November 30, 2004

The Hanging of Mary. Mary killed a man in 1916, and for that she had to hang. The people of Erwin, Tennessee shot her, but the bullets just bounced off. She wouldn't eat poison. And the town didn't have eneough power to electrocute her.

Mary was an elephant.

posted by rodgerd 19 years ago
  • Indeed she was. In the words of Keanu - woah.
  • Ten years ago, here in Honolulu, Tyke the Elephant killed her trainer, injured a dozen others, and went running down the street, until she was shot to death by the police. Be warned: This last link contains distrubing footage of the incident.
  • Of course, there is always Topsy
  • I wonder if Mary was Disney's inspiration for Dumbo's mom. Anyway, disturbing stuff.
  • In 1980 when I was hiking the Appalachian Trail I went into Erwin for supplies and spent a night there--it was a grim and scary place where the only bookstore featured titles like _Ass-Loving Ex-Con_. Which lacked character development and featured an inadequate plot.
  • Ass-Loving Ex-Con Phrases You Do Not Want To Google #4837. I mean, who knew? Gay Harry Potter Slash Fanfic? With Draco?
  • I'm from Bristol, which is about 30 miles from Erwin, and I grew up hearing this story. All of us neighboring towns were a both little jealous and a little relieved that we didn't have a legacy that could compete with old Mary.
  • Who here found the description of the tearing tendon more disturbing than the Tyke video?
  • The Elephant Sanctuary. /wistful sigh