BULL ESCAPES

Hokitika Guardian, 26 July 1928, Page 4

BULL ESCAPES

WANDERS INTO WHARF SHED. FURIOUS CHARGES AT CAPTORS. WELLINGTON, July 24. At about 10.30 this morning a bull escaped from tlie Tliorndon railway yards. The animal, a magnificentlybuilt, jet-black Polled Angus, proceeded across the Tliorndon reclamation to the waterfront and on to the Pipitea wharf where ho entered a shed, and the doors were promptly- closed. The question next arose as to how he v. as to be returned to the cattle yards, and there were few volunteers to carry out the obvious procedure of entering ant fixing a rope to the bull’s neck. Final-ly-.it .was resolved to call for the assistance of the wharf police, and in re- j spouse to the call Detective Tricklehank took charge of matters, while j Sergeant Duke was also on hand. About fifty- persons gathered in the shed to watch the contest, hut Air Tricklohank received more advice than assistance when he set out to lassoo the beast. He first attempted to meet the hull on equal terms on the floor of the shed, hut it \vas soon seen that that method of attack had small chance of success. More often than not the offensive, was assumed by the animal and frequently it was only a friendly pillar that saved the toreador froyn being charged down. The spectators also received their share of attention and when the bull charged in their direction it was a case of sauve qui pent—and tlie hull take the hindmost —as they scaled the walls to safety. The second plan adopted, and the one which eventually proved successful, was to suspend Mr Tricklebank in a basket attached to the chain of a travelling crane. The hardest part was not yet done, however, and the building of the nnimyl, the short neck and absence of horns, made it extremely difficult to get the rope to stayin position once it had been thrown over the animal’s head. It took fully half an hour before the bull was thrown and by that time it was infuriated beyond measure- and presented a picture of rage, with its bloodshot eyes glaring from side to side, its hide flecked with bjood from its snorting nostrils, and its sides heaving with the laboured breathing following violent charging about the shed. When there were no men to claim his attention lie pawed restlessly on the floor of the shed, and occasionally gave vent to a bellow of pain, ns lie slipped to liis knees on the hard, ciiT-fnne

It was only a matter of time, however, before the rope was pulled tight while around his neck, and the crane was then called into commission to 1 ft the heavy animal off his Icet, after which it was a comparatively simple matter to truss him up so as to render him helpless. A tree ride hack to the yards from which he set out concluded the hull’s adventure.