Elephant Dies

TRUANT ELEPHANT DIES IN WOODS – Exhausted When Found – Two Bullet Wounds in Hip – Hunt on for Remaining Elephant

            A.J. Ironsides, local agent  of the Sells-Floto circus, stated this morning that Myrtle, the elephant captured at the base of Moyie Mountain yesterday, is reduced to a physical wreck.  The animal has lost practically all her toenails, her knees are fearfully bruised and she is suffering from two bullet wounds in her hip.  Mr. Ironsides believes that Indian trailers, who exhibited signs of panic on being charged by Myrtle several days ago, fired the shots that were ultimately responsible for bringing the elephant down.  When found early yesterday, Myrtle was in an extremely exhausted condition and obviously in great pain.  She offered no resistance when approached by Ralph Davis and Spot Griffin, Sells-Floto elephant men.

            Arriving here from San Francisco last night, Curly Stewart and Charles “Frontdoor” Morgan have taken the wounded elephant in charge.  Morgan is centre ring man for the Sells-Floto shows.  He was one of the trainers hurt when Myrtle and five other elephants broke away on August 6^th.  He is said to have a good working knowledge of veterinary work and will make an attempt to extract the bullets from Myrtle’s hip today.

            Food and bedding has been rushed to the spot where Myrtle is lying in the woods ten miles from town.  Morgan plans to cut a trail of two miles in length to connect with the pathway she followed from the Gold Creek road to Moyie Mountain.  It is not expected, however, that the animal will be in condition to move for several days at the earliest.

            No trace of Charlie Ed having been found for nearly four weeks, Mr. Ironsides proposed to enlist the services of the Cranbrook Fall Fair Board in a systematic search for the little clown elephant.  Mr. Ironsides proposition embraces the formation of bands of district farmers for the scouring of the country.  In return for their services, Charlie Ed, when found, will with Myrtle, be put on as a feature of the fair on the 16^th, 17^th and 18^th September.

            Instructions from the circus management forbid the shipping of Myrtle or Charlie Ed, presuming the latter is alive, for at least two weeks.