jacket for men sale When Modoc Ran Free

When Modoc Ran Free

Mom involved 9 or

10 when this happened, and she or he seen Modoc in person, but not quite so up close as another people did then.

It had been November in 1942 when the ad in the paper, said the circus was visiting town. Wabash Indiana had some excitement for about a week back then. The truly amazing American Circus had come because of its last performance until after WWII. Alot of its male performers were going off to war.

The day came for the circus, the folks were filing into the Senior high school gym where it had been to be held, when outside was the main attraction . 3 big Asian Elephants. Judy, Empress and Modoc. They were securely tied on the north side of the school, when a number of dogs came by and startled the elephants. All of them got loose, Judy and Empress were caught within minutes, but Modoc designed a run for freedom that lasted for 5 days! By the time she was caught, she had lost over 800 pounds coupled with crossed the Wabash River 5 times, and crossed the county line, once.

In 1942, our prime School was on Hill Street, near to the downtown area. When Modoc got loose, she headed for downtown. Her first encounter was with Mrs. Kessler, who had just gotten from work, and wanted to stop in at the pharmacy, then was the Bradley Brothers to get a bite to eat before going home. Well, Mrs. Kessler had a fur mink coat on that day, and Modoc thought shed check it out. Obviously, Mrs. Kessler hid for cover when she saw the elephant coming. Modoc soon lost curiosity about the strange 2-legged animal when she smelt the peanuts in the store.

Modoc had pushed her means by through a 42-inch door to get at the peanuts. The clerk was flabbergasted when she researched and saw an elephant within the store! As Modoc was poking at the peanut machine, she knocked over a few table and chairs, pushed the soda fountain about 12 feet away from

its base, acquired Mrs. Kessler, laid her down again on the floor, rolled Mrs. Kessler around with her trunk a few times who by now had given out from fright. Then Modoc omitted the back door and continued on her behalf long, adventurous journey.

The folks downtown thought it was some kind of circus stunt, so they really didnt mind seeing the elephant walking within the streets. Modoc was on Highway 13, north of town when shed her second encounter close up having a human. She found a barn to go into, and a 10 year old boy was also within the barn playing when he seen the elephant. He ran to his father and he too seen Modoc immediately, within the barn. However, Modoc didnt stop there, she traveled on through-out the night time.

After turning around somewhere, she was heading towards Lagro. Many people thought she ought to be shot, but Modocs owner said that she was worth over $5,000 alive. A pretty penny in 1942. By the 2nd day of the chase, news of Modocs adventure had reached all across the nation, from Ny to California. About the front page from the the local press about the 2nd day, the police had put a bulletin requesting that individuals keep their distance, to allow the elephant to relax some. The searchers had found her resting inside a field. After hrs of allowing her to rest, they tried to capture her in the field there. Two men had put a big animal hook into Modocs ear, and that got her angry, and she or he flung them in to the river. And she or he ran off again, the chase continued. On the 3rd day of the chase, shed cross the county line, into Huntington Co., that was a relief to Wabash Sheriff Vern Howell.

When Modoc was in the Glenn Burnett farm near the junction of 124 and 105 near Andrews Indiana, the owner tried to lure Modoc into captivity by using the other 2 elephants, Judy and Empress. But she was nervous about so many people in the region. She was on her way to Monument City, that is now non-existent and underwater due to the Salamonie Dam. Through the weekend, shed crossed the river Five times and lost nearly 800 pounds.

On the Claude Krieg farm is where they were able to catch the Mighty Modoc, as she became known right now. Ezra Smith, who was also known as Corona, was a 6ft-7 black man from South Carolina who heard about Modoc and the chase. He was an ex-circus performer and

knew elephants, and offered to help. He talked to the elephant, and fed her 10 loaves of bread to get her in to the truck. When Modoc was finally within the truck, the back latched good, she ate 20 more loaves and drank 30 gallons of water!

There have been lawsuits to come, but none of them came to any real agreement and were finally dismissed after years within the courts. By Christmas of this year, the owner sent instructions towards the city stating that Modoc was content to be home, and getting fattened up again.