Lion tamer

LION-TAMING. - A shocking occurrence took place at Bolton to-day, when a lion-tamer, named Massarti, was worried to death in a den of lions. Massarti was going through a performance, about half-past ten, with five male lions, when one of the lions struck him with its paw, and he fell upon one knee. He turned round and struck at it with a sword he had in his hand, when another lion placed its paw upon his legs, holding him down, and tearing the leopard’s skin from his breast. Four of the lions then attacked him, but Massarti kept cool, and struck at them with his sword. They knocked him to the other end of the caravan, when Massarti fired his revolver, which was loaded with blank cartridge, three times among them. While this was going on the greatest excitement prevailed among the spectators, who greatly retarded the authorities in their efforts to rescue the lion-tamer. This was an extra performance, and it had not been deemed requisite to prepare hot irons, as is customary, before Massarti entered the den. Irons were heated, however, but nearly ten minutes elapsed before the man could be got out. He was frightfully mangled, the back part of his scalp being torn away, and lumps of flesh bitten out of his thighs. He raised his head to show that he was still alive, and remarked on his way to the infirmary that “he was done for.” He died almost directly he was admitted to that institution.