur
ing the last 80 years she has travel
led an equal number of thousands of
miles annually on railroad trains and
boats, having twice ljourned to Eu-
rope and returned.
On the last trip of the Barnum cir
Gus to Europe she is said to have
met in Hamburg an elephant she had
probably known in earlier years of
captivity. Her jubilatfon at the meet
ing was remarkable.
Lena, being an Asiatic elephant,
was always assigned to what in show
paf9ance is known the Number
herd During the life of Jumbo
here, however, departure had to
be made from the rule as both
George Arkensta11, Jumbo's first
found that there was a close bond of
friendship that continually made
trouble for the keepers when they
were separated Though there was a
discrepancy of nearly two tons in the
weight of the two beasts and Lena be-
side Jumbo looked like a pygn1y the
friendly feeling continued until the,
sudden death Of Jumbo in Canada.
Lena is said to have tried continually
for many weeks after the parting.
Tradition points to the fact that
Lena. was probably born in the interior
of Asia, not having the characteris-
tics of either the Indian or African
pachyderms. She was abnormally
small but was considered in the early
days of 2showdom TO be among the
better class OF display peaSlS. 01e
was docile to a fault, learning quickly
and rem embering well. She was quick
to apprehend indignity towards any
of the elephants with which she was
associated.N
During the fire at winter quarters
some years ago when lion was loose
in the streets of Bridgeport, she was
known to have gone trumpeting ahead
of the carnivorous animal for some
distance down the street until the lion
Ieaped a, fence. She returned and
made several efforts to keep the eIe-
phant herd from p1unging into the
waters of the Sound, seemingly aware
of the danger that resulted in the
death of one animal by drowning
Continued on Page 2.)