It Seem's Like Clyde Beatty Had A Lot Of "Problems", Other Then Financial At His Ft. Lauderdale Zoo

 Speaking of Joe Arcaris(see below) rescuing Chester Czaja from 5 attacking lions..........

Field and Stream  1944




Fight Between a Tiger and a Grizzly.
From Chicago Times' New York Letter
The Atlanta Constitution Nov 7, 1874.


On one occasion Lent was the proprietor of a traveling circus and menagerie. One day he met a man out west who had a grizzly bear for sale. As the animal was a splendid specimen of a young grizzly, Lent purchased him, and after he got him he found himself in the position of the man who drew the elephant. There was but one cage in the menagerie that could contain the bear, and that already bad an occupant in the shape of a large and finely developed Bengal tiger. Lent told one of his partners that he was going to quarter the grizzly with the tiger.
"The devil you are," was the answer. "Why, that tiger will make a square meal of him before you can wink." "AH right! If he does I'm satisfied," says Lent. "You look after your tiger and I'll take care of my bear."
The grizzly was accordingly lifted into the cage, the tiger having previously been driven into the opposite corner by the application of hot irons. Then all the employees of the circus gathered to witness the tight. The animals sighted each other at the same instant; but while the tiger's eyes blazed with fury and his tail lashed the bars in his excitement, the grizzly simply nodded in a sleepy mannег, аs if in recognition of the presence of the other beast, and crouched against the bars waiting developments. They remained as far apart as the cage would permit for at least five, minutes; but every moment the rage of the tiger seemed to increase, while the bear seemed to be sinking into a deep slumber. At last the tiger began to growl and slide toward the bear, moving from side to side of the cage as he did so. The growling aroused the bear to life, and he had just time to measure his enemy, when, with the rapidity of lightning, the tiger sprang forward and alighted upon his head and back. For a moment there was a terrible howling from both animals. as " they rolled over and over in the cage, and they separated for an instant, the bear seeming to have shaken off his antagonist. During this brief cessation of hostilities it was feared that the bear had got decidedly the worst of the combat, as he was bleeding freely from several gaping wounds.
The backer of the tiger was delighted, and wanted Lent to consent to having a stop put to the fight. "No,”. answered he, "let them fight, and I'll bet on the bear." So at it they went again, and there was terrible fighting for several minutes. It finally ended in the tiger giving several mournful howls, and when they were separated he slunk away to his corner as meek and submissive looking as an animal could be. After that day the bear bossed that cage, and if the tiger became unruly he received a blow from the grizzly's paw that set him to thinking over past events at once.