This day in history: Topsy was a female Asian elephant who was electrocuted at Coney Island, New York, on this day in 1903. Topsy was one of the performing elephants in the Forepaugh Circus and had gained a reputation as a "bad" elephant, especially after killing a spectator in 1902. Some claim she also killed up to three other people during her excited episodes.
As a result, Topsy was executed by poisoning, electrocution, and strangulation. A 74-second film of the electrocution was recorded and preserved. It may have been the first time death was ever captured in a motion picture film.
"Her handlers originally planned to hang her for her behavior – and charge admission for civilians to witness the event – but the SPCA prevented this method, claiming it was too inhumane. Instead, on January 4, 1903, Topsy was executed on Coney Island via electric shock. Since such a feat had never before been attempted on an elephant, the event drew a sizable crowd to the newly opened Luna Park." Source
Twelve years later, another "bad" elephant was executed in America. Mary, also known as "Murderous Mary", was a five-ton Asian elephant who performed in the Sparks World Famous Shows circus. After killing Red Eldridge, a keeper on his second day at work in Kingsport, Tennessee in 1916, she was hanged in nearby Erwin.
A contemporary newspaper account, from the Johnson City Staff, said that Mary "collided its trunk vice-like about [Eldridge's] body, lifted him 10 feet in the air, then dashed him with fury to the ground... and with the full force of her beastly fury is said to have sunk her giant tusks entirely through his body. The animal then trampled the dying form of Eldridge as if seeking a murderous triumph, then with a sudden... swing of her massive foot hurled his body into the crowd."
Most accounts indicate that she calmed down afterwards and did not charge the onlookers, who began chanting "Kill the elephant! Let's kill it." Within minutes, local blacksmith Hench Cox tried to kill Mary, firing five rounds with little effect. Meanwhile, the leaders of several nearby towns threatened not to allow the circus to visit if Mary was included. The circus owner, Charlie Sparks, reluctantly decided that the only way to quickly resolve the potentially ruinous situation was to kill the wounded elephant in public. On the following day, a foggy and rainy September 13, 1916, Mary was transported by rail to Unicoi County, Tennessee, where a crowd of over 2,500 people (including most of the town's children) assembled in the Clinchfield Railroad yard.
The elephant was hanged by the neck from a railcar-mounted industrial derrick between four o'clock and five o'clock that afternoon. The first attempt resulted in a snapped chain, causing Mary to fall and break her hip as dozens of children fled in terror. The severely wounded elephant died during a second attempt and was buried beside the tracks. A veterinarian examined Mary after the hanging and determined that she had a severely infected tooth in the precise spot where Red Eldridge had prodded her.
No comments:
Post a Comment