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yeiriA Coinbat with an Elephant.Since the arrival of the menagerieof Van Amburgh Co. at- this, place, Frank Nash, the keeper of the elephant Tippoo Sahib for ten years, has retired from the service of the com- th pany, making it necessary to employ another person as custodian of the huge animal, and Charles Johnson, formerly of Barnum's museum, was selected. Tippoo Sahib, by the. way, isnowthe lai'gest elephant iri America.He is thirty-six years old, and weighs ten thousand pounds. The elephant will not accept a new master without terrible resistance, and Mr. Johnson fulty prepared himself for an exciting encounter. The elephant, which had been confined in his winter quarters on the fair grounds adjoining this place, seemed to be out of humor with all mankind. He would allow nobody to go near him, striking at every intruder with his trunk and tusks most viciously. We have this account of the affair from the Cincinnati Commercial of the Sth inst., the facts being furnished that paper by Hyatt Frost, Esq., one of the proprietors of the menagerie :On Tuesday morning last, at 10 o’clock, the combat opened. The new keeper, with nine assistants, had fully equipped himself with chains and cables for tying, and spears and pitchforks for subduing Tippoo. The first thing done was to fasten a brickbat to the end of a rope and throw it over the end of the tusk-chain, which latter is fastened to one leg and one tusk.By means of this rope, a twenty-tun cable chain (formerly used to subdue the famous Hannibal,) jvas slip-noosed around the tusk. Next, an excavation three feet deep was made under the sill of the house, and while the elephant’s attention was attracted to the other side of the room by a pail of water poured into his trough, the cable chain was passed through the excavation and fastened to heavy stakes outside. All this time the infuriated monster struck all around him with terrific ferocity, and tugged at his chain with incredible momentum.The next thing accomplished was the snaring of his hind legs. This was consummated by the slinging of fresh ropes around .those two stately pillars of elephant flesh, bone and muscle, and finally, by the stealthy strategy of the keeper and another i man, these ropes were fastened to I stumps outside. The elephant was | now suflicientl}- pinioned to allow the I order, “charge pitchforks” to be given, j' I Ten men, armed with these ugly imple- j raents of offense, plunged them into j t the. rampaging beast, taking care, ofiticourse, to avoid penetrating his eyes or joints. The tendcrest spot in an elephant is just behind the fore legs, anil that localit}* was prodded unmercifully. By means of a hooked spear sunk in his buck Tippoo was brought to his knees, but he surged up again with such awful strength that he swept! v his tormentors off their feet, and made ( his chains whistle like fiddle strings. After an hour's fighting he was brought down on his side, but for two hours longer he tugged at his chains with frenzied obstinacy. He pulled so 11 j hard af times that his hindlegs were j j straight out behind him, and three feet! off the ground. ! 1At the end of the three hours, the ^ giant gave in by “trumpeting,” which is the elephant’s way of crying “enough.” The moment this peculiar cry was heard the battle ceased. The keeper made Tippoo get up and lie down several times, and he was as obedient to the word of command as a gentle pony. The animal was then groomed and rubbed off with whisky. He allowed all manner of liberties without so much as flapping an ear. He was a subjugated elephant.At one stage of the fight the dog “Jack,” (acompanion of the elephant,) thought some of the tying business foul play. He flew upon Johnson’s back and tried to sink his fangs into his neck, but was pulled off and dragged out of the room. “Jack” evidently svmnathized with his bio- friend.
Newspaper Details
Connersville Weekly Times
Connersville, Indiana, US
Thu, Nov 14, 1867
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Melissa D.
IN, USA 28 Dec 2023
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