MAULED BY A TIGER.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12765, 11 April 1910, Page 1

MAULED BY A TIGER.

A terrible scene was witnessed jn Cinicelli's, the principal circus at St. Petersburg whoro a group of performing tigers was presented by their trainer ,11 err lleindrichsen.

Their sho-.v was given in a eagej erected in the middle of the arena, and the most exciting incident each I evening was the trainer's encounter with Caesar, one of the largest tigers over exhibited in a European circus. Caesar was admitted into the cage, after the rest of the performance, and invariably made for Herr Heindrichsen, who succeeded in interposing a heavy table or stool between himself and the boast, and after avoiding the blows of the latter' s paws, eventually scared it hack into its box by firing a succession of blank revolver cartridges. At the evening's performance Caesar, after being released from his box by the "circua attendants, bounded straight at Herr Heindriohsen and pinned him to the ground, after a blow from its paw on the trainer's right leg. Cries of horror arose from the publio, but Herr. Heindrichsen kept his. presence of mind and fired at the tigers foot with his revolver, which was loaded with blank cartridges! With the first discharge he missed the tiger and burned himself on the leg, but subsequently his aim was more sure, and the tiger released hold of him. He continued firing, as did the attendants in the ring outside the cage, and the tiger, after severa.l moments of the most tense .anxiety, slowly backed into its box. Th© shutter was immediately closed, and Herr Heindrichsen, amid tumultous ap-

plausc from the alarmed audience, limped into tho main arena. There lie collapsed into tho arms of the attendants, and was afterwards taken on an ambulance to the German Hospital, where he was fouiid to bo badly mauled.