Year: 1871

-AA ONN0@AiCOS


The New Haven Register of October 6,
says: O'Brien's menagerie exhibited in
Meriden yesterday Thursday, accord
ing to advertisement, at the usual grounds
on State street. just after the close of
the afternoon performance the great
elephant Mogul took it into his head to
enact a tragedy not on the bills, so walk
ing majestically out of his enclosure, he
went for his keeper in a fit of rage. The
keeper sought refuge under the cage con-
tanning kangaroos, which Mogul majestical-
ly turned over in jiffy, and walked
through the canvass out of doors. Then
he went on a tour of inspection, and if
not Seeking whom he might devour,"
he certainly seemed willing to accom-
modate anybody or anything that might
wish for a set.to. Meeting a pile of
lumber in the adjacent lumber yard, he
quickly spread the boards in good shape
for seasoning. Then meeting in his path
one of the mules belonging to the com
pany, he ran his tusks completely through
its body, pinning it to the ground and xii
ling the animal instantly. The next
obstruction in his majesty's path was a
wagon belonging to Messrs. Grether &
Hall, which he scornfully seized with his
trunk, and raising it smashed it to pieces;
then be returned to the dead mule, and
again plunged his tusks through it, and
breaking off one Of his tusks close to the
jaw, sauntered carelessly into State street,
with none to molest or make him afraid,
ND FOL e. l.
hind, while before and about him every
body seemed to be very busy in getting
out of his way. The keeper and other
attaches of the menagerie soon rallied,
and by strategy and good tactics he was
induced to enter field belonging to Mr.
Camp, thence into an orchard, where he
INDUCED in the pastime of tearing and
smashing whole lengths of picket fences.
The novel mode of subduing him, tenn
porarily, by shooting him in the face and
trunk with buckshot, was adopted. Some
fifty heavy charges were fred at him the
stinging effect acted well as slight check
upon his operations, during which his
keeper fearlessl y approached and chained
him to an apple tree about twelve inches





covered by the enraged animal than he
instantly ana without apparent effort, but
with the greatest ease, tore it up by the
roots, and again created the greatest con
sternation among the immense crowd who
had now collected in the immediate vi
cinity. All went, and stood not on the
order of going, but some tall running was
done, and some Imaginable incidents oc-
CURED in the stampede, leaving the
ground free to Mogul and his would be
captors.


He was, by great daring and agility on
the part of his keeper, again secured by
claiming his hind feet to a very large tree
here he was left for the night, and
guard stationed with rifles loaded with
ball, to kill him should he again break
loose during the night. He was evident
ly much chaerined at his confinement,
and continued to snort and struggle to
break the chain, affording much excite
ment throughout the city during the en-
tire night, but fortunately he was held
until about o'clock this morning, when
his keeper, with the assistance of the en-
tire force Of the concern and about 500
citizens, undertook the job of furnishing
and subduing the monster. Large ropes
and chains were procured, and after many
attempts, 10 which the same were easily
broken, he was finally, at the end of two
hours, thrown down and secured in that
potion, when simultaneously his beating
began by dozen strong men, with clubs,
iron bars, spears, and pitchforks, and con-
tinued until the men were exhausted, and
again renewed from time to time for about
two hours, at which time, after many
wounds, and pounding enough to
seemingly kill him, he was as obstinate
as ever. Refusing to surrender, he was
left to his own reflections iu this condi-
ton, and the beating abated for time.
At the present time of writing, twelve
hours, he seems determined not to sue
cumb A choice he has of doing so or
being killed, as in his dangerous mood he
will not be allowed to rise without evil
dence of change of heart 1t is esti
mated that the damage done in his tan
trum will cost over 500. Fortunate it
is that no lives were lost.