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SENSATIONAL CIRCUS INCIDENT.

—Zi — » AUDIENCE GREATLY EXCITED. t The following are further details from ChTjhjtqhurqhV anent the attack by a bear : — A sensational incident occurred at the first performance by Wirths' , circus," which opened here on Monday evening iv the King : Edward Barracks. All" went well until towards the end of the second turn, an act m which a young man named' Syd. Rose made a dog, a, goat, a lion, a lioness, aiid a bear perform. >■ The first-named animals went through their , business well. The lion and iioness were fed ,with meat from a fork, and the bear ate: its meat 1 from the trainer's mouth, its jaws almost touching Ms lips. Then the lions went to their accustomed places on platforms a feY feet above the trainer's head. He took tlie bear, by a fore leg and led him for a promenade. They were halfway round the cage when the bear hit suddenly with its free paw. The man went down with the bear above him,, its teeth fixed m his arm. While they were on the 'floor of the cagethe ajtimal; savaged him, while the man held on to the collar, about the beast's* neck' < so that it might not have a chance to get full play M-ith its -dreadful- claws. The lions sat aloft watching the struggle and taking- no *part> m- it. Mr .G. Wirth, who was near^ was the first* to act. He seized a great billet of wood and rushed ■ into the arena. He. struck the bear one*: f on the head, and then lost -his weapon. -; A menagerie, hand had followed him ; armed with an iron 'bar,.- ■'" As he belabored the beast, Herr 'Schmidt,' trainer of the polar bears, camo to the fight .'with a heavy pitchfork-. At the, same time a half-caste entered the cage, _ and beat the beast with a piece of piping. Ready hands drew the trainer, out. The lions still sat aloft snarling,, but? offering to take no part m the -brawling. The bear was beaten to his cage, and, the lions, who had come down from their high places, to their dens., ,• .4, The* wounded trainer meanwhile' was beiri^ given first aid,}, two nurses, iwho: were; jn. /the raudi? ence*' assisting. While the bear was being beaten for its guilt, its victim was being taken to., the !.'.b^pjt|jvv Amongst the audience there was great excitement. Women shrieked and shuddered where they sat, men rushed Ito wards the cage, which was already fliawiunded/by niStty circus hands, and .there was some difficulty ih clearing- them- away. The sight was o, sickening one, but the spectators realised that theynvere safe, and there was,, nothing approaching, a ; panic; Rose, the injured man, is a native of Christchurch, and has been with the show- for -eight- -years. He had trained the animals. The- bear had not performed since; the circus was at Inver-caivyill, and on Monday afternoon Mr G. Wirth asked Rose whether he desired a rebearsal. Rose replied } that it was _ not necessary. The .animal; /an American Drizzly, boar, lhad sheen with the < show practically all its life. 'It had never been a vicious brute, but was* always uncertain, . and needed - careful • .watching. Rose's injuries 'iproved to he lihuted'. A> . wounds about tlie arm' and thigh, the latter beings deep ' cuts. ■ «.' He had • also heavy * scratches; tabout .jbhe .body. No vital spot had been; tquched, and Ins injuries \yere,)Bcarcely dangerous m themThe programme V , was gone

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/PBH19120110.2.93

Bibliographic details

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12657, 10 January 1912, Page 9

Word Count
575

SENSATIONAL CIRCUS INCIDENT. Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12657, 10 January 1912, Page 9

SENSATIONAL CIRCUS INCIDENT. Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12657, 10 January 1912, Page 9

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