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Show ELEPHANT EDUCATION. Mr. Stewart Craven, professional elephant trainer, was found in Planters' House last evening by a Globe-Democrat reporter. Mr. Craven is forty-five years of age, rather tall and slightly built, has black hair slightly sprinkled with gray, and a full beard, in which the gray shows more plainly. His eyes are quick and keen, as would be supposed his business requires. He thoroughly understands the elephant nature, and as will be seen in the following interview, believes in kindness in the government of his huge pupils. "Mr. Craven," asked the reporter, "how long have you been in the business of elephant training?" "Twenty-seven years. I commenced with Van Amburg's menagerie when a boy, and have trained all the prominent elephants that have since been exhibited." "Tell me about some of them." "Well, to begin with, there was Tippo Saib that I trained for Van Amburg. He was always good-natured, and was really the finest elephant ever in this country. He was very kind in disposition, docile and intelligent. He had a pair of splendid tusks. He has been dead for some twelve years. Then came Romeo and Juliet. I trained that couple for Maybee. They were afterward with Dan. (Daniel) Rice and Forepaugh." "Wasn't Romeo a bad elephant?" "He was occasionally bad natured. In his native country he killed two of his keepers and he killed Bill Williams at Attleboro. Williams had not good judgment, or he never would have lost his life in the way he did. I knew Romeo well, and if he had been properly handled he would never have become so bad." "What other elephants have you handled?" "The next lot I trained were the five London elephants. I trained them when with the London show, nine or ten years ago. Then I trained seven for Forepaugh in 1876. He has lost two of the lot and has added others. Young Forepaugh is a smart trainer and will make a good one in time. He got his first instruction from me." "Have you trained any lately?" "Last winter I trained twelve for Cooper & Bailey at Philadelphia. They are so superior to anything of the kind yet seen, having a military drill, an improved pyramid, a tight-rope walker, and a clown elephant." "Your rule is kindness, I understood you to say." "Yes, kindness; but still you must be firm. As a general rule kindness will go further than punishment." "Are these huge beasts as intelligent as claimed?" "They have a wonderful memory and are very intelligent. Last spring Hebe, as you probably know, had a baby elephant at Philadelphia. She displayed a vast fund of motherly affection and solicitude. I was present at the accouchement. It was the only baby elephant born in Europe or America, or, in short, in any locality outside of the native country of these animals." "What is the period of gestation?" "Twenty months and twenty days. ??? Can't Read ??? established last winter." "Is your home in Philadelphia, Mr. Craven?" asked the reporter." "No, sir; in Dallas, Texas, where I have a large farm and stock business. There is some prospect of my going to the native country of the elephant and selecting specimens for this country. You see the people are just waking up to the capabilities of the elephantine education. I don't think there is any limit to be set to their training capabilities." "Another curious thing," continued Mr. Craven, "is the affection that exists between elephants. I will give you an instance. Last year in Niles, Mich. (Michigan), the ring of the circus was in soft ground. In forming the pyramid Hebe formed the top. The great weight concentrated in a few feet caused the supports to totter, and they were ready to fall. The other elephants, seeing her danger, came to her aid and eased her fall to the ground so that she escaped uninjured. I think the others were especially careful of Hebe all through the season, as they knew her to be enceinte. In danger they will almost always rush to one another's protection." "Hebe has become somewhat noted?" "Yes, her baby has given her much notoriety. She is remarkably intelligent. Once, for punishment, I tied a female elephant, called Queen, with her head to a beam in a very uncomfortable position. Happening soon after to look around I saw Hebe trying hard to untie the knot and let her down." "They occasionally got loose, I suppose?" "Yes, An amusing circumstance once happened in Keokuk. Romeo got loose in the night. It was a dry time and he needed water. He stepped into the garden patch of an old Irish woman and made short work of her cabbage. In a little back shanty the old lady had a barrel of soft-soap. Romeo reached in, found the soap, and proceeded to bathe himself with it. Further investigation revealed to the enterprising brute a barrel of flour, with which, he covered himself. About this time the old lady discovered her unwelcome guest and her fright was awful. She thought the "devil" had come for her, sure. I pacified her, paid for her garden and other damage, and Romeo and I went to the creek, where he took a good bath, being already soaped." "Romeo had a bad temper, if I remember right?" "He was subject to spells. Once, in Chicago, he got loose, knocked his keeper senseless under the benches, and freeing his mate, Juliet, they began to mash everything they could reach in the building. This was some years ago, before the fire, and the amphitheater was just opposite the Court House. The enraged couple went into the street, which was soon deserted, as the elephants "went for" everything they could see - men, horses or anything else. The police became alarmed and the people excited. Unfortunately I had gone to the theater and had neglected to say which one. It was nearly 11 o'clock when I arrived and learned of the trouble. They were in the street, holding possession. I had been away from them for two weeks, and did not know what his temper was then, but I went to Juliet and got her in with no trouble. Then I had to tackle Romeo. I stood in the door and called him. He was in the street chasing everybody he could see, and the way those Chicago people vanished upstairs was a caution. As soon as he heard my voice and located it he came for me like an avalanche. I had just time to make the door and ran through a little dressing-room. He came into the building trumpeting with rage, and stood in the center looking for me. The weather was very cold and I purposely left the door open to chill him. After half an hour's freezing, I showed myself up on the side of the building where he could not reach me. I threw him a loaf of bread, but he was too mad to eat. After a while he began to chill and become more tractable. I then ordered him on to his own side of the building. He went. Then I ordered him to kneel, which he obeyed, and we had the chains on him pretty quick." "Was no one injured?" "Not at the time, though there were some wonderful escapes of citizens. In Philadelphia, in the same way, he turned on a keeper. He died of injuries received in punishment for his misdeeds at a later visit to Chicago. His skeleton is now in a museum in that city." "They know what they are being punished for, do they?" "Yes, just as well as a child. If there were no bad keepers there would be no bad elephants." - St. (Saint) Louis Globe- Democrat. |