Rhode Island American And Gazette

From an English paper. A most shocking occurrence took place on Wednesday in the caravan of wild beasts now exhibiting in Bristol. John Johnson, a Yorkshireman, was employed by Mr Wombwell to keep watch during the night. He was a stranger, and had been only two days in the service. The man unfortunately got intoxicated, and at seven in the morning, before the regular keeper came, foolishly undertook to show the animals to some friends, and for this purpose removed the shutters of the den. The lion was asleep, and in order to rouse him the man put in his right hand and pulled him—by the beard. This indignity Wallace resented by darting his paw into the sleeve of the coat, and speedily dragging the man against the iron bars of the cage. The enraged beast then reseized his victim very near the shoulder with both his claws. and in an instant stripped down all the flesh and skin in ribands to the wrist, so as to leave the bones almost perfectly bare, the elbow joint being also torn open! Wallace then took the lacerated limb into his mouth and began to eat it, and the ill-fated wretch was only set at liberty by the animal having bitten off the bones of the arm previously to his swallowing the great mangled mass of flesh. The man was brought to the infirmary, where a surgeon immediately amputated the limb. Johnson lay all day in a state of stupid insensibility, but we learn that great hopes are entertained that he will survive the accident. This is the same animal—which fought with and killed the dogs at Woolwich.