Democratic Sentinel, Volume 2, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 June 1878 — A Infuriated Elephant. [ARTICLE]

A Infuriated Elephant.

There was a dreadful scene here on Tuesday afternoon, when a very large mad elephant ran through the station and killed half a dozen persons. The elephant belonged to the Bajah of Vizianagram, and was brought here from Benares by a wealthy Mohammedan on the occasion of the marriage of a relative of his. The animal was, as the mahout reports, kept in the sun, overworked and not properly rationed during its journey. The mahout states that he asked for some money for medicine from his master, who ordered payment of 4 annas or so, which he declined to receive. There were a couple of men on the howdah, and the mahout was on the shoulders of the elephant when it ran away. The riders got free of the animal by catching hold of the branches of trees by which it passed. The mahout remained for some time on its back, and tried his best to keep it in check, but when he saw it was impossible for him to control the animal ne jumped from its back. The brute killed six persons and injured two. One of the deceased climbed-up a bamboo tree in his endeavor to escape, but the animal uprooted the tree, the man fell to the ground and the elephant killed him on the spot. At 8 o’clock in the evening the elephant turned toward the Government treasury and the Beserve Police lines. Some of the Sepoys, leaving their charpoys, climbed up the mango trees, and some bolted toward tbe English quarters. Continuing its mad career, the elephant entered the compound of Mrs. Cooke’s bungalow, now occupied by Mr. Nicholson, SubDeputy Opium Agent, who fired and hit the animal on the head. This made it more furious, and it endeavored to enter the room occupied by Mr. Nicholson and his brother. Seeing the elephant in the veranda he fired again, hitting it on the trunk, and blood poured profusely from the wound. The animal was at large until next morning, when it was with great difficulty secured with chains by the mahout and several others.— Bombay {lndia) Gazette.