Many believe Topsy was a victim of the so-called War of the Currents, the battle between Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison over alternating and direct current. Elephants love to make music. Did Topsy the elephant suffer? Topsy the elephant was electrocuted at Luna Park Zoo on Coney Island in 1903. Thats not to make light of the work that Thomas Edison did in popularizing electric lights. She was later smuggled into America by Adam Forepaugh, the owner of Forepaugh and Sells Circus, who dishonestly used to bill her as the first elephant born in America. America's debt to Topsy | The Economist The elephant stopped . One of them was overheard saying, Thank God Im still alive![5], In 1903, Topsy the Elephant was sadly executed by electrocution at Luna Park on Coney Island. __1903:__Thomas Edison stages his highly publicized electrocution of an elephant in order to demonstrate the dangers of alternating current, which, if it posed any immediate danger at all, was to Edisons own direct current. Drinking, eating, smelling, and communicating are all done by the trunk. Thomas Alva Edison was born on in Milan, Ohio (pronounced MY-lan). The company merged with several other Edison companies in 1889 to become the Edison General Electric Company. Topsy was an obedient circus elephant despite the abuse she suffered, but after she finally struck back, she was sentenced to be electrocuted to death on January 4, 1903. Why did Edison electrocute Topsy? However, writes Rutgers, its unlikely that Edison was a direct part of Topsys execution or even saw it. The enraged mob demanded that Mary be put down immediately. Entertaining Elephants: Animal Agency and the Business of the American Circus by Susan Nance (2013), Novelist Samuel Hawleys collection of resources on Topsy, NYT Article about Topsy: They Didnt Forget. But that is not the end of her legacy. Topsy was an elephant that belonged to the herd of performers in the Forepaugh Circus for a major part of her life. 1 : to kill or severely injure by electric shock. With the first practical light bulb and the infrastructure to extend electric power across the nation, Edison was able to establish something close to a monopoly on electricity. Can you electrocute an elephant? As such, while Topsys death was the first such incident to be captured on film, the concept of a public elephant execution had precedent, and in fact had become a kind of public and corporate coping mechanism for elephant attacks. Why was Topsy the elephant killed? An adult bull Asian elephant can weigh over 5,000 kg. Her life represents the treatment of animals exploited by the entertainment industry and symbolises America's industrial empire. The elephant stopped short. On this day in 1903, Topsy the elephant died of electrocution on Coney Island. But as with all monopolies, competitors soon emerged to challenge Edison for a share of the market. Topsy threw Blount to the ground with her trunk and crushed him to death. Mary, in a fit of rage, then threw him to the ground with her trunk and stomped on his head, crushing him to death. Electrocuting an Elephant (also known as Electrocution of an Elephant) is a 1903 American, short, black-and-white, silent documentary film of the killing of the elephant Topsy by electrocution at a Coney Island amusement park. The circus workers were able to rescue the horses and elephants, which were led to safety, although one elephant suffered such horrific burns that they were unsure if she would survive. Brown mostly electrocuted stray dogs, but he also used calves and a lame horse. When they are happy and having fun, they certainly smile! Wikimedia CommonsAn illustration of Topsy the elephant. A witness recalled, People were hollering and cranking their Model Ts. No, the Tesla CEO hasnt mentioned a blood relation to Nikola, who invented the alternating current induction motor before his death in 1943. In a day, an elephant can drink 50 gallons (200 liters) of water. Nevertheless, Topsy was condemned to death. Fielding Blunt, a handler who tried to feed Topsy a lit cigarette. The amount of internal current a person can withstand and still be able to control the muscles of the arm and hand can be less than 10 milliamperes (milliamps or mA). Either way, his story is one of much sadness and tragedy. LATE ENGR. RAYMOND ANTHONY ALEOGHO DOKPESI - Facebook Its no surprise then that, upon his death in 1947, Ford was worth the equivalent of $200 billion (144bn) in todays money, and then some. Although many books say that Mary died of typhoid, her death certificate states that she died of congestion of the brain. Mary and Thomas Edison had three children in their 13 years of marriage. Around her, expectant crowds watched and waited. There are notable exceptions. Its more like a cow pattie. Brown staged public demonstrations, with technical assistance from the Edison company, in which he electrocuted various animals to demonstrate how quickly alternating current could cause death. The short documentary film Electrocuting an Elephant, produced by the Edison Manufacturing film company, depicts the death of a female Asian elephant named Topsy at a Coney Island amusement park on January 4th 1903. Only Some Male Asian Elephants Have Tusks. Its a good story, but the truth is slightly different. Wikimedia CommonsAn illustration of Topsy the elephant. Therefore, Edison relied more on experimentation to perfect an invention, while Tesla conceptualized everything in his mind before creating an invention. Who Can Benefit From Diaphragmatic Breathing? Although she was publicised as a rogue elephant, and was involved in at least one confirmed death and possibly more, more than a year elapsed between the death of James Fielding Blount and her sentence of death, during which time she continued to work and perform in front of the public. Elephants Use Their Trunks Much Like We Do Our Hands! Anyone who wanted to work or socialize into the night had to do so by candlelight. Why Did Edison Electrocute An Elephant? - FAQS Clear Who Is This Elephant God Anyway Simpsons? As Topsy spent her life in the circus, she began to gain a reputation for being a "bad" elephant. Please fill out the form below if you need assistance. Topsy was an obedient circus elephant despite the abuse she suffered, but after she finally struck back, she was sentenced to be electrocuted to death on January 4, 1903. Members of SHARKSHowing Animals Respect and Kindnesswitnessed a handler using a hot shot electric prod before the gate was opened and Duke was released. However, the legacy of the work Tesla left behind him lives on to this day. Tyke suffered abuse at the hands of her trainers at Circus International of Honolulu, Hawaii, for many years. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Do elephants smile? It was produced by the Edison film company (part of the Edison Manufacturing Company) and is believed to have been shot by Edwin S. Porter or Jacob Blair Smith. Contrary to Popular Belief, This Famous Inventor Didn't Electrocute Who Is Topsy The Elephant? - corapark.com Critical Thinking Video Series: Thomas Edison Electrocutes Topsy the Edison was determined to prove that the alternating-current electrical system developed by George Westinghouse, his rival, was fatally dangerous. Why Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla Clashed During the Battle of the Currents. She was then hanged by a crane (though the chain broke on the first attempt). 4. Accounts differ, with some reports suggesting Blount was offering the elephants whiskey, that he threw sand in Topsys face, slapped her trunk, or even burned her with a cigarette. Read about more of it on 10 Animals That Paid The Price Of Tourist Stupidity And Cruelty and 10 Ways Religion And Superstition Have Led To Animal Cruelty. It received national coverage in the newspapers, and the Edison Manufacturing Co. sent a film crew to document it. Cheish Merryweather is a true crime fan and an oddities fanatic. What Is The Meaning Of Fiasco In A Sentence? Poor and reclusive, Tesla died of coronary thrombosis on , at the age of 86 in New York City, where he had lived for nearly 60 years. Mr Heck has also commemorated Topsy at Coney Island parades, most recently with a float depicting her resurrection. Edison went so far as to round up stray animals and use AC to electrocute them in front of journalists in order to demonstrate that AC was more dangerous than DC. The Life and Death of Topsy the Elephant - Owlcation Is the original light bulb still burning? She was a big girl and a wild animal. Some of the most sorrowful reading in "Topsy" quotes eyewitness descriptions of the suffering of a variety of animals during electrocution trials. The intestines of an elephant may be 19 meters in length, or more than 60 feet long. Captured on film by Thomas Edison, the event was one of a string of animal electrocutions Edison staged to. That is how Edison described himself, but in fact he was not totally deaf. Due to the large amounts of straw surrounding the animals, lions, tigers, camels, zebras, and other species spread out between nine locked cages all perished in the flames. They drink up to 200 litres of water per day. 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In the late 19th century, three brilliant inventors, Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla and George Westinghouse, battled over which electricity systemdirect current (DC) or alternating current (AC)would become standard. Edison has therefore been accused of torturing Topsy in order to satisfy his ego and further his commercial interests. It provided financial support for Edisons electric light experiments in return for control of the resulting patents. Even so, Topsys fate was not immediately sealed, and in fact her notoriety, and exaggerated press reports, brought enormous crowds to the circus to see her. Topsy (circa 1875 January 4, 1903) was a female Asian elephant who was electrocuted at Coney Island, New York, in January 1903. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. 13 Sep 1916 (aged 2122) Erwin, Unicoi County, Tennessee, USA. In 1903, when the owners of Luna Park, Coney Island announced they would execute Topsy the elephant by strangulation, poisoning, and electrocution (with the electrocution part ultimately killing the elephant), Edison Manufacturing sent a crew to film it, releasing it that same year with the title Electrocuting an Elephant. One of the most haunting videos of an escaped circus animal is that of Tyke the elephant. The Wired article I linked above tells the typical popular story, and if you believe that, it sounds like it was Edisons own hand that flicked the switch on poor Topsy. An elephant in the wild can eat anywhere from 100 1000 pounds of vegetation in a 16 hour period. At the time, Topsy had a handler named William Alt who unfortunately involved her in more public incidents. If youre a history buff, you may have heard the story of Topsy the Elephant. The Tale of Topsy the Elephant That was Electrocuted, Poisoned and Topsy was an obedient circus elephant despite the abuse she suffered, but after she finally struck back, she was sentenced to be electrocuted to death on . Researchers have found that elephants use an ultrasound rumble, often too low for humans to hear, to keep the herd together and for males to find mates. When the Al G. Barnes Circus paraded through the streets of Corsicana, Texas, in 1929, all eyes were on Black Diamond the elephant. According to the documentary Jumbo: The Life of an Elephant Superstar, the eponymous elephant was the worlds first animal superstar. Jumbo was a huge crowd puller at the London Zoooffering rides on his backbefore he was sold to P.T. Thompson and Dundy claimed in the press that they tried to sell Topsy or even to give her away, but that no one would take her. A five-ton elephant became known as Murderous Mary after she was hanged for her crimes in 1916. She was sold to the owner of a Coney Island menagerie, who soon after leased the attraction to Frederick Thompson and Elmer Dundy, who intended to redevelop the attraction into an amusement park named Luna Park. She was said to have killed three men, but her last victim, at least, brought on his demise by feeding her a lighted cigarette. Poachers in this area are known for removing the heads and paws from the lifeless bodies of lions and selling them to make a large profit on the black market. Instead, electric lighting was invented by Englishman Humphrey Davy. Enter Thomas Edison, inventor of the light bulb. After looking at and discarding various methods of how to put down Mary, Spark decided to hang her. The tragic story of Topsy began sometimes around 1875. Why did the elephant hang in 1976? - Promisekit.org And the story you know probably goes something like this: Thomas Edison, trying to prove that his rivals alternating current was more dangerous than his own form of direct current, arranged to electrocute an elephant with AC, proving how dangerous it was compared to DC. Just a year before Topsys death, another female elephant named Gypsy was shot and killed by an armed mob after a series of fatal attacks, while a bull elephant named Fritz was strangled to death by circus workers in front of a crowd after his handlers lost control of him in the ring. Once they were rescued by Animal Defenders International (ADI), they were shipped back to their home country of South Africa to live at Emoya Big Cat Sanctuary and finally be safe. Are there any living descendants of Thomas Edison? Blount was drunk, and began teasing the elephants. Anyone who has stepped foot in a circus tent and witnessed animals performing might be convinced otherwise, however, as the grinning trainers show off these exotic creatures. It is more accurate to say he was very hard of hearing. Which organ is mainly affected by electric shock? Many believe Topsy was a victim of the so-called War of the Currents, the battle between Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison over alternating and direct current. Captured on film by Thomas Edison, the event was one of a string of animal electrocutions Edison staged to discredit a new form of electricity: alternating current. The saddest aspect of this case is that it seems clear to me that the real reason for Topsys death was simply that she was surplus to requirements. During her 25 years at Forepaugh, Topsy gained a reputation as a bad elephant and, after killing a spectator in 1902, was sold to Coney Islands Sea Lion Park. )Mary The Elephant. The elephant stopped short. Edison has therefore been accused of torturing Topsy in order to satisfy his ego and further his commercial interests. Thomas Edisons teachers said he was too stupid to learn anything. He was fired from his first two jobs for being non-productive. As an inventor, Edison made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb. Prior to researching, I had heard the story via pop culture references and had taken Thomas Edisons participation to be fact, so I was interested to find that in fact his name was absent from the accounts I was reading. I started researching Topsys story for a much shorter image-based post for r/vintageanimalpics. 1894September 13, 1916), also known as Murderous Mary, was a five-ton Asian elephant who performed in the Sparks World Famous Shows circus. He has been a guest speaker on numerous national radio and television stations and is a five time published author. The parade was led by Black Diamonds trainer, H.D. According to one witness, Eldridge poked the elephant around her ear with a hook as she reached down to eat a watermelon. He once wrote, I have not heard a bird sing since I was twelve years old.. Wikimedia CommonsAn illustration of Topsy the elephant. The Forepaugh circus falsely billed her as the first elephant to be captive born in the US (hence her description in the Edison catalogue as the famous baby elephant). The town of Erwin was the site of the now famous hanging of Mary the elephant in 1916. We're happy to answer questions or help you with returns. Did Topsy the elephant suffer? Topsy was an obedient circus elephant despite the abuse she suffered . On this day in 1903, Topsy the elephant died of electrocution on Coney Island. The current is cut off and she falls forward to the ground dead. Many believe Topsy was a victim of the so-called War of the Currents, the battle between Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison over alternating and direct current. A baby elephant can stand within 20 minutes of birth. Did Topsy the elephant suffer? The Luna Park Zoo at Coney Island decided that Topsy the Elephant was a danger to visitors after the 10-foot-high Indian elephant killed three trainers in three years. As a rough rule of thumb, more than fifty volts is sufficient to drive a potentially lethal current through the body. Elephants Have Fingers on Their Trunk For Grasping. If someone who has received an electric shock does not suffer immediate cardiac arrest and does not have severe burns, they are likely to survive. Many believe Topsy was a victim of the so-called War of the Currents, the battle between Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison over alternating and direct current. Topsy was an obedient circus elephant despite the abuse she suffered, but after she finally struck back, she was sentenced to be electrocuted to death on January 4, 1903.
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