Topsy the Elephant
Was she framed?
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"Ladies and Gentlemen! Come and see the very first death recorded on film!"
Yes, in 1903 the Edison Moving Image Company recorded live the very real and very shocking electrocution of Topsy the Elephant in Luna Park, Coney Island! She was electrocuted, ladies and gentlemen! Then she was poisoned! And then strangled! No, not hung, no, but strangled! The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the SPCA, supervised the whole thing! And they most certainly did certify that it was all very humane, this poisoning, electrocution, and strangling! |
Topsy the Elephant was brought to America in 1877 for Adam Forepaugh's circus, the "first baby elephant exhibited in America". She was trained to do tricks and began performing with the Forepaugh-Sells circus at shows in New York, London, Paris, and Berlin, before traveling around the United States. She was taught to do a tightrope walking act, carrying a balance pole in her trunk.
Topsy had other skills as well! In 1894, Topsy won a popcorn eating contest that was held at the Candy Show in Philadelphia! But the contest had promised a prize for the winner - Topsy only got a medal, and one day Topsy got hold of the medal, which was hanging near her stall, and bent it all out of shape, possibly in anger.
As America's "first baby elephant", Topsy became quite famous - but she unfortunately also became quite infamous too.
In October of 1901, Topsy was blamed for an attack on keeper Mortimer Loudett, in Paris, Texas - he later died of his injuries. He is reported to have told Dr. Chapman that Topsy had killed eight people before the attack.
There were also rumors that Topsy had killed her trainer, Patsy Forepaugh, son of Adam Forepaugh, before starting the tour of Ohio that she was on when she killed Loudett. However, news articles show he actually was killed by an elephant named Big Sid.
Soon after Mortimer Loudett's death, it was reported that "the owner of the man-killing elephant, Topsy, wants to trade her for an automobile." Topsy was sold to Paul Boyton, who visited Texas, and he brought her back to Coney Island, Brooklyn, in 1902. In discussing the sale, one of Topsy's sellers, Lewis Sells, said "Topsy has not been a bad elephant, except when teased by people."
Topsy was now a star at Luna Park in Coney Island! All the hay and carrots she could eat!
Unfortunately, all was not glitz and glamour for this pachyderm! On May 28, 1902 a "circus groupie" named James Blount got himself good and drunk and snuck into the elephant holding area at 5:30 in the morning as the elephants were waking up for the day. He crawled in, carrying a glass of whiskey, and proceeded to go down the line of elephants, offering them a drink and taunting them.
Topsy was toward the middle of the pack, and like many of the elephants, Topsy loved whiskey! When Blount got to Topsy, he offered her the glass, which smelled like whiskey, but it was empty - Topsy was playful and then moved her trunk to Blount's other hand, which held a lit cigar - Blount slapped away her trunk. When she playfully went to get the cigar again, he burned her trunk with his lit cigar. Topsy did not stand for it - she grabbed Blount around the waist with her trunk and lifted him high into the air - then slammed him to the ground! And up went her mighty foot, and down it came - Topsy trampled all over Blount - he was killed instantly.
Many newspapers called Topsy a man-killer, but did Blount deserve it?
Topsy's long-time trainer Herman "Whitey" Alt had moved to Coney Island with her, and she always obeyed him - he was the only one that could control her. For years, he slept in her stall, and they say that she would never go to sleep at night unless he was next to her. If he stayed out too late, she would throw a tantrum and tear up his bed.
On December 6, 1902, Whitey had way too much to drink, and he climbed atop the elephant's head, holding a pitchfork. The two of them barged out of Luna Park and started a stroll down Surf Avenue - police soon followed, including some officers on horseback, but they could not keep up with Topsy.
Upon reaching the end of Surf Avenue, near Sea Gate, the pair stopped and started to turn around, when they were caught by the police. A police officer named Conlon tried to arrest Whitey, who (still intoxicated) threatened to sic the elephant on the officer. Conlon, with his gun drawn and pointed at Whitey, replied to Alt "If you say a word to that brute, I'll blow your brains out!"
Whitey gave himself up. Everyone went down to the police station on West 8th Street, where Whitey was booked in the jail - however, Topsy tried to enter the police station and got wedged in the doorway and would not leave. The Coney Island police made a deal with Whitey - if he would return Topsy to her home. However, Whitey took Topsy back to Luna but refused to put her back in confinement. He was promptly re-arrested.
After this incident (and other alcohol-related incidents) Whitey was let go from Luna Park, but Topsy remained. Because Whitey was gone, Topsy became hard to manage. In addition to that burden, she was eating a massive amount of food, which cost $25 per week.
Topsy was a man-killer. Topsy was expensive. And Topsy could no longer be controlled.
Thompson & Dundy decided - Topsy would have to die!
Yes, first they were going to have a good old-fashioned elephant hanging! But the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said no! No, that was inhumane! So it was discussed and they came to an agreement - Topsy would be electrocuted! But first she would be poisoned! And then afterwards she would be strangled! Just to be sure!
Thompson's original plan also involved charging spectators 25 cents to watch the execution, but after pressure from the SPCA, it was agreed that this would not be made into a spectacle - there would only be 100 specific people invited to watch the execution.
Of course several hundred people showed up, some climbing over the Luna Park fences. The businesses nearby charged people 25 cents to watch the execution from their property and rooftops.
There were many women - one woman brought her 4 year old daughter to watch Topsy be electrocuted, poisoned, and strangled.
Advertisements selling the shows that were coming up in Luna Park were plastered all over the tower where the execution was supposed to take place - ensuring any photos of the execution would have the ads in them.
Thomas Edison had two sets of representatives assisting with this whole project - bringing the electricity was the Edison Electric Company, and making sure to film the entire event was the Edison Motion Picture Company. They were going to create the world's first death on film!
On January 5, 1903 Topsy the Elephant's execution was scheduled for 1:30pm and it was set to occur on the small island where the "Shoot the Chutes" ride had previously operated - however, Topsy sensed something was up and refused to cross the bridge to the island. An emergency change of plans took place and everything was brought forward to an area she would go to and set up there, placing electrodes on the elephant's feet and a rope noose around her neck and attached to an engine.
At 2:38pm one of several veterinarians at the event, Dr. Brotheridge, fed Topsy three carrots containing 460 grains of potassium cyanide.
At 2:45pm, before the poison could take effect (no good reason) the signal was given - Joseph Johansen, of the Edison Electric Company, turned on the power - 6,600 volts of electricity went into Topsy. First, there was a crackling noise followed by a blue flash and flame. Topsy's trunk curled up and then her giant body surged forward in the chains and ropes until they were tight and threatened to give out. She was stuck like that, and for ten minutes the power surged before being cut off. Topsy's body sank slowly to her knees and rolled over on its side. Another signal was given and the engine was turned on, and the noose around Topsy's neck was tightened.
Topsy had been poisoned, electrocuted, and strangled.
Immediately after the execution, Topsy's body was taken and split up - Princeton University had claimed the heart and other organs. Hubert H. Vogelsang, a taxidermist, had bought the carcass for the hide and the bones. Part of the hide would end up as Frederic Thompson's office chair.
Topsy the man-killer had been punished for her crimes.
But wait!!! Patsy Forepaugh, one of the early victims of Topsy, according to a Texas news article from 1901 - had actually been killed by an elephant named Sid. Topsy was mistakenly blamed for that murder.
Topsy had other skills as well! In 1894, Topsy won a popcorn eating contest that was held at the Candy Show in Philadelphia! But the contest had promised a prize for the winner - Topsy only got a medal, and one day Topsy got hold of the medal, which was hanging near her stall, and bent it all out of shape, possibly in anger.
As America's "first baby elephant", Topsy became quite famous - but she unfortunately also became quite infamous too.
In October of 1901, Topsy was blamed for an attack on keeper Mortimer Loudett, in Paris, Texas - he later died of his injuries. He is reported to have told Dr. Chapman that Topsy had killed eight people before the attack.
There were also rumors that Topsy had killed her trainer, Patsy Forepaugh, son of Adam Forepaugh, before starting the tour of Ohio that she was on when she killed Loudett. However, news articles show he actually was killed by an elephant named Big Sid.
Soon after Mortimer Loudett's death, it was reported that "the owner of the man-killing elephant, Topsy, wants to trade her for an automobile." Topsy was sold to Paul Boyton, who visited Texas, and he brought her back to Coney Island, Brooklyn, in 1902. In discussing the sale, one of Topsy's sellers, Lewis Sells, said "Topsy has not been a bad elephant, except when teased by people."
Topsy was now a star at Luna Park in Coney Island! All the hay and carrots she could eat!
Unfortunately, all was not glitz and glamour for this pachyderm! On May 28, 1902 a "circus groupie" named James Blount got himself good and drunk and snuck into the elephant holding area at 5:30 in the morning as the elephants were waking up for the day. He crawled in, carrying a glass of whiskey, and proceeded to go down the line of elephants, offering them a drink and taunting them.
Topsy was toward the middle of the pack, and like many of the elephants, Topsy loved whiskey! When Blount got to Topsy, he offered her the glass, which smelled like whiskey, but it was empty - Topsy was playful and then moved her trunk to Blount's other hand, which held a lit cigar - Blount slapped away her trunk. When she playfully went to get the cigar again, he burned her trunk with his lit cigar. Topsy did not stand for it - she grabbed Blount around the waist with her trunk and lifted him high into the air - then slammed him to the ground! And up went her mighty foot, and down it came - Topsy trampled all over Blount - he was killed instantly.
Many newspapers called Topsy a man-killer, but did Blount deserve it?
Topsy's long-time trainer Herman "Whitey" Alt had moved to Coney Island with her, and she always obeyed him - he was the only one that could control her. For years, he slept in her stall, and they say that she would never go to sleep at night unless he was next to her. If he stayed out too late, she would throw a tantrum and tear up his bed.
On December 6, 1902, Whitey had way too much to drink, and he climbed atop the elephant's head, holding a pitchfork. The two of them barged out of Luna Park and started a stroll down Surf Avenue - police soon followed, including some officers on horseback, but they could not keep up with Topsy.
Upon reaching the end of Surf Avenue, near Sea Gate, the pair stopped and started to turn around, when they were caught by the police. A police officer named Conlon tried to arrest Whitey, who (still intoxicated) threatened to sic the elephant on the officer. Conlon, with his gun drawn and pointed at Whitey, replied to Alt "If you say a word to that brute, I'll blow your brains out!"
Whitey gave himself up. Everyone went down to the police station on West 8th Street, where Whitey was booked in the jail - however, Topsy tried to enter the police station and got wedged in the doorway and would not leave. The Coney Island police made a deal with Whitey - if he would return Topsy to her home. However, Whitey took Topsy back to Luna but refused to put her back in confinement. He was promptly re-arrested.
After this incident (and other alcohol-related incidents) Whitey was let go from Luna Park, but Topsy remained. Because Whitey was gone, Topsy became hard to manage. In addition to that burden, she was eating a massive amount of food, which cost $25 per week.
Topsy was a man-killer. Topsy was expensive. And Topsy could no longer be controlled.
Thompson & Dundy decided - Topsy would have to die!
Yes, first they were going to have a good old-fashioned elephant hanging! But the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said no! No, that was inhumane! So it was discussed and they came to an agreement - Topsy would be electrocuted! But first she would be poisoned! And then afterwards she would be strangled! Just to be sure!
Thompson's original plan also involved charging spectators 25 cents to watch the execution, but after pressure from the SPCA, it was agreed that this would not be made into a spectacle - there would only be 100 specific people invited to watch the execution.
Of course several hundred people showed up, some climbing over the Luna Park fences. The businesses nearby charged people 25 cents to watch the execution from their property and rooftops.
There were many women - one woman brought her 4 year old daughter to watch Topsy be electrocuted, poisoned, and strangled.
Advertisements selling the shows that were coming up in Luna Park were plastered all over the tower where the execution was supposed to take place - ensuring any photos of the execution would have the ads in them.
Thomas Edison had two sets of representatives assisting with this whole project - bringing the electricity was the Edison Electric Company, and making sure to film the entire event was the Edison Motion Picture Company. They were going to create the world's first death on film!
On January 5, 1903 Topsy the Elephant's execution was scheduled for 1:30pm and it was set to occur on the small island where the "Shoot the Chutes" ride had previously operated - however, Topsy sensed something was up and refused to cross the bridge to the island. An emergency change of plans took place and everything was brought forward to an area she would go to and set up there, placing electrodes on the elephant's feet and a rope noose around her neck and attached to an engine.
At 2:38pm one of several veterinarians at the event, Dr. Brotheridge, fed Topsy three carrots containing 460 grains of potassium cyanide.
At 2:45pm, before the poison could take effect (no good reason) the signal was given - Joseph Johansen, of the Edison Electric Company, turned on the power - 6,600 volts of electricity went into Topsy. First, there was a crackling noise followed by a blue flash and flame. Topsy's trunk curled up and then her giant body surged forward in the chains and ropes until they were tight and threatened to give out. She was stuck like that, and for ten minutes the power surged before being cut off. Topsy's body sank slowly to her knees and rolled over on its side. Another signal was given and the engine was turned on, and the noose around Topsy's neck was tightened.
Topsy had been poisoned, electrocuted, and strangled.
Immediately after the execution, Topsy's body was taken and split up - Princeton University had claimed the heart and other organs. Hubert H. Vogelsang, a taxidermist, had bought the carcass for the hide and the bones. Part of the hide would end up as Frederic Thompson's office chair.
Topsy the man-killer had been punished for her crimes.
But wait!!! Patsy Forepaugh, one of the early victims of Topsy, according to a Texas news article from 1901 - had actually been killed by an elephant named Sid. Topsy was mistakenly blamed for that murder.
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What other crimes was Topsy blamed for but actually innocent of? Was it just good for business to have a bad reputation?
One article from the 1902 incident with the whiskey glass shows that there was a murderous elephant named "Tops" and another innocent elephant named "Topsy". So was Topsy murdered for crimes she did not commit? You be the judge. |