The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1953-03-24
CONCH
.HOWDER

Saturday morning Ellis Finch,
our stan samsrasnan, and my
SELF went ever 70 the circus
grounds b Get . eoler story. I'VE
covered Ringing BrOtAers-Bar-
mum and Bailey and desens of
less magnificent shows and /
know that circus HE isnt at eli
what the public sees. Bus ! was
SIN vDprspared and quite
ehoeksd BY Che sst.ap u The oOe
which struggled into Key West Sat
urday. First of IN, there were
the neglected horses and ponies.
Only one seemed in fair condi-
ton aud svsa he, Q black with q
blaSe face, locked % Il be might
stumble IN . hot. All were IN
carried, thiA 10 the point of show
Ing bones and most 81 them were
very old. Tney stood tsthered In
the hot sun with no feed. water or
shelter. Calling ssCope, boy" /
approached tie pathetic little
group. The big black, d range
horse, whinnled softly. I looked
at their hoofs. None were
trimmed or shOd.
The elephants had tattersd
sars, dirty hidas. and there
were no bales of hay for them
b MUNICH. The two small ones
Were In better condition. One ele.
plant was working with TIE crew
putting Up q tent. AZ for the help
ers, they were In the same fiea-
bitten eondision. but AFTER all,
theS were human beings who
have d choice d some hind. The
animals were helpless. Even the
circus dogs hooked done out. They
SLEPT under wagons, opening list
less eyes ct the crowd when
noise and eoutusioa reused them.
Down, shivefing h agony, was
| Q sehra with D bloateo belly. I
thought Il might have bcundered
from eating Inoldy feed, but was
told il had soma sort Of poisoning.
Later, We learned that 1t Home
stead. where eropdusting IL done,
some Of the walking stock had
been taken cut 10 grase and that
the sick zebra was probably the
victim Of arsenic compound. The
poinE Is, good circuses don't
have 10 live OF the landl A Sec
cnd hybrid animal with dun col
cred hide end brown stripes on
lts legt, possibly IN Onagef from
Africa, tottsred where Il stood.
Mineral oil was administered and
Il was saved from TIE convulsive
stage In which We found the ne
bra. Az tn salt water antidote
was poured down the xebra's
throat, 1 ssrapping young red
head sat On tke beasts head 10
keep e from iniuring itself fur
theR. II already had q bloody
musSls ana mouth. He asked for
Q tafpAulin - put under his
charges head, and finally q
rOustahout brought one Of the old
tattered pieces u canvas. We
| isarned that the lind redhead
wasn't q regular circus emplo-
zee. He had been picked ur
somewhere en route. Probably
hIs short terra with the outfit ae-
counted Cor his humane feeling
and more healthy appearanesl
THR CANALS looked motheat-
On and strips Of pelt hung In torn
remnants from one IL them. A
little hama hnnehed h the sun.
Three miniature burros stood re-
signedly near q tank wagon that
| proclaimed "a sweating hippopo-
Janus" I have 40 doubt this des-
eripti0n was unexasgeratsd. The
entire sstup was beggariy, ratty.
and q picture a negleet which
Dordersd % cruelty. I doA't know
who b sApcnsed b see about re-
guiations fcR circus conditions. .
but suthcritisS certainly ought 10
tran the Kelly Morris heads and
hOund them into doing something
for their animals - Or disbanding
them completely.
| sTGAM 81 ny irass chest.
ean taxa Q deep breath. but
that 10 slightly painfuil ! played
voileyhaIi Sor akout an hour at
chief John volkman gssparate
story h eemisg ousl % Sunday
aGAarnoom. and found cut that
nnussA muscles en- esrtainly put
- . pretsss. Anybody for tiddley.
winkst xAmiia have stuck b M
ehafades - Stayed atar COZ
suming vasl quantities Of rclas.
| go baked bssns. potsto salad,
steak and nisd ehieksn. beer.
and soA drunks. On Saturday, ny
NEST stremuous exercise vas
rpiriaed sanba 81 The Hospital
nan. n seems fAat indooF Sports
ar mere pepWiaf. y yOu want "a
avoid egeaking. 20 have b gsi
d trsfnEAg. Sd an9 Jeanns Sks'
u - - s4& a. - 49,