AQUARIUM BEAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10425, 24 April 1897, Page 2 (Supplement)

AQUARIUM BEAR.

' GETS LOOSE AND HUGS A ; SWEEPER. HIS RELATIVES AWARDED HEAVY DAMAGES. A THRILLING story of a savage attack made by an Aquarium bear upon one of the company's servants was told to Mr. Justice Grantham. The action was brought by Mrs. Ann Humphreys, suing as the next friend of Frederick George Humphreys, at present confined in a lunatic asylum.

Mr. Dickens said that before the attack Humphreys, who had been in the employ of the company something like 20 years, was a perfectly healthy man, and was earting 25s a week as a sweeper. Ho was the sole support of his mother and a little niece, who had been left unprovided for. The company had had the bear—a brown Himalayan—some little time. Before Humphreys could be released from Bruin's clutches hot irons had to be brought into play. The man was severely hugged and pawed. His injuries had been sustained while endeavouring to protect an old man who was in the building. Richard Landerman, the trainer of the boxing kangaroo, described the bear as a very powerful, good-looking animal. Sometimes it was kind and sometimes it was fierce. He could never trust it. On one occasion he was wrestling with it when he slipped, and the bear kopt him down for ten minutes, trying to maul and bite him. On October 24, 895, 110 was sent for by Mr. Ritchie, and was informed the animal was loose. He searched for it, and found it in a lavatory. Eventually he got the animal to its cage. Mr. Landerman said the bear had immense strength, and witness suggested that from his hole he was able to force the sliding door outward with such power that the cord was snapped. In his opinion the wholo cage was unsafe. He had three times seen the bear on the point of getting out. On another occasion the bear nearly got out of the front door of the cage—not the sliding partition, but the door where witness entered. There was a bolt outside, and a •man was placed there by the management to undo it when he heard Landerman knock. On this occasion witness knocked, and the man outside didn't open it because he was so nervous. The result was that ho had to slip round one side and the bear after him, so that he bad great troublo in getting out, and the bear nearly escaped. Mr. Atkinson put it to witness that Humphreys went alone towards the boar with only a broom, and asked witness whether ho did not think that a foolish thing to do. Witness replied that a man might risk his life to save others. It would, no doubt, have been wiser for a number, of men to have met him together. It was a brave thing to do what Humphreys did. Re-examined : Ho was wrestling with the bear twico a day for five months in the cage, so that he know its condition.

Harriet' Hoars, 11 barmaid ab the Aquarium, also gave evidence of the boar's escapo. She lied for safety to the theatre and called la the man at the staff door that the bear was loose. She closed the iron door of the theatre after her. Slio heard Humphreys moaning and groaning. Henry Stubbing, head attendant at Hoxton Houfo Asylum, said Humphreys was still in the habit of calling out to the attendants to keop the animal oft' him. Mr. Tindai Atkinson, for the defendants, said they had overy sympathy for the plaintiff, but, lie denied that they were liable for all the results of this accident, brought about, he suggested, by the plaintiff's own fault.

Dr. Forbes Winslow and Dr. Edward George Younger, another specialist in brain disease, formerly medical officer at Hanwell, gave evidence in support of the theory that plaintiff might get cured. Frodorick Alduin, gas engin-or at the Aquarium, was talking to Humphreys opposite the cage when he heard Jones, the bear attendant, shout, and saw the boar come out with a sort of a snort.

Mr. Addison : Where did Jones go to? Witness: I don't know; 1 think lie vanished through the floor. (Laughter.) The bear came out, looked round, and walked vory deliberately to the refreshment bar. (Laughter.) He looked frightened, as though he would like to go back to his cage. Air. Justice Grantham ! Well, I suppose there was nothing to provunc him, was there? (Laughter.) Witness slid that when Humphreys saw tho hoar lie said, " Oh, this is nil right. See me go for htm." Witness said, " Don't be a fool; stay where you are." However, lie went, and witness hoard him calling for help. Mr. Aitkinson : What did you do ? I stayed where I was. (Laughter.) Witness said that three other men attacked the bear, which went into the lavatory, where it was locked in till Landonnati came, and got it back to the cage. Witness told Mr. Dickons that he thought if tho bear hail been left alone he would have gone and played with tho tables and chairs at the refreshment bar.

His Lordship: There was a young lady there. (Laughter.) Witness: He couldn't have got at the drink, bccause it was locked up. He added that lie didn't think there was any wickedness about the bear until tho so-called Professor Landerman started to train it. (Laughtor.) The jury found for the plaintiff, and awarded £500 damages.