MAULED BY LION

Evening Star, Issue 21746, 14 June 1934, Page 9

MAULED BY LION

TRAGEDY AT ZOD A " 808 " BET AND ITS RESULT Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, Juno 13. (Deceived June 14, at 12.15 p.m.) The tragic story of a shilling bet-and its acceptance was told at the inquest on Stanley Stenson. Horace Myhill, of London, related that Stenson offered if his (Myhill’s) hat fell in the cage to letch it for £SOO. “ I replied: 1 Bet you a bob.’ ” Myhill admitted that ho threw in bis hat, which fell near the lion. “ Suddenly I saw Stenson inside the rails. A lion sprang and gripped him. I went in and held Stenson’s arm, but was eventually forced to let go.” The Coroner, in returning a verdict of misadventure, expressed the opinion that the fencing / should be reinforced to prevent repetition of such foolish tricks. [A previous message stated: —When a friend’s hat blew into the lions’ cage at the Whipsnade Zoo , Stanley Stenson, a van driver employed by the zoo, climbed the barrier, crawled along the interior railings, and attempted to reach the hat. Four lions sprang and seized his arm. Several men tried to free him, but the lions were infuriated by the blood and maintained their grip. One wrenched Stenson from the hands of the rescuers. He fell head first 17ft to the concrete floor of the pit, and the lions began mauling him. Keepers rushed to the sceno and kept two of the lions at bay with poles, but were compelled to fire revolvers before the others were driven off. A knot of spectators, among whom were fainting and screaming women, watched horrified as the keepers compelled the snarling beasts to retreat.]