Altoona, PA (near) Circus Train Wrecks, May 1893

TIGERS SET LOOSE.

FATAL AND SENSATIONAL DISASTER IN PENNSYLVNIA.

SIX MEN KILLED, SEVEN BADLY HURT AND THE WILD ANIMALS UNCAGED AND MANY KILLED AND WOUNDED -- LIONS, TIGERS AND HYENAS ABROAD, BUT MOST OF THEM RECAPTURED -- THE OWNER OF THE SHOW SUFFERS A LOSS OF $100,000.

Altoona, Pa., May 31. -- The wreck of the train carrying W. L. MAIN'S circus was in many of its features one of the most sensational disasters that ever occurred on the rail. There is in the first place a total of six killed to make the accident a tragic one and several others seriously wounded.
The killed are:
FRANK CRANE, circus employe, Indianapolis.
WILLIAM LOCK, Newport, Ky.
J. STRAYER, Hontzdale, Pa.
WILLIAM MULTAINER, Gainesville, O.
WILLIAM HEVERLY, brakeman, Tyrone, Pa.
an Unknown Man.
Those seriously hurt are:
WILLIS O. BANNON.
DAVID JONES.
FRANK MORSE.
WILLIAM EVANS.
WILLIAM E. PATCHELL.
JAMES WILLIAM HANEY.
LOUIS CHAMPAIGN
All are residents of this state and New York. Many others were slightly hurt.

A Terrible Time With The Animals.
But the novel features of the wreck were those supplied by the animals, of which there were a large number. They all got out of their cages and many were wounded. Two sacred oxen were killed to put them out of their misery. A tiger killed a cow of ALFRED THOMAS, a farmer. THOMAS killed the tiger with a rifle. Three lions escaped, but one was captured immediately. Another was lassoed and tied to a tree, biting the lassoer, JAMES CHAMBERS, severely on the hand. The other lion is at large, but is the quietest of the three.

A Tiger Somewhere In The Woods.
A tiger, water buffalo, hyena, bear, alligators, and a large collection of snakes got away, but were captured. The elephants and camels were uninjured. A black panther, silver tiger, a lot of monkeys and valuable birds are at large. Almost every ring horse was killed. The total number of horses killed is forty-nine, with all the others cut and bruised. MR. MAIN estimates the loss at $100,000. The cars were sixty-five feet long, and built last year. The show was said to be the third best 3-ring circus on the road.

Caught A Big Anaconda.
All the killed and injured except CRANE and HEVERLY were helpers around the circus and cook tents. The snake charmer caught one of his big anacondas in the bushes. The scene at the wreck is a doleful one. Cars, wagons and chariots are smashed into firewood. The circus people are now encamped at the scene of the wreck. The neighborhood is greatly alarmed about the wild animals at large but the show people say there is no need for fear. It took two hours hard work to reach CRANE, who was buried in the ruins of the ticket wagons. He was conscious to the end, but died as soon as released.

Davenport Daily Leader Iowa 1893-05-31
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!