The Tiger
A crowd numbering hundreds had gathered near the Ratcliffe Highway, to watch the wonders of Charles Jamrach’s Exotic Menagerie Perform. Little did we know of the horrors to come when a tiger escaped the confines of its cage and made its way onto the Ratcliffe Highway where it proceeded to attack and murder a young boy.
It appeared that the animal broke loose from its den about half-past seven o’clock, and found into a crowd frozen in abject horror.
First, a large mastiff dog roared at the tiger, which he instantly attacked, striking the dog on the back with his paw and crushing him with a single blow, and seizing the poor animal with his teeth threw him into the air. The dog fell lifeless on the ground, and the tiger then continued to amuse himself with the carcase for some time, as people started running away in fear, then it leapt upon a poor boy, mauling him in a most gruesome way. This until a man, bolder than the rest, Mr Sinclair Oliver, advanced towards the scene and took hold of the Tigre with a mighty grip.
The tiger fought back, roaring tremendously.
The mob, which had kept at a respectful distance while the animal was at liberty, now advanced; but although the beast was under some restraint, it struggled violently, and made use of its forepaws. One man, an Irish coal-whipper, who got too near, had his cheek torn open and his belly severely lacerated. So great was the curiosity of the populace, that the police had great difficulty in keeping them beyond the reach of danger! and some foolhardy, half-drunken ballast-getters and coal-whippers were with some difficulty, restrained from making an attack upon the tiger, as Mr Oliver struggled to subdue it fully.
The keepers of Wombwell’s menagerie were soon apprised by the police and brought ropes, which they fastened around the now unconscious tiger’s neck, and brought him back to the security behind iron bars.
The hero, Mr Sinclair Oliver, a name well known to the readers of this newspaper as the Adventurer extraordinary explained that he had known how to handle such a beast due to having learned the ancient techniques from the Savage Maasai tribe, found in the dark heart of Africa.
He beseeched you all to not think of him as a hero, but rather a simple Englishman doing what any man of the Empire should do when facing danger and hope such an act would inspire others to act with bravery, in times of need.
"A new century has dawned, and we must all aspire to become more than we have been the past."
This newspaper can only applaud the man, and join him in asking for donations to the mauled boy, Noah Claypole and his family.
