DARING DEEDS IN A LION'S DEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9178, 6 October 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

DARING DEEDS IN A LION'S DEN.

Ax announcement made by the crier on Wednesday evening (says the South Wales Daily News) that a man, named William Samuels, a local innkeeper, and tho champion boxer of Wales, would enter alone a den of lions at Messrs. Wombwell's menagerie, now located at Swansea, caused considerable excitement in the town, and drew a great crowd to the show. At nine o'clock the band played " For he's a jolly good fellow," and then Samuels, accompanied by Mr. Bostock, the manager of the show, walked up to a den containing a lion and about a dozen lionesses. A great crowd at once assembled round the cage. Mr. Bostock mounted a platform, and informed the public that his old friend Samuels had volunteered to perform a deed of daring such as had never been done in the menagerie since its establishment in 1805. Mr. Wiltshire had, he said, recently at Cardiff entered the cage in company with Madame Salva, the lion tamer, and had by his action caused a great sensation in South Wales. But Samuels was going to surpass this feat, for, though urged to let Madame Salva accompany him, he declined to enter the den at all unless allowed to do so alone. This he was now about to do. The announcement was received with great cheering, though it was evident that, on the part of many present, there was a feeling of considerable anxiety and alarm. Samuels, however, seemed to share none of these feelings of uneasiness. Attired as a prize fighter and with a blue rosette on his breast, he appeared at the entrance of the cage, and, cudgel in hand, boldly entered it. The lions appeared to in no way relish this intrusion, and it looked as though Samuels would have had a warmer welcome than he bargained for. Possessed apparenty with nerves of steel, the man walked undaunted up to the end of the cage where the animals were huddled together, awaiting only the slightest encouragement to spring on tho intruder, and held his cudgel threateningly before the noso of the fiercest. Growls of rage greeted this act; bub Samuels, in no way discomposed, walked amongst the animals, and made them fly right and left before him. This he did several times, and 011 one occasion acted so rashly that gravo fears were entertained for his safety by those in charge of the exhibition. These—who, as a precaution, were armed with rod-hot irons—were ready to act promptly, when Samuels again obtained the mastery over his savage companions, and showed his fearlessness of them by firing a loaded pistol at their faces. Then, his courage maintained to tho last, he went to the gate of tho den and waited in a dangerous position while Mr. Bostock presented him, amid the cheers of those present, with a unique chain composed of spade and crown, and with a certificate recording the fact that he had accomplished his purpose. Immediately afterwards the band played "See, the Conquering Hero Comes, 'andSamuelswasborne in triumph out of the menagerie and through the streets. Though during the stay of Samuels in the den the animals maintained a very savage and fierce attitude, they became as docile as sheep when Madame Salva took his place. Some years ago Samuels, with a boxing show, used to accompany Wombwell's Menagerie on its tours.