TORN TO PIECES BY LIONS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1665, 27 January 1904, Page 27

TORN TO PIECES BY LIONS.

LADY TAMER’S TRAGIC DEATH,

HER 1000th PERFORMANCE,

Unannounced and unexpected, Mm el Fischer, a well-known lion-tamer, has made her last appearance in the lions’ den of a menagerie at Dessau, Germany, on the 7th December. A single stroke from the terrible paw of a savage old African lion laid her' low, and she died in the presence of her three children — aged nine, seven, and six years—after a heroic attempt had been made to save her life. Mine, Fischer was a pretty blonde of medium height. On the fatal night she entered tho lions’ den in a low-necked evening dress, and wore dainty white .shoes, heir appearance denoting anything but her calling. CUNNING AND STUBBORN. Amidst breathless excitement the intrepid lady commenced her exhibition. At first all ten . lions performed their flicks obediently, but towards tlie end of flip display a savage old African refused to jump through a: paper ring. _ Mm©i Fischer struck him with her whip, but finding him still stubborn stowered blow after blow upon the animal’s head. Infuriated by the chastisement, tine animal sprang upon Mane. Fischer, and dealt her a terrifio blow with one of hie huge paws, splitting open her skull. No sooner had this happened than the remaining nine lions, smelling blood, fell! upon the body of the unfortunate woman* and tore it to pieces, amid fierce roars. ENGLISHMAN TO THE RESCUE. The tragedy was enacted with such rapidity that effective interference oni behalf of Mine. Fischer was impossible.' But, with a promptness which, under tho circumstances, was. extraordinary, an English liontamer, named Smith, sprang to the lady’s rescue. Armed with an iron bar, lie entered the cage, and with great daring attacked the ten infuriated, bloodthirsty beasts. The scene was terrible. The horrified spectators expected every moment to see tho would-be recucr fall a second victim to the fury of the forest kings. Several keepers fetched iron bars and prodded the animals from the outside. Howls of animal rage rent the air. Smith fought like a demon; Mine. Faseher lay dead. It was an awful picture; one man fighting for dear life against ten infuriatetd lions over a woman’s torn, and lifeless body. Tlie Englishman faced the wild beasts with unflinching courage, and parried their dangerous blows with perfect coolness. Then hie belaboured them with Ids bar, driving them into a- corner, where he held them eowod until two keepers removal Mine. Fischer mangled remains. Then lie escaped. Many women fainted, and there was ® mad rush for the exits when the unfortunate woman was struck down, so that Smith’s remarkable escape was witnessed by comparatively few people. Mine. Fischer was thirty years 0? age, and had been married ten yeans. This was her thousandth public performance with lions in a cage, and; unlike most other nnamebrs of h©r profession, she entertained a strong aversion to the life, and counted the days to the time when her large earning’s would enable her to retire.