Year: 1870

Of terror and agony which arose
from the poor victims who were
being torn, lacerated by the fright
full monsters below, was heartren-
ding and sickening to q terrible
degree.


Every moment some one of the
band would extricate themselves
from the debris, and leap over the
sides OF the cage to the ground
with wild spring and faint away
upon striking the earth, SO great
was their terror. But human ma
ture could not stand and see men
literally devoured before their
very eyes, for there were willing
hearts and strong arms ready to
render every assistance necessary
to rescue the unfortunate victims
Of this shocking calamity.


A hardware store which hap.
pened to stand opposite was opens
ed by the noble-hearted proprie-
tor, and pitchforks, crowbars and
long bars of iron, and in fact eve-
ry available weapon was brought
into requisition. The side-doors
of the cage were quickly torn from
their fastenings, and then horri-
BILE sight was presented to view
Mingled among the brilliant uni
form of the poor unfortunates lay
legs and arms, torn from their
sockets and half devoured, while
the savage brutes glared ferocious-
ly with their sickly green colored
eyes upon the petrifed crowd
Prof. Charles White arrived at this
moment, and gave orders in re-
gard to extricating the dead and
wounded-he well knowing that it
would be difficult and dangerous
undertaking to remove them from
the infuriated monsters.


Stationing men with forks and
bars at every available point, he
sprang fearlessly into the den amid
the savage monsters, and commen-
ced raising the wounded, and pas
sing them on the outside to their
friends. He had succeeded in re-
moving the wounded, and was pro-
ceeding to gather up the remains
Of the liteless, when the mammoth
lion, known to showmen as old
Nero, sprang with a frightful roar
upon his keeper, fastening his teeth
and claws in him in his neck and
shoulders, decorating him in q
horrible manner. Professor White
made three herculean efforts to
shake the monster off, but with
out avail, and gave orders to fire
upon him.


The contents Of four of Colts
navys were Immediately poured
into the carcass of the ferocious
animal and he fell dead; and the
brave little man, notwiths landing
the fearful manner in which he
was wounded, never left the cage
until every vestige of the dead,
were carefully gathered together
and placed upon a sheet, prepara-
ton for burial. 1t was found that
three of the ten men who mount
ed the cage q short time before,
were killed outright, and four 9th.
ers terribly lacerated The names
Of the killed, are August Schoer,
Conrad Freeiz and Charles Grein-
err Collins were procured and an
immediate burial determined upon,
as the bodies whre so frightfully
torn and lacerated as to be unrec-
ognizable to :heir most intimate
friends 1t was a melancholy dav
for Middletown, and sadder dsy
for the friends and companions "
the deceased.


OF all that vast multitude VINO
started out in the morning with
anticipations Of a glad holiday few
left for their homes with dry eyes
after the triple funeral for the
entire community followed the re-
mains to the quiet little cemetry.
AT midnight the carcass Of the
slain beast, was quietly buried on
the lot where was intended to be
given the exhibition; but which
was never accomplished. There
is terrible responsibility resting
upon some one which should be
thoroughly investigated, and the
guilty parties be brought to q
quick and speedy punishment
The lions are the same ones which
nearly cost Prof. Charles White
his life two years ago, while trav-
cling with the Thayer and Noyes
party, and were known to be very
dangerous cage of animals. Ev-
cry attention is being given to the
sufferers by the kind and hospi-
table citizens Of Middleton, and it
is to be hoped they will soon re-
cover from their wounds, and at
last accounts they were all pro-