Tantanoola Tiger 1895 page 3

A report reached here to-day that yesterday a farmer named Alfred Cowland, residing about 19 miles from Heywood, while out in his paddocks at 10 o’clock in the morning saw at 100 yards distance an exceedingly large animal, apparently a tiger, walking slowly and leisurely along. The animal apparently did not notice Mr. Cowland, who, although much alarmed, had an excellent opportunity of closely examining the creature, and from a picture of a tiger which he has at his house is fully convinced that the animal he saw is a genuine tiger. The statement made by Mr. Cowland has caused considerable sensation in the neighbourhood, more particularly because the informant is a highly respected person, whose veracity is unquestionable.

One of the earliest articles on the Tantanoola Tiger states: “It is said that a tiger roams the country in the Tantanoola district, killing the stock. It is believed that it escaped as a cub from St. Leon's Circus thirteen years ago.” This appears to be the first mention of the possible origins of the Tiger although it is by no means a definitive statement of fact – it is a publication of rumour. Note the use of the language:

Exactly who said and believed the statements is unknown but the rumour does give some plausibility to the story for if a tiger was indeed on the loose it must have come from somewhere and a travelling circus (or menagerie) seems the only likely place. But did it actually happen?
Details given of the rumoured escape are “decidedly hazy”. The escapee is usually described as a tiger “cub” either “young” or “well grown”, while one claims that two tigers escaped – “an old one and a cub”. St. Leon’s Circus is named as the culprit in several articles while others are vague citing that it escaped from “a circus” or “a menagerie”. The year of the escape, when cited, is usually given as in 1880 although others suggest 1878 or ‘79, 1885, 1887, or even 1890. The location of the escape, when given, is generally from around the Millicent district in the state’s south-east.
In the heart of the Tiger-sighting district property owner, Mr. K. T. White, recalled an instance from approximately 1881 when he saw "a large animal, larger than a dog, and much longer, and with a striped skin." He then relates a conversation between a friend, a Mr. Edgcumb, and an anonymous circus hand from around that same time (around 1881, about 12 years prior) claiming that the unnamed circus “had spent two days searching in the scrub for two tigers that had got away between old Mount Burr and Gran Gran.”

Doubts about whether the escape actually happened were also raised at the time. The theory was considered to be “far-fetched” in that there was no evidence to support it, and, if a tiger did indeed escape in the region in around 1880, why no evidence of its presence had been noted until 1893. A more recent escape from a circus or menagerie was suggested to be a more likely explanation except that there were no evidence to support that either.

1. That in 1887 a couple of Bengal Tigers from St. Leon’s got loose on the road from Brewarrina to Walgett (northern New South Wales) causing considerable alarm. The issue was quickly resolved by their keeper who calmly placed collars around their necks and led them back to their enclosure.

2. That in 1885 there were short-lived sightings of a tiger in the Wangaratta district (in Victoria, some 400km east of Tantanoola). It was again similarly rumoured to have escaped from a circus or menagerie and, again, there was no evidence to support it. Possible explanations of the incredulous sightings tendered at the time included a large dog, dingo, calf, or even a donkey.

3. That in 1884 St. Leon’s Circus had a tiger escape whilst travelling south of Grafton (in northern New South Wales, some 2000km north-east of Tantanoola) but that it was promptly recaptured.

4. That in 1880, The South Australian Advertiser reported a major train accident on the Adelaide and Port railway - an engine had derailed and the following carriages had 'telescoped' creating a chaotic scene of bent steel, splintered wood, and escaping steam. It was considered miraculous that there was no loss of life and that most of the injuries sustained were relatively minor although rumours of amputation were rife. Furthermore, a "report was started before the actual facts of the case were known that the circus menagerie was on the train ... began to contemplate the terrible possibilities of escaped lions and tigers being let loose among wounded and helpless passengers." That particular report was false but the rumour of escaped animals still spread.

So, perhaps the theory that the Tantanoola Tiger had escaped from a circus/menagerie in the district had its supporters because it was an amalgamation of other reports and rumours – St. Leon’s did have tigers escape in transit in 1884 and 1887 (although in both cases they were promptly recaptured without incident), there were newspaper reports of a tiger in Wangaratta (although the alleged sightings were short-lived, with wildly varying descriptions, and had no supporting evidence), and circus animals were rumoured to have escaped from a major rail accident (although the accident was real the rumour was false).

George Riddoch had claimed that “a circumstantial account” was reported in the Border Times but this remains, as yet, unresolved. A search of available newspaper archives revealed no mention of any escaped tiger in the region from that time. What could account for this discrepancy? It was suggested that “not many knew of the loss at the time, and what few did, the incident soon passed out of their recollection, as it was assumed that the cub would die” and that “it would be to the interest of the circus people to keep the loss of their tigers quiet and that is why more was not heard of it at the time.”

Apr 28, 1892 – on the line connecting between Sydney and Brisbane a special train carrying the Sells’ Circus Company and its possessions collided with another train resulting in the one death and several injured. No animals are reported as missing.

Nov 20, 1888 – a tiger from a small menagerie on George Street, Brisbane, got loose and severely mauled a man who had a history of previously taunting the animal. Using a small whip, Mr. Higgins, the owner, managed to get the tiger back into captivity. The unfortunate man died several days later as a result of the injuries.

Apr 22, 1884 – during a performance, the tigers of St. Leon’s Circus broke the partition dividing their cages and engaged in a fight. A rumour circulated that the tigers had escaped causing a stampede on the part of the audience, however, the show proceeded after a short interval.

Jan 5, 1861 – the assistant keeper at Billing’s menagerie, Watson’s Bay, was mauled by their Bengal tiger and later died from the injuries.

Apr 23, 1859 – a tiger escaped from a menagerie in Bourke Street, Melbourne, but, after injuring a man and a horse and eating several chickens, was driven back into its cage by its owner, Mr. Billing, the “Lion King”.

Sept 21, 1827 – a tiger escaped from a small menagerie and remained at large in the nearby forests for several weeks killing over a hundred sheep. It was destroyed by a group of 7 men with rifles.

These reports indicate that tigers had, on occasion, previously escaped from circuses and menageries in the past resulting but on all occasions the tigers were accounted for – recaptured or destroyed. Large, dangerous, and exotic animals like the tiger hold a strong fascination for people and having one or more on the loose in any district is big news. Furthermore, some dramatic incidents from abroad also received major coverage in Australian newspapers:

Jul 8, 1893 - Seven men and 49 trained horses were killed instantly when the axel on the train carrying Main’s Circus broke sending the entire tram down a 10 metre embankment near Altoona, Pennsylvania. A gorilla, several lions, a couple of tigers, a bear, several alligators, and a hyena escaped (most were reported as recaptured) and many other animals were injured and had to be put down.

Aug 6, 1890 – Many animals from Fillis’ menagerie, South Africa, were intentionally released by an unknown miscreant creating pandemonium on the streets of the town. A list of the animals at large include 4 lions, 2 lionesses, 2 tigers, 3 bears, 2 wolves, 1 hyena, 2 cheetahs , 1 elephant, 1 camel, and 17 baboons. Incredibly, there was only one human fatality – a young boy who approached a cheetah in his back yard.

Apr 2, 1881 - American lion tamer, Elijah Lengel of Courtney Circus, slipped while exiting the tiger cage during a show and was instantly set upon by one of the beasts creating a panic among the audience. Some members had revolvers and shot the tiger dead but it was too late for Mr. Lengel.

Jun 22, 1877 – A lion, who had previously already killed two men, escaped whilst its cage was being cleaned and proceeded to attack the cage holding a Bengal tiger. “The more the lioness clawed the more the tiger clawed back and the sleek coats of the combatants were soon streaked with gore.” By the time the head trainer arrived the large feline combatants had settled their differences and the lioness was lead back to her cage.

Dec 31, 1872 – A travelling circus, spread out for 2 miles along the road, was hit by a tremendous thunderstorm in the night which felled trees, and forced many of the drivers to abandon their wagons as their horses panicked overturning several cages. “The animals, thoroughly frightened, mingled their yells and roars with the deafening thunder, and bounded from side to side of their narrow cages with tremendous force.” A driver was killed when struck by lightning.

Liverpool has a good local story of a tiger which escaped from a menagerie, and terrified the suburbs for some hours. In one outlying district a man who had lost the use of both Iegs had sat for twenty years— a sturdy, stunted vagrant, making a good thing out of his infirmity. But in an evil hour for his professional profits, the road where he had taken up his seat for a score of years was on the morning of the tiger's escape the scene of a fierce stampede. Down it poured pellmell men, women, and children at full speed, screaming with terror, and crying out, “The tiger, the tiger”. The cripple had heard the news of the escape, and now fear lent him legs, or restored his old limbs ; he started up, threw away the big bowl on which he had sat doubled up every day, and with an energy which left nothing to be desired, he bounded down the road and soon out stripped all competitors. The tiger was caught, but the 'cripple' was never seen again— at least in that neighbourhood.

So, there it is - other than unfounded rumours and speculation, there is nothing to suggest that a tiger escaped captivity in the Tantanoola region. That theory most likely remained popular due to a folkloric patch-work of previous reports and rumours which gave the theory some plausibility. St. Leon’s Circus, which was implicated in the Tantanoola Tiger drama, had tigers escape in northern New South Wales (approximately 1000 km to the north-east) in 1884 and 1887 and it is likely that some people associated these incidents with the false rumours of animals escaping a train derailment near Adelaide in 1880. Similar associations may have been made with the Wangaratta tiger scare of 1885 was short-lived and without supporting evidence.

Furthermore, tigers had escaped captivity across Australia several times previously (all were accounted for) and each incident was newsworthy whether or not there were any injuries and fatalities. Several dramatic and high profile incidents of tigers and other wild animals getting loose from overseas were also featured prominently in Australian newspapers throughout the 19th century. The fascination of such events makes it highly unlikely that a tiger could go missing in Australia without it being noticed nor that, if a tiger got loose and not re-captured, people’s recollections of such a dangerous occurrence would simply slip from their minds.

Yet the question remains: Why did apparently sincere people report seeing a tiger in the bush when there was none to be seen?