Topsy the Elephant - Definition and Overview

Topsy the Elephant (circa 1875 - January 4, 1903) was a member of a domesticated herd at Coney Island's Luna Park. She had been a part of the Forepaugh Circus previously. Topsy was deemed an ill-tempered and dangerous animal in that she killed three men in as many years, the last being an abusive trainer who tried to feed her a lit cigarette. For this reason, her owners decided to put her to death. Cyanide poisoning failed, and a proposal of hanging was abandoned after American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals protests. Thomas Edison suggested electrocution, using the Westinghouse alternating current system of electricity transmission, which Edison, a backer of direct current argued was more dangerous. The ASPCA found this suggestion acceptable, viewing electrocution as a more humane form of killing. Electrocution killed Topsy quickly. Edison recorded the execution with a motion picture camera, and showed his film to audiences around the country, as part of his unsuccessful attempt to discredit AC.

A memorial for Topsy was placed in the Coney Island Museum on July 20 2003

See also

• List of historical elephants
• War of Currents

External links

• 1208 Surf Avenue (near West 12th Street) Brooklyn NY 11224-2816 phone: 718 372 5159 fax 718 372 5101 (http://www.coneyislandusa.com/museum.shtml)
• Topsy, elephant. Roadside Pet Cemetery (http://www.roadsideamerica.com/pet/topsy.html)
• Video: Electrocuting an Elephant (http://www.23nlpeople.com/media/~elephant_dead.mpg) shows the actual killing of Topsy (warning: disturbing images)
• Excerpt from Elephant Feelings (http://johnhaskell.home.mindspring.com/topsy.html)