Columbia Basin Institute of Regional History (CBIRH): 0469

"Charlie Ed" At Time of Capture

"Charlie Ed." on September 14th, 1926 at point of capture near Jim Smith Lake,approx 6 km SW of Cranbrook. Shown with the elephant are Ktunaxa trackers and Sells-Floto circus handlers.

Internal ID:	0469.0001
Medium:	Photograph
Date:	1926

"Charlie Ed." at Time of Capture

"Charlie Ed." on September 14th, 1926 at point of capture near Jim Smith Lake,approx 6 km SW of Cranbrook. Shown with the elephant are Ktunaxa trackers and Sells-Floto circus handlers.

Internal ID:	0469.0002
Medium:	Photograph
Date:	1926

Bringing Home Two Captured Elephants

Ktunaxa trackers and Sells-Floto elephant handlers bringing two of the escaped elephants back to the CPR stockyard corrals on August 7th, 1926 at 8:oo p.m. They are being led down the road to Wycliffe.

Internal ID:	0469.0003
Medium:	Photograph
Date:	1926

Bald Mt. Where the Elephant Hunt Took Place

This is believed to be a view of the area where "Charlie Ed." was captured on September 14th, 1926, just to the SW of Juim Smith Lake.

Internal ID:	0469.0004
Medium:	Photograph
Date:	1926

Circus Wagon

One of the caged wagons used for transporting portions of the menagerie between train cars and circus grounds. These wagons were brightly painted and brought a festive atmosphere to circus happenings.

Internal ID:	0469.0005
Medium:	Photograph
Date:	1926

The Elephant Herd

A portion of the Sells-Floto elephant herd being watered and cared for.

Internal ID:	0469.0006
Medium:	Photograph
Date:	1926

"Charlie Ed." and Circus Staff

The last of the escaped Sells-Floto cirfcus elephants, "Charlie Ed.", at point of capture near Jim Smith Lake on September 14th, 1926. Shown are several of the Sells-Floto officials and elephant handlers.

Internal ID:	0469.0007
Medium:	Photograph
Date:	1926

"Charlie Ed." and Circus Staff

The last of the escaped Sells-Floto circus elephants, "Charlie Ed.", at point of capture near Jim Smith Lake on September 14th, 1926. Shown are several of the Sells-Floto officials and elephant handlers.

Internal ID:	0469.0008
Medium:	Photograph
Date:	1926

Capture of "Charlie Ed."

The point of capture of "Charlie Ed.", the last of the Sells-Floto escaped elephants to be caught on September 14th, 1926. Both Ktunaxa trackers and Sells-Floto elephant handlers are seen in the picture.

Internal ID:	0469.0009
Medium:	Photograph
Date:	1926

Decoy Elephants

Two elephants, presumed to be Frieda and Trilby, from the Sells-Floto Circus herd staked out as decoys, probably for the capture of Myrtle out in the Jap Lake area SE of Cranbrook.

Internal ID:	0469.0010
Medium:	Photograph
Date:	1926

"Cranbrook Ed." At the Victoria Cafe

"Cranbrook Ed." after his baptismal, at the Victoria Cafe on Baker Street in Cranbrook, enjoying his last meal before departure. Left to right: Mr. J. Stewart, Sells-Floto Circus assistant-manager; elephant man; Misses Torgeson and Lobeter of the Victoria Cafe staff.

Internal ID:	0469.0011
Medium:	Photograph
Date:	1926

Elephants Just Captured

Two Sells-Floto Circus escaped elephants just captured at 7:00 p.m. on August 7th, 1926, at Cranbrook, B.C. They are on the road from Wycliffe into Cranbrook.

Internal ID:	0469.0012
Medium:	Photograph
Date:	1926

Death of Myrtle

Myrtle was found on September 10th in very poor condition from exposure. She either died from pneumonia or was put down by a rifle shot before she could be moved. The site is where she was finally located out near Moyie Mountain.

Internal ID:	0469.0013
Medium:	Photograph
Date:	1926

Death of Myrtle

Caption reads - "Myrtle Dead - You Are a Good Elephant Now." Myrtle was the second to last escaped Sells-Floto elephant to be captured at Cranbrook, September 10, 1926. She perhaps died of pneumonia or was put down by rifle fire because of her poor physical condition. This shows where she was found near the base of Moyie Mountain SE of Cranbrook.

Internal ID:	0469.0014
Medium:	Photograph
Date:	1926

Death of Myrtle - Lifting the Cape

After Myrtle's death she was skinned and her head and front feet were severed. The skull, lower jaw and left front foot ended up at the University of Alberta, Edmonton. The gentleman in the background doing the actual skinning is thought to be C.B. Garrett, Cranbrook taxidermist. A sample of Myrtle's skin is still preserved at the Canadian Museum of Rail Travel in Cranbrook.

Internal ID:	0469.0015
Medium:	Photograph
Date:	1926

"Cranbrook Ed." Departing

"Cranbrook Ed." entering the CPR baggage car that would take him from the Cranbrook stockyards to San Francisco, Ca., where the Sells-Floto Circus was playing. His $1,200 ticket got him the whole baggage car to himself.

Internal ID:	0469.0016
Medium:	Photograph
Date:	1926

"Cranbrook Ed." Departing

"Cranbrook Ed." entering the CPR baggage car off the stockyard ramp at Cranbrook. He was ticketed to ride in style, at a cost of $1,200, to San Francisco, Ca.

Internal ID:	0469.0017
Medium:	Photograph
Date:	1926

Elephants Cooling Off

This is thought to be a photograph of three of the escaped elephants cooling off near Cranbrook after the 1926 elephant stampede.

Internal ID:	0469.0018
Medium:	Photograph
Date:	1926

Sells-Floto Circus Elephants

Irene Ledgett is shown in a 1925 publicity photo with the Sells-Floto Circus elephant herd, doing a long mount.

Internal ID:	0469.0019
Medium:	Photograph
Date:	1925

Killer Elephant Reprieved

"Wally," the bull elephant that trampled and gored his trainer, Edward S. Brown, to death in the Fleishhacker Zoo, San Francisco, was to be executed by rifle fire. This photo shows the dramatic serving of a court order, which merely delayed the execution.

Internal ID:	0469.0020
Medium:	Photograph
Date:	1930

Execution of Wally

"Wally" was an elephant from the San Francisco Fleishhacker Zoo who gored and trampled to death his trainer, Edward S. Brown. Hre he is being executed by San Francisco policemen.

Internal ID:	0469.0021
Medium:	Photograph
Date:	1930

Circus At Cranbrook (or Fernie?)

The "bigtop" set up on Joseph Prairie at Cranbrook, B.C. There is some feeling that it may be the Lizard Range visible in the background (which would make this Fernie). Note the various circus wagons distributed around. Dan Melody adds: Marked incorrectly as Cranbrook, but this is Fernie, just North of town, looking SW towards the Mountains.

Internal ID:	0469.0022
Medium:	Photograph
Date:	1926

'Charlie Ed." at Point of Capture

The last of the escaped Sells-Floto CIrcus elephants at Cranbrook, "Charlie Ed." is seen with elephant man "Spot" Griffin at left holding his ear and Charles "Front Door" Morgan at right.