The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-04-07
LIONS ATTACK
FORGIVEN BY
CLYDE BEATTY
CheWed Tanner, Undaunted
by Peru Injuries, Back
With Act for Opening.
BY HENRY McLEMORE
United Press stan Correspondent

NEW YORK, April 7.-"Hes down
helping 'em unload his cats right
now" the guy in the green sweater
said, ''but maybe he'll find time to
talk to you"
Threading his way through mid
gets, tight-wire walkers, pumas,
leopards, elephants, guys-who-get-
shot out of -cannons, bowling mon
keys and the other thousand and
one folks and critters which go to
make up Ringing Brothers circus,
which will open in Madison Square
Garden Friday, your correspondent
went in search of Clyde Beatty, the
lion tanner.
He's the bird, you know, who
strolls into a roomful of lions and
tigers armed with nothing more
substantial than buggy whip, locks
the door, and then proceeds to call
the babies names, slap EN- in the
face with bridge chair, and other
wise behave in a manner calculated
to make the beasties yearn to cut
themselves a piece of Beatty.
Tanner TwirlS a Cane
It's a good thing somebody pointed
the man out to me, for I'd never
have picked him for a daredevil.
He looks about as much like lion
tanner as does Ghandi.
Young, slight, dressed in the
height of fashion, he was twirlinQ a.
cane and, occasionally, Ticking a
speck of dust off his pearl gray
spats when I arrived.
The cane, I later learned, was the
last remaining bit of evidence of
his injury in Peru, Ind, three
months ago, when one of his lions
used his right leg for an appetizer.
How, the correspondent asked.
does it feel to have a lion chew
on you?" What did you think about
while this lion hunted around for
some white meat, SO to speak,"
Well" Beatty replied, lying on
your back with a 700-pound lion
sitting on your chest isn't the ideal
spot Tor serious thinking. But I
guess thought something, at that.
He Has Forgiven Nero
soon as he started for my throat
grabbed him by the nose and
pushed back his head. Soon as I
Gid this he grabbed a leg and start
ed gnawing.
L must not be very good eatino
Tor he let loose after a couple Of
healthy bites, and walked away"
was there any one of the thirty
hons ne used in his act tame? Tame
enough to lead around like a dog9
Yeh, Nero's pretty gentle. He
Tags around at my heels like a
puppy, and does just about what 7
tell him to-"
DID ne keep the lion that attacked
him in his act?
oh sure, Nero was the one tbo+
Dit me. He just forgot himself fo,.
'ne moment. I've forgiven him.
Besides, Nero saved nv life in
hoKomo (Ind0, two years ago. A
tlger bounced on me and was inst
setting down to the task of maxine
nalr ribbon out of me when Nero
jumped on him and beat him IN
or course, Nero probably did if
out OF hatred for tigers in general
ana not because of any love for me
6uC man can't help but be CRATE
1ul Tor having tiger taken off him
no matter what the motive of the
tiger taker-off be-" 0
l asked Beatty how, when there
were twenty-five or more cats in
the cage, he protected himself from
the ones to the rear.
BY looking at the expression on
the faces of the ones in front of
me. If I see their eyes light IN
and sorta of wicked smile come
across their faces, I know the cats
IN back of me are getting ready
10 pounce on me. Before this can
happen I turn around and bully ,en1
You see, they hate me but
they're scared of me. If ever thew
made up their minds I was afraid
OF them, they'de chase me from
here to Seattle"