Gypsie (Gypsy)
Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) at
Ringling Bros. Circus in United States

Biography

☨ ♀ Gypsie (Gypsy)
Asian elephant Gypsy, after having been strangled by ropes pulled on each side of the car by teams of horses. This took place at the first under canvas stand of the 1910 season. That was at Danville, IL on April 28th. While being unloaded that morning, 9 elephants stampeded doing much damage to local property. The one executed was said to be the leader. The surviving 8 “offenders” were sent back to Baraboo for “training.” Ringling was having serious elephant management problems at the time. In 1909 there were three runaways. Elephant superintendent William Emery was new to the job that year, having replaced the veteran Pearl Souder. Emery lasted through the 1911 season after which he was replaced by George “Deafy” Denman who had the bulls on the 1910 and 1911 Forepaugh-Sells shows. He would become RBBB’s long running elephant supt. Richard Reynolds

Identification


Description
Species:	Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)
Sex and age:	Female ♀
Origin
Born:	* wild
Birth place:	in Asia unspecified location
Death
Dead:	†1910-04-30
Death reason:	killed: execution by strangulation
Locations - owners
Present / last location:	Ringling Bros. Circus, in United States

Date of arrival

1908-00-00	Ringling Bros. Circus from Forepaugh-Sells Show

1904-00-00	Forepaugh-Sells Show from Barnum & Bailey Circus

Record history
History of updates	2010-04-24: New York Times article 2022-04-11: Born in Asia

Latest document update	2022-04-11 17:26:07
Google map

† Gypsie (Gypsy) is a dead Female ♀ Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), , who died 1910-04-30 at Ringling Bros. Circus, in United States, . Official death reason described as execution by strangulation .

Origin

Gypsie (Gypsy) was born wild at Asia unspecified location.

Comments / pictures

Started a stampede in Danville, ILL. April 27, 1910.
Died April 30, 1910 (execution by strangulation).

ELEPHANTS STREW CITY WITH WRECKAGE; Nine Stampede Through Residence District of Danville, Ill., Destroying Everything in Path.

DANVILLE, Ill., April 27.--Nine big elephants when being unloaded by the Ringling Circus at Danville, "Uncle Joe" Cannons home, escaped from their keepers upon gaining the ground this afternoon and stampeded through the residence section. For over two hours they created a reign of terror in the north-western part of the city and caused much damage.

Records about Gypsie (Gypsy) from Bob Cline

GYPSY 1903 - Barnum & Bailey Circus
Female Asian 1904 to 1907 - Adam Forepaugh / Sells Bros. Circus
1908 to 1910 - Ringling Bros. Circus
Started a stampede in Danville, ILL. April 27, 1910.
Died April 30, 1910 ( execution by strangulation )

Bob Cline, author of the book "Americas elephants".

New York Times 1910-04-27

Reference list

References

Koehl, Dan, (2026). Gypsie (Gypsy), Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) located at Ringling Bros. Circus in United States. Elephant Encyclopedia, available online retrieved 15 January 2026 at https://www.elephant.se/database2.php?elephant_id=3861. (archived at the Wayback machine)