HORRIBLE AFFAIR.

Auckland Star, Volume I, Issue 202, 1 September 1870, Page 2

HORRIBLE AFFAIR.

THREE MEN KILLED BY LIONS

FOUR OTHERS TERRIBLY LACE

RATED

Ths unusually quiet little village of Yliddletown was thrown into a painful fcvei of excitement on the morning of May 12, by an awful catastrophe, which' occurred to the band lately attached to James Robinson and Co'.'s circus and animal show, and led by Professor M. C. Sexton.

Upon starting out from Cincinnati for tho seasou, the management determined to produce something novel in the way of a band chariot, and conceived the idea of mounting the band upon the colossal d<>n of performing Numidian lions, and which would'form one of the principal and most imposing features of the show.

ALTHOUGH kepeatf.dly warned By Professor Sexton that he deemed the cage insecure and dangerous in the extreme, the managers still persisted in compelling the band to ride upon it. Nothing, however, occurred unr.il the fatal morning of the 12th. The band took their places and the procession commenced to niYvc amid the shouts of the multitude of rustics who had assembled to witness the grand pageant, and hear the enliven ing strains of music, Not a thought of danger was entertained by any one ; but the awful catastrophe was about to occur. THE DRIVER LOSES CON.TROL OF THE TEAM. As the driver endeavoured to make a turn in the streets.the leitdergol entangled and threw the entire team in to confusion, and he lost control of them, and becoming frightened they broke, into a violent run. Upon the opposite side of the street the fore wheel of the cage came in contact with a large rock with such force as to cause the braces and stanchions which supported the roof to give way, thereby precipitating the entire band inlo the awful pit below. heart-rending scene. For an instant tie vase crowd were paralyzed with fear ; but for a moment, only, and then ai-ose such a shriek of agony as was never heard before. The awful groans of terror and agony which arose from the poor victims which were being torn and lacerated by the frightful monsters below, was heart-rending, and 3ickening to a terrible .degree. Every moment so.no one of the ban! would extricate themselves from the debris, and leap overthc side of the cage to the ground, with, a wild spring, and faint nway upon striking the earth, so great was their terror. But human nature could not stand and see men literally devoured before their very eyes, for there were williug hearts and strong arms ready to render every assistance necessary to rescue the unfortunate victims of this shocking calamity.

EXTRICATING THE DEAD AND WOUNDED

A hardware store which happened to be opposite, was invaded by the request of the noble heartsd proprietor, and pitchforks, crowbars, and long bars of iron, and in fact every available weapon was brought into requisition. The side doors of the cage were quickly torn from their fastenings, and then a terrible sight was presented to view. Mingled among the brilliant uniforms of the poor unfortunates, lay legs, arms, torn from their sockets and half devoured, while the savage brutes glared ferociously with their sickly green coloured eyes upon the petrified crowd. Professor Charles White arrived at this moment, and gave orders in regard to extricating the dead and wounded, he well knowing it would be a difficult and dangerous undertaking to remove them from the infuriated|monsters.

stationing men with forks and bars J' every available point, ho sprang fearlesslvA into the den amid (ho savasre monsters and commenced raising the wounded, and passing them upon the outside to their friends. He had succeeded in removing the. wounded and wag proceeding to Bather up the remains of the lifelpss, when the mammoth lion, known to showmen as old Nero, sprang with a frightful roar upon his keeper, fastening bis teeth and claws in him, in his neck and shoulders lacerating him in a fearful manner. p ro .' fessor White made three herculean efforts to shake the monster off, but without avail, and gave orders to fire upon him.

THE NAMES OF THE VICTIMS,

The contents of four of Colt's navies were immediately poured'into the carcass of the ferocious animal, and he fell dead • and the brave little man notwithstanding the fearful manner in which he was wounded, never left the cage until every vestige of the dead were carefully gathered together and placed upon a sheet preparatory for burial. Tt was found that three of the ten who mounted tho cage a short, time before were killed outright, and four others terribly lacerated. Tho names of the killed are August Shoer' Conrad Freeiz, and Charles Greiner. Coffins were procured and an immediate '-mrial determined upon, as the bodies werf* so frisrlitfullv torn and lacerated as to be unrecognizable to their mo<_ 'intimate f'-lend'.. Tt was a nvlincholy day rnr Mirldh'town, a*'d a s"dder day fir the friends and companions of'he deceased. A noLTO.Y TURNED TO \ DAY OF M 'HBNING.

iff all that vast multitude who started out in tho morning with anticipations of a <rlnd holiday few left for their homes with dry eyes after the triple funeral—for the enlire community followed the remains to the quiet little cemetery. At midnightthe eareLiss of n slain beast was quietly buried-i. on the lot where was intended to be given 1 the exhibition, but was iiev-r accomplished! 1 There is a terrible responsibility resting ."' upon some one, which should be thorough- i lv investigated and the guilty parties be '"•routrht to a quick rmd speedy punishment, The lions sr« the same ones which nearly O t Prof. Charles White his life twoyears a.o while travelling with the Thayer and v oyes party, and were known tobeavery dangerous casre of animals. Every attention i-< being given to the sufferers by the kind and hospitable citizens of Middletown, and it is to be hoped they will soon recover from their wounds, and at last accounts they were all pronounced out of danger.