In late September, 1963, a 12-year-old, 3,000-pound female dancing

Asian elephant The Asian elephant (''Elephas maximus''), also known as the Asiatic elephant, is the only living species of the genus ''Elephas'' and is distributed throughout the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, from India in the west, Nepal in the no ...

named Rajje (alternately reported as Raji, Little Rajjee, among other variations) rebelled against her trainer during a performance in a shopping center circus, and escaped into the streets of

Lansing, Michigan Lansing () is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is mostly in Ingham County, although portions of the city extend west into Eaton County and north into Clinton County. The 2020 census placed the city's population at 112,644, making ...

, aggravated by the frenzied pursuit of nearly 4,000 local residents. The incident ended with the shooting of the elephant by local police.news report in LIFE magazin
"Death for a Dancing Elephant"
''

Life Magazine ''Life'' was an American magazine published weekly from 1883 to 1972, as an intermittent "special" until 1978, and as a monthly from 1978 until 2000. During its golden age from 1936 to 1972, ''Life'' was a wide-ranging weekly general-interest ma ...

'', October 11, 1963. p. 34B. Retrieved on June 25, 2013. Provoked by the growing crowd, her rampage took her through the Men's wear, sporting goods and gift departments of a local Arlan's discount store, before leading police on a two-mile chase in which Rajje knocked down and injured a 67-year-old man, tried to move a car, and caused thousands of dollars in damage before being subdued. ''

'' quoted Rajje's trainer William Pratt at the scene as shouting, "Damn these people ..They wouldn't leave her alone." The incident was widely reported, including a photospread in ''Life'' magazine. While the ''

Lansing State Journal The ''Lansing State Journal'' is a daily newspaper published in Lansing, Michigan, owned by Gannett. Overview The ''Lansing State Journal'' is the sole daily newspaper published in Greater Lansing. The newspaper had an average Monday through ...

'' coverage stresses the danger of the incident during the "Big Beast" rampage,Schneider, John
"Regret lingers after death of elephant in '63"
, ''

'', October 28, 2011. Retrieved on June 25, 2013. the ''

Detroit Free Press The ''Detroit Free Press'' is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, US. The Sunday edition is titled the ''Sunday Free Press''. It is sometimes referred to as the Freep (reflected in the paper's web address, www.freep.com). It primari ...

'' notes witnesses cried out "Murderers! Murderers!" as police fired eight shots. Author

Nelson Algren Nelson Algren (born Nelson Ahlgren Abraham; March 28, 1909 – May 9, 1981) was an American writer. His 1949 novel ''The Man with the Golden Arm'' won the National Book Award and was adapted as the 1955 film of the same name. Algren articulated ...

cites the injustice and sad end of the pursuit of "Raji, the Pixie-Eared Elephant" in continuity with the ambush of

Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow Bonnie Elizabeth Parker (October 1, 1910May 23, 1934) and Clyde Chestnut (Champion) Barrow (March 24, 1909May 23, 1934) were an American criminal couple who traveled the Central United States with their gang during the Great Depression. The c ...

in his introduction to a 1968 biography of the outlaws.Fortune, Jan I. et al (1968). ''The true story of Bonnie & Clyde'', p. xiii. Signet Books, New York. . Then teenage Lansing residents who had goaded the elephant on recalled the incident with sober regret in a local newspaper retrospective in 2011.

References

{{reflist 1963 animal deaths 1963 in Michigan Lansing, Michigan Elephants in the United States

See also

References