There's A Skeleton In A Trainyard In East Tennessee

Blue Ridge Country ^ | May / June 1997 | JOAN VANNORSDALL SCHROEDER

[Fester Chugabrew]

Mary the Elephant. The town considered guns, electrocution and dismemberment before setting on hanging.

There's A Skeleton In A Trainyard In East Tennessee BY JOAN VANNORSDALL SCHROEDER It was 1916, and things were changing fast. World War I raged in Europe. Dadaism, ripe with comic derision and irrationality, took hold in artistic circles. Freeform jazz took hold of the American music scene. Margaret Sanger opened the first birth-control clinic. It was a good year for scapegoats. It was a good year to hang an elephant.

[Fester Chugabrew]

Spoke to an old conductor for the CSX line today and he mentioned this strange incident from way back. Lo and behold, this makes for an anniversary, for this article depicts events from exactly 87 years ago. It happened right around the time Walter Cronkite was born.

[mtbopfuyn]

Yet another in a long list of why I refuse to go to a circus.

[SarahW]

I thought this thread was going to be about Johnny Cash.

Or maybe one of my relatives. :)

[John Frum]

Its just really sad commentary on humanity to see that because, if you think about it, elephants are actually quite intelligent.

The status quo of this elephant's care, would be today, most likely, judged as barbaric. Thus its not surprising the elephant struck back in some attempt at venting its frustration. But I am willing to bet that animal wouldn't have killed someone had it not been provoked (who knows how many times) in some way.

[Fester Chugabrew]

"I thought this thread was going to be about Johnny Cash."

Come to think of it, the title does sound like it could be one of his tunes.

[Fester Chugabrew]

". . . elephants are actually quite intelligent."

That could be why a certain political party chose NOT to have this critter for a mascot, but the jackass instead.

[gcruse]

Great story. Thanks for posting it.

[Fester Chugabrew]

"Great story. Thanks for posting it."

Thanks, gcruse.

When I spoke with that conductor yesterday he was waiting for his train in the elephant's railyard (or graveyard). He said there is some contoversy over the exact location of burial. There are some who want to dig up the bones and give them a better resting place.

As for the story itself, it sure is strange. I'm sure those who witnessed it never forgot. It seems to fit the age in a way, as the author points out.

[Fester Chugabrew]

pong!

[bert]

I live in Kingsport and know that to this day the people in Erwin deride us because we lacked the ability to hang the elephant. They can be beat black and blue in football, but are still the winners at elephant hanging.

[Fester Chugabrew]

"They can be beat black and blue in football, but are still the winners at elephant hanging."

LOL! Kingsport was in our conversation, too. On the same RR line.

[Fester Chugabrew]

BUMP