A Lion Loose.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6898, 9 February 1894, Page 4

A Lion Loose.

A lion belonging to Bostwick's Australian circus, New York, broke from his cage m a barn at the corner of Eighteenth street lately. Everyone fled from the building m terror, and the keeper fastened up the doors. As soon as the furious animal got loose he tore a horse — fortunately the only one m the stable — to pieces. Raging with fury, the blood of the mangled horse dripping from his paws, the lion kept possession of the stable for hours. His roars were heard through several blocks, and the streets m the vicinity of the stable were filled with people. A squad of police, armed with revolvers, arrived early on the scene, and several men were soon busy barricading the doors to prevent the animal breaking into the street. The keeper, a man named Dustock, accompanied by his wife and son, had, it is stated, arrived for the purpose of transferring the lion to a waggon,- to convey him to the Central Park. It was while being transferred that the animal sprang from his cage and succeeded m getting free. Dustock pushed his wife and son up a ladder into the loft, and they had just succeeded m reaching the npper floor when the lion sprang against the ladder and knocked it down. Dustock then saw the animal made for the stall m the rear of the stable, where a valuable horse was kept. He crouched m front of the stall for an instant, and then sprang upon the back of the horse, buried his teeth m its neck, and afterwards tore the flesh to pieces and sucked the blood. Meanwhile, Dustock, his wife, and son, succeeded m effecting their escape from the building. Duatock some time afterwards re-entered the loft by the window, and descended to the ground floor, where he tried to frighten the lion by firing blank cartridges at it. The animal, inflamed apparently by the taste of blood, sprang at Dustock, and tore his right arm nearly otf. Several other men who had entered the loft with the keeper rußhed to the rescue, and lifted him into the loft. The lion made another spring at Dußtock, tearing his flesh badly. Eventually the man was taken down a ladder into the street, and it was found that his injuries were of a serious character. Other men entered the loft and spent several hours throwing sponges soaked with ammonia and chloroform down at the lion, hoping to render him insensible. The lion avoided them, and raged about the stable. At three o'clock a number of men armed with pitchforks and revolvers descended from the loft to endeavor to capture him. Shortly after, the lion-tamer named Boccaccio entered the room carrying a pitchfork. He fastened a piece of sponge saturated with nearly a quart of ammonia to a string, and swung the sponge down into the barn close by the lion's mouth, but he did not inhale the ammonia. The man then went down into the barn, and half-a-dozen additional blank shots were fired at the animal. This seemed to have the effect of maddening him, for he sprang with a ferocious growl upon Boccaccio, striking his fangs into the legs of his tamer. With the aid of his pitch-fork the man succeeded m getting to another corner of the barn. His leg was bleeding profusely. He endeavored to escape, but was unable to succeed. He dared not take his eyes off the lion for a moment, for he fully realised that that wonld probably mean his death. Boccaccio shouted to those above for revolvers. Two policeman who had been on guard all day promptly fastened their revolvers, fully loaded, to a string, and lowered them into the barn. Boccaccio, reluctant to shoot the animal except as a last resource, called to those outside that it was impossible to subdue tho lion as long as the carcase of the horse remained there. The tamer was anxious that that should be removed, but as that could only be done through the door, which was barred, bolted, and barricaded, no one would undertake the task. The policemen would not allow the door to be opened. At half-past five o'clock m the evening both man and beast were still circling about each, the man trying to escape, and none of the crowd daring to venture to his aid. The lion was bought from Mr Cross, of Liverpool. A couple of years ago he escaped from his cage m Birmingham, England, and then concealed himself m a sewer. So far as is known up to the present time, he has killed three men.