Topsy Escapes from Circus; Elephant’s Three-Day Rampage in Wilmington, 1922

From the Rockingham Post-Dispatch, October 19, 1922. Some readers may be familiar with a sad story of an elephant named Topsy that was put to death, but that occurred in 1903, so this is a different Topsy.

Wilmington, Oct. 13—After jumping her contract with a circus on Monday night and going on a rampage in Wilmington and environs for three days, Topsy, the four-ton elephant, is now safely aboard an 80-ton box car en route to Charleston, S.C., where she will rejoin the show and probably take her place in one of the rings.

Topsy was in a mighty nervous state yesterday after her lark about Wilmington and nearby swamps and absolutely refused to go into the berth which had been so comfortably provided for her on the car. Her trainers petted and pleaded with her to go aboard, but she declined.

As Topsy had escaped twice while being loaded since she made her first get-away Monday night, her trainers did not believe it a good idea to take any chances and a hoisting engine was brought into play last night. She wriggled and fussed a bit but she was hoisted into the car. Topsy’s sleeper was attached to a freight train at 8 o’clock this morning and started on its journey to Charleston.

Topsy’s visit to Wilmington will not be forgotten here. She damaged property to the extent of several thousand dollars, it is claimed, and terrorized many persons who are not accustomed to waltzing around among elephants. Suits have been instituted against the circus to recover their damages.