WOMAN KILLED BY A LION.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXII, Issue 8964, 4 November 1907, Page 1

WOMAN KILLED BY A LION.

A woman named Hncko was attacked at Pittsburg by a large TSTiimidian lion from a travelling menagerie, and died later. The lady’s lung was penetrated by the tooth of the lion, and several ot her ribs were broken. The beast had been in captivity only a short time, and was very savage. An attempt had been made to tame him, but was abac - doned and the lion was used as a free attraction in front of the. show. A lecturer was telling about the untamed lion when the animal threw his weight against the iron bars of his cage and got loose. The brute sprang towards the crowd, and alighting by Mrs Hucke, brushing her with sufficient force to throw her to the ground. Then, with one blow of his paw, he crushed every rib of the woman’s right side, and, before anyone could interefere, sank his teeth into her hip, tearing out a piece of fish. Policeman Downey came to the rescue and fired a revolver shot at the lion, hitting him in the side. The brute thou turned on Downey, who fired more shots and also used his club vigorously. The lion finally abandoned Downey, cleared a path through the horrorstricken crowd, and rushed up a long flight of stairs to the music pavilion. Meanwhile other ."policeman, armed with big revolvers and clubs, appeared. A dozen of them shoulder to shoulder advanced bravely' to the attack, emptying their revolvers. But the bullets were of small calibre and had little effect, and it was not until .100 shots had been fired and plans for getting the local militia into action had been discussed that the lion, riddled with bullets, toppled over dead. While the fight was in progress the people wore in a state of panic, and many women fainted.