The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-02
LIONESS KILLS
MAN IN CIRCUS;
TOWN IN PANIC
Lucy, Disturbed in Playing
With Cubs, Stays Keeper
and Escapes From Cage.
BIG AUDIENCE IN TERROR
Animal Roams Westbury and
Hunters Finally Shoot Her
in Nearby Woods.

Lucy, a lioness with Cook BroA'
Circus, showing at Woodbury.. N. j..
was playing with her two cubs in a
cage in the msnaserie tent yesterday
afternoon, playfully whacking them with
her big paws. sending them bouncing
Henry. a discharged soldier, who had
recently been hired as her tanner, showed
open the door and went In to clean
out the cage.
One OF the cubs at the same moment
Jumped at his mothers head. In cutting
him aside Lucy lost her balance and
tumbled heavily against the cage door.
IT banged open and for the first time in
the long years since she had been trapped
in the jungle Lucy had the way OF free
dom opened to her She stood for a
moment swaying her head, twitching
her tail. The keeper made a rush to
faeten the door. attempting too late to
repair his carelessness in not securely
locking II when he entered.
Lucy was even quicker than the
keeper. Her right fore paw with its filed
nails made lightning move. catching
MIN across the shoulders and lifting him
bodily into the far corner of the cage,
where he fell with his neck broken
IL Il,
ing at his flesh. lifting and dropping his
body until life was crushed out.
Bolts Past Circus Men.
Then Lucy. forgetful OF her cubs,
fprang through the door, through a
crowd OF circas hands who watched the
killing and had picked UP crowbars, tent
poles, sledges. every sizable weapon
they could lay hands on. At her rush
they parted In terror. and Lucy sped on
Out Of the circus tent she took her course
toward the town. her paws bright with
the blood OF her first victim, her eyes
cleaning savagely.
Before her coming every man fed In
fright Women ran screaming with
their children In their arms. Warning
of the escape OF the lioness was phoned
to every part OF the town. and school
children were locked in their buildings,
where, crowding TO windows, they saw
Lucy pass.
The afternoon performance was in full
swing when Lucy made her exit from
the cage. and at the sight OF her as she
crossed the tent area and made through
the main top there was tremendous
excitement. People came Gathering
down from the seats, jumping and fall
Ing. trying to get out OF the place and
put as much distance between them
selves and the rampaging lioness as
possible Ushers tried TO stop them and
there were a number OF persons hurt in
the melee.
george Henderson. schoolboy of
woodbury.. in his excitement fell from
his perch on one Of the upper seats into
the aisle Just as Lucy passed and almost
TELL atop Of the animal. One shot was
hred by a circus hand as Lucy drove
through. but the bullet went Wild.
As Lucy SHE'D about the enclosure
trying to find a way out there was a
stampede for the roofs OF circus wagons
tent poles and every objective of alti-
tude. Lucy finally sprinted through an
upturned tent flap.
The animal ran almost a straight
course from the circus grounds to tho
main street OF tho town. When she
reached It shopkeepers had long since
disappeared from sight. locking their
doors and making for safety. No chill
dren were In the street, and only eyes
from up stairs windows, whore fathers
were getting out their guns watched
her course.
Shots and shouts Unheeded.
For half an hour tho drawer spirits
OF the town followed Lucy only from
tho rear. They had a motley collection
OF axes. shotguns. revolvers, crowbars
and sticks. Lucy did not heed their
shots or their shouts She headed for
clearing at the further end of town.
'he posse spreading out behind her.
In The woods she was ove-taken and
stood snarl!ng. with her paws upon a
fallen tree trunk. The men with the
guns nred again and again. wounding
her sides and breaking her jaw, and
nnal!y piercing her heart. The credit
for the killing was given to William
Miller, circus cowboy. After the ami
NAL fell several more shots were fired
before any one would approach. Twelve
bullets had lodged in the head and heart.
Henry. the negro keeper who was
killed. was 80 years old and lived in
Newburgh, ". Y. He had been dis
charged from tho army several weeks
ago.