Barnum's "Fritz?"

Buckles Woodcock identified the male elephant in the middle sitting up as "Fritz." I don't know? This male look's like he has a very upturned left tusk, while all the photo's of "Fritz" including his mount picture pretty straight tusk's.


From the "history channel" 2008:

Somewhere in my library I remember reading about the three bulls and about Fritz being shot in France, most likely because he was just too much to handle (possibly in musth)? That may also be the reason for the second bull’s death, the third bull was dumped over board before they landed back in the U.S., possibly for the same reason?
Wayne

From Bob Cline

If this helps any, I have the following information listed.

NICK - Stoke on Trent, England Nov.12, 1898.

FRITZ - Tours, France June 11, 1902

MANDARIN - Nov.8, 1902 near New York Harbor as they returned from Europe.

Bob

From Buckles

"Don Pedro" was executed in Liverpool 5/15/98 meaning that none of the four adult males with the show, made it back to the states. For some reason, the method of choice in those days was strangulation. I have a newspaper account giving the exact details of this elephants death, it began by stating that with the exception of the reporter and the Veterinarian all parties were excluded. After several stakes were driven on each side, two nooses were placed around his neck and tied off in each direction, the rope to his left included a pully block. The article concluded by saying as only the British can "A group of canvasmen took hold of the rope and at the command "Gentlemen walk away with it!" the beast struggled briefly and suddenly dropped and within four minutes the Veterinarian pronounced life extinct."



From the "history channel" 2005:

They took 18 elephants to Europe, 10 large and 8 small. Of the three men in the lighter uniforms, the one at left is William "Elephant Bill" Newman and the one in the center is George Bates standing next to "Mandrin". There were 4 big males "Fritz" at left is easy to spot, at the extreme left partially hidden is another tusker "Don Pedro" and the 4th male "Nick" was tuskless. All four of these males died in Europe

Among the 6 females were "Gyp" (Gypsy) dating back to the early 1870's with P.T. Barnum as well as "Babe" and "Columbia" the latter now is 18 years old.
The punks were "Pilate" (male), "Chief" (male), "Queen", "Juno", "Coco" (tuskless male), "Bessie", "Mary" and "Ruth" (yes this is "BabyRuth" later owned by Wm. Hall). These young elephants were added in the early 1890's and not to be confused with Pilate, Chief, and Queen of the 1880's.

As regards to Cooper & Bailey in Australia the 1877 Route Book states: "Titania" presented by Prof. Geo. W. Johnston. That same year a Melbourne program has: "Betsey" trained by Charles Warner. Again in 1878 we see: "Titania" presented by George Johnson. This man Johnson was later Menagerie Supt. with B&B in the 1880's.
I get the feeling that Cooper & Bailey only had one elephant in Australia and her name was "Betsy" and her stage name "Titania".