AFFRAY BETWEEN A MAN AND AN ELEPHANT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1121, 3 January 1884, Page 3

AFFRAY BETWEEN A MAN AND AN ELEPHANT.

One of the cases before the mayor yesterday morning, of more than ordinary interest, was that of Rufus Reed (colored), who was charged with an affray with Sell’s little elephant, and the facts brought out on the trial proved that the fight between the elephant and the man was a severe one ; and, furthermore that the man whipped the elephant. Reed, ft ho is a tall, muscular, colored man, had been giving the elephant a few apples, handing it all except one, which he put in his vest pocket. While his Attention was turned the elephant reached out his trunk and, getting hold of Rufus’ pocket, tried to pull the apple out, tearing the vest nebrly off before the wearer’s attention was turned to the elephant’s prank. Seizing the elephant’s trunk (“ snoot” Reed called it), he tried to wrench his vest and the apple away from it but the elephant drew big trunk away from Reeds hands, and swinging it around, gave Reed a terrible blow on the side of the head. Reed drew back and felled the elephant to the ground with a blow from his fist, delivered over the eye. The elephant’s keeper then attacked Reed, and Reed knocked him down. In the meantime the elephant had regained his legs, and gave Reed another blow on the side. Reed was now thoroughly exasperated, and actually knocked the elephant over ou its back and then left the tent. As the elephant had left the city and could not appear in court the mayor took Reed’s statement and let him off lightly, feeling that the elephant deserved the flogging. Reed is a power-fully-built man, and is something of a giant in proportions. He is the man who had the fight with the bear, in which the bear was killed, at Lowcl some months ago. His fight with the elephant was witnessed by a number of our citizens.—Charlotte Journal Observer.