You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Since such an incident of electrocution of an elephant was never attempted before, a sizeable crowd drew in to watch the event at the recently opened park. (www.timetoast.com / Wikimedia Commons) Topsy was an elephant that belonged to the herd of performers in the Forepaugh Circus for a major part of her life. Nowadays, in a modern zoo or circus, elephants are no longer publicly executed and their meat is no longer sold in the restaurants afterwards. Memorial; Photos ; Flowers ; Topsy (circa 1875-January 4, 1903), was a circus elephant killed by electrocution on January 4, 1903. After they decided they could no longer handle … In those days, like other circus animals, Topsy was a victim of human-inflicted brutality and abuse. And for Topsy, a member of a deeply intelligent and emotive species who was kept in captivity for so much of her life, Edison's feud couldn't have mattered less. The execution, since then has been the subject matter of various books, articles and television documentaries. And for Topsy, who was a member of a species with profound intelligence and emotions, kept in bondage for such an extended period of her life, the feud between Edison and Tesla couldn’t have made much of a difference. Topsy the elephant, born in 1875, was a female Asian elephant who had been brought to the United States. This is the story of an elephant, electrocuted 100 years ago. As indicated by different sources, she supposedly killed by trampling two circus workers in Texas. While there, the elephant, which was turned into a circus animal, was involved in several incidents, one of which killed a… “But the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals objected, claiming that this method of execution was unnecessarily cruel.”. Many people trust that Topsy was a casualty of the purported “War of the Currents” the scientific battle that was fought between Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla over the concepts and viability of alternating and direct currents. And on January 4, 1903, Topsy was to be executed by due to be strangled with a crane at Luna Park in New York. 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Sadly, they’re not rare today either. She killed three men in three years, the last a drunk trainer who had fed her a lit cigarette. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Continue Numerous reports and sites allege that Thomas Edison not only recorded the entire event but also masterminded the killing. Finally, the elephant was executed on January 4, 1903, at the Luna Park construction area in Coney Island. Her death, which was filmed, was truly grotesque. Sources like Rutgers University are of the impression that a film crew which represented the Edison Electric Illuminating Co shot the video in all likelihood. It received national coverage in the newspapers, and the Edison Manufacturing Co. sent a film crew to document it. Wikipedia Article claims that Topsy killed an abusive trainer. Animal Biography: Re-framing Animal Lives. For whatever was left of her short-lived and pitiful life, she continued pulling massive building materials for construction and development. “Luna Park originally planned to hang Topsy,” according to the Rutgers University introduction to the Edison papers. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. He says Topsy was a victim of the “elephant wars” between circus proprietors, not the War of the Currents. Her body violently underwent a tremor before tumbling to the ground. And while Edison would eventually lose the War of Currents, the incident was far from a failure for him. But as is so often the case, that tale is not quite so simple. “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,” writes Tony Long for Wired. The fire also destroyed Lorenzo Shaw’s Channel Chute, a wooden roller coaster built in 1895 that encircled the hotel and was often called the Elephant … We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. In 1902, she killed James Fielding Blount, a spectator from Brooklyn, in utter anguish, who instigated to extremely trouble her by throwing a lit cigar into her mouth. As the story goes, Edison found his target in Topsy, a murderous circus elephant that was slated for death. Fred and Elmer swung into action with Thomas Edison. A terrifying film made the event infamous, leading to confusion over whether this was part of the epic battle between Thomas Edison and Nicola Tesla known as the "War of the Currents" . The tragic story of Topsy began sometimes around 1875. Relying on information from previous animal electrocutions using alternating current, they decided electrocution would be a more humane way to kill Topsy. An illustration of Topsy, a female Asian elephant killed at a Coney Island, New York park by electrocution on January 4, 1903. The elephant had recently been acquired from Forepaugh Circus, where she had a reputation as a "bad" elephant, having killed a drunken spectator the previous year who burnt the tip of her trunk with a lit cigar. The Wright brothers achieved their first powered flight, pointing the way to a … Smithsonian Institution, 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. But was Edison really that dastardly? Vote Now! 2018. A century later, at the Coney Island Museum, a memorial was unveiled, not only to commemorate the life and death of Topsy the elephant but also pay heartfelt tribute to a soul that contributed significantly to the scientific advancements in that period. Topsy the Elephant gained notoriety in America as part of the Forepaugh Circus when she killed a spectator in 1902 and was subsequently sold off to Luna Park. It has been conjectured that Topsy the elephant was not a pawn of the war of the currents, but of the “elephant wars” among the circus proprietors. The War of the Currents had been lost, and Edison's opponents, Nikola Tesla and George Westinghouse, had won. He was trying hard to uphold the direct current theory in the United States as the ideal standard of electricity provision. Apparently, he couldn’t forgo the opportunity to electrocute Topsy and prove the heightened perils of AC once more. He was then in strong contention with the alternating current strategy of Nikola Tesla. This morning we will be remembering the sad fate of Topsy the Elephant, who was put to death by electrocution for the murder of three.. 1903 was a landmark year for the inventive folk of the USA. However, things can go wrong. By this time, Topsy had been characterized in the press like a convicted killer condemned to death, and so the people came to watch. It was a great man’s frustration and wrath at being confronted with getting an upper hand over and showing off his real worth as the true boss. Topsy the elephant, here as well, was embroiled in several widely reported error incidents, mainly attributed to the inhuman actions meted out by either her unruly drunken handler or the park’s public attention-grabbing owners. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Privacy Statement Her name was Topsy, and she was famous at a time when people were still amazed by an elephant. Then they strapped on metal shoes and hit her with 6,600 volts of pure death. Her death, which was filmed, was truly grotesque. Naturally, Topsy was turned over to her new owners. The death of zoo or circus animals takes place behind the scenes, without spectators. View Source: Share. Topsy the elephant being electrocuted in Luna Park. Luna Park originally had plans to hang Topsy for her disruptive behaviour. The identity of a certain individual who apparently filmed the electrocution and consequent death of Topsy the elephant could not be revealed. Topsy’s graphic death (which was filmed and is available on Youtube) did perhaps represent “the culmination of an intensively [sic] personal and private drama” for Edison, Daly writes. After all, the War of the Currents, “Luna Park originally planned to hang Topsy,”, Relying on information from previous animal electrocutions using alternating current, they decided electrocution would be a more humane way to kill Topsy. “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,”, But some disagree, saying that Topsy was destined to die anyways, and Edison’s electrocution was merely seen to be a convenient and humane way of accomplishing her death. The elephant traders in Southeast Asia seized the baby elephant weighing 200 pounds. After this much-hyped incident, Topsy was disposed of Coney Island’s Sea Lion Park. After several incidents at Luna Park … Her life represents the treatment of animals exploited by the entertainment industry and symbolises America’s industrial empire. (www.metrolic.com / Wikimedia Commons). This morning we will be remembering the sad fate of Topsy the Elephant, who was put to death by electrocution for the murder of three. These cookies do not store any personal information. As the story goes, Edison found his target in Topsy, a murderous circus elephant that was slated for death. The electrocution of Topsy on Coney Island in 1903 was provoked by a series of incidents that gained for her an unenviable reputation as a “bad” elephant. Edison’s electrocution was simply observed as a conducive and compassionate way to accomplish her death. Topsy was an elephant that belonged to the herd of performers in the Forepaugh Circus for a major part of her life. She had a reputation for … It’s no secret to my friends and family that I’ve become obsessed with elephants of late. The film was Edison's "opportunity to demonstrate the deadliness of the damnable current on the largest of land animals,” he writes, “a creature so much bigger than any mere man, big enough to vent a great man’s fury and frustration at being bested, to show who is truly boss.” But it didn't matter. Notes. Topsy's exhibitor, Frank Murray ("Elephant Walk") notified Florida’s Wildlife Conservation Commission, as required, of her death, but - as is the case, sadly, with most of the elephants who are forced to give their lives over to entertaining us - there has been no public notice until now. Keep up-to-date on: © 2020 Smithsonian Magazine. Topsy: The Startling Story of the Crooked-Tailed Elephant, P.T. It was because of this stocked up pain and agony she became infamous as a rogue elephant. Around then, an occasion like this generated a lot of buzz and curiosity among the general public. The fire also destroyed Lorenzo Shaw’s Channel Chute, a wooden roller coaster built in 1895 that encircled the hotel and was often called the Elephant … Topsy, a circus elephant that had killed 3 people and was “condemned” to die by execution and the circumstances of her death later became an apocryphal legend of the Current Wars, though a false one. After all, the War of the Currents ended in the 1890s, while Topsy’s death came later. However, there is a lack of corroboration in this matter and contemporary historians have put this information away as a grossly fallacious one. On this day in 1903, Topsy the elephant died of electrocution on Coney Island. This film documents the publicly announced killing of Topsy the elephant at the unfinished Luna Park on Coney Island, New York City on January 4, 1903. A lot of people have heard of Topsy, though maybe don't know her name. The author wishes … 24.107.181.169 (talk) 04:06, 17 March 2013 (UTC) Topsy died within seconds. 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. Terms of Use Topsy the elephant was electrocuted at Luna Park Zoo on Coney Island in 1903. She was deemed a threat to people by her owners and they discussed several means of execution. It is arguably the most famous animal execution ever—the killing of Topsy the elephant at Luna Park on Coney Island in January 1903. It’s no secret to my friends and family that I’ve become obsessed with elephants of late. Topsy, the elephant Thomas Edison killed, got her death sentence after killing three people, including her very abusive trainer. A site called The Oatmeal accused him of kidnapping household pets and shocking them to death. Their ranks include Michael Daly, the author of Topsy: The Startling Story of the Crooked Tailed Elephant, P.T. As the electrocution of an elephant was hitherto unknown, Topsy’s executioners made sure to complete the act successfully through a technique that combined all; electrocution, poisoning and strangulation. Barnum, and the American Wizard, Thomas Edison. Frederic and Elmer termed it as her atonement pursuit for being so audacious and belligerent. But as is so often the case, that tale is not quite so simple. Namely, the elephant killed three people in the last three years, including her abusive coach who allegedly tried to give her a lit cigarette to eat. But after a number of other near-death incidents caused by Topsy’s drunk handlers, Topsy’s owner realized he couldn’t keep her. She used to be tormented no ends during the course of her training and performances. 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. An Asian elephant called Topsy was electrocuted in front of 1500 spectators by Thomas Edison in New York on January 4, 1903. Topsy: The Startling Story of the Crooked-Tailed Elephant, P.T. Topsy was a domesticated elephant with the Forepaugh Circus at Coney Island's Luna Park. On December 13, 1902, a press release from Luna Park issued a statement in newspapers that Topsy would be euthanized within a few days through electrocution. Topsy the elephant was innocent! According to them, Edison’s involvement is mostly dubious with newspaper accounts having no mention of it. While there, the elephant, which was turned into a circus animal, was involved in several incidents, one of which killed a… California Do Not Sell My Info 1903 was a landmark year for the inventive folk of the USA. But it hardly made any impact. What Daly argues, she writes, is that the War of the Currents was well over by that time, and what had been proven is that Edison’s direct current was effective at killing animals. Topsy had to go. or Topsy elephant death electrocution at luna park 1903 Are elephants executed still today? Have you heard of Topsy the elephant? Topsy was fed carrots laced with potassium cyanide, and her feet were placed in conductive copper sandals so she could be electrocuted. A baby elephant from Southeast Asia was brought secretly to America. The cost of admission was 25 cents. His presence isn’t mentioned in newspaper accounts of the execution, and none of Edison’s correspondence that can be found now mentions Topsy in any way. And, if she was really a ferocious, unmanageable beast, Topsy unquestionably didn’t demonstrate it on her last day. The tragic story of Topsy began sometimes around 1875. Elephant deaths in the entertainment industry weren’t that unusual back then. Source linked specifically says it was a visitor to Coney Island that fed a lit cigarette to the elephant that was killed. Barnum, and the American Wizard, Thomas Edison. During the War of the Currents, Edison supporters—desperate to show that alternating current was much more dangerous than direct current—had electrocuted a, Topsy’s graphic death (which was filmed and is available on. Some people deviate, stating that Topsy, in many ways, was doomed to die. Cookie Policy She was sold to Sea Lion Park in 1902 which was then sold to new owners who turned it into Luna Park. Based on information from prior instances of electrocutions of animals using alternating current, Luna Park officials decided on electrocution as the preferred and more humane alternative to killing Topsy the elephant. Enjoyed this article? 17th Annual Photo Contest Finalists Announced. Dead Topsy. Today, in any case, people introspect and consider this event as an absolutely deplorable and unforgivable moment that went down the chronicles as an extreme act of heinous crime and outrage against animal well-being. Topsy was about 35 years old at the time of her death, which is about half the expected life span for an elephant with a decent life in the wild. His film of Topsy’s demise, the rather obviously titled “Electrocuting an Elephant” was viewed in theaters throughout the world. 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. Read my chapter “Topsy: The Elephant We Must Not Forget” in Krebber, Andre and Mieke Roscher. In 1903, this sinister Wizard of Menlo Park supposedly pulled off his largest act of animal cruelty: using alternating current to kill an elephant named Topsy just so he could stay on top. The electrocution of Topsy on Coney Island in 1903 was provoked by a series of incidents that gained for her an unenviable reputation as a “bad” elephant. The SPCA and Edison Electric Co. are surmised to have both contributed towards the planning and execution of the electrocution method. The execution of Topsy, a female elephant, in a publicity stunt advertising the opening of Luna Park on Coney Island. 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Fielding Blunt, a handler who tried to feed Topsy a lit cigarette. After killing a spectator in 1902, she was sold to Coney Island. She was killed on January 4, 1903, with the whole thing filmed by Edison, which you can view here if you for some odd reason have a hankering to watch an elephant … We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. But some disagree, saying that Topsy was destined to die anyways, and Edison’s electrocution was merely seen to be a convenient and humane way of accomplishing her death. Kat Eschner is a freelance science and culture journalist based in Toronto. There was a huge blaze of fire and stench of burning flesh. Topsy details the ill-fated elephant's death and a life blighted by struggles between historic giants of the human herd. Atlantic Monthly Press, 369 pages, $27. Also, check out “Anti Tank Dog: The Soviet ‘Masterplan’ that Backfired to Disastrous Effects“. 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