Year: 1872

Great Excitement Among the Park
Visitors.


Yesterday afternoon, the neighbOrhoOd OF the
Central Park was exercised by the escape OF q
white Polar bear from cage in the geological de-
partment OF that picturesque place OF resort. 1t
seems that the animal, together with two others,
arrived in New York from Bremen this week. They
were conveyed from the vessel to the Park on
Friday and remained in the transportation
cages In which they made the voyage all right.
Yesterday morning several employees of the
illogical department proceeded TO transfer the
bears from the transportation cages to the exhibi-
ton cages To do this 1t was necessary to get the
animals, one at time, into shifting cage, in
which there is onlysuflcent room for to stand.
One of theem was successfully transported to the
place of confinement, where for short time at least
he will be subjected to the gaze OF curious public.
This success, however, was not to be continued
The second bear was removed safely into the shift
ing box and he was carried to the exhibition cage.
The end Of the box nearest the cage was lifted up
so as to allow him to enter his place OF confne-
ment. Bruin, however, unwilling to comply with
the wishes Of his attendants, backed, and
being an extremely large and powerful
animal, forced the back Oi the box
out. Backing little farther he found
that he had regained his freedom and began to





prived of his liberty. The keepers state that they
never saw more people In the Park upon Satur-
day morning than there were yesterday morning,
and the effect OF the escape OF large bear in the
midst OF congregation OF persons, composed prn-
cipally OF women and children, may easily be ina
gined. The cries and shrieks OF young children and
frightened females could have been heard Mt some
distance from the Park They ran In all directions
from the bear, who walked quietly up and down
within half dozen yards Of the box from which he
had escaped altogether unconscious Of the fear he
had inspired and OF the excitement he was Great
ing The keepers, seeing that the bear was not
disposed to go away, endeav0red to drive him in
the cage, but into 1t he was unwilling to go.
He continued pacing backward and forward for
sa @ and sdSe ran R the nc
for a moment, apparently undecided which
way to go. and quite stopped the traalc. ne
street, street, down 0''S6 w6icn he % turned. waiEnS down
the street at the pace peculiar to animals
Of his class class he esped ,o pool Of stag,
bank. The high temperature OF the atmosphere
probably inclined him for bath, and slightly in
creasing his speed he went down the bank and into
the water and began swimming about. An i'm
mense crowd soon gathered round the space OF
vacant ground In which the pond is and Madison
avenue, Sixty-nnh and sixty-sixth streets, were
completely packed with persons whose curiosity
overcame their fear and who were ANXIOUS to catch
glimpse OF the escaped monster from the Artic
regions. One OF the Park keepers, upon the sug-
gestion of one of his colleagues, obtained gun
and shot him twice through the lungs. The bear
bled so profusely that tine water, which was origin
A Mr. Cornish next took the gun in
hand and succeeded In lodging bullet
between the animals eyes. This shot was
very efectual and killed 1t Immediately. Several
other persons, anxious doubtlessy to test the pre-
cison with which they could aim, also shot the dead
beast, the carcass OF which now contains at least
Gfteen or sixteen bullets. Tne carcass was dragged
from the pond into the Park, from whence it was
taken. 1t has since been divested Of the skin the
to remain in the transportation cage, and will lie
removed this morning at seven O'Clock.