It seems that Topsy herself, the elephant pictured yesterday, was not immune from making a breakout. Topsy belonged to Sole Brother's Circus and probably came to Tasmania a few times. I had fun looking at Sole Brothers when I discovered that Albert Doe had married Ethel Sole in 1916. Sadly, he caught influenza after WW1 and did not surviveI think the reporter fom the Townsville Daily Bulletin enjoyed writing the following report
ELEPHANT AMOK. Shop Windows Smashed. BRISBANE. August 10. Topsy, the star performing elephant of Sole Brothers' circus, caused a sensation in Stanley Street. South Brisbane late to-night, when she broke from her tether, ran amok, and pushed her head through the plate glass of a shop window. Although she is 60 years of age. and ought to know better, Topsy, said to be suffering from an over-abundance of hay, became suddenly skittish, and with a twist of her foot snapped her shackles and decided to take a midnight stroll down Stanley Street. Like her famous namesake she simply growed. One minute she was not there. the next minute she loomed a grey wraith, mountain high, and to the astonishment of motorists, pedestrians, and late lovers, four and a half tons of elephant ambled ponderously in the direction of the city. Apparently she had never heard of either of Police Commissioner Caroll or his white traffic lines, for she disobeyed all traffic rules and jay walked dangerously, causing homeward bound motor drivers to swerve around her fore and aft. Cries of passers-by attracted the attention of circus attendants, who clad in pyjamas, rushed out to lead Topsy back to the tent. Topsy had other views, and gambolled across the street through the window of the second-hand shop occupied by Mr. C. Baynes. Despising all attempts to show her the way to home, Topsy trumpeted, stood on her hind legs, and pirouetted ted in the waltz as she had done earlier in the evening before an admiring audience. Awakened from their sleep by the crash of splintering glass, Mr. and Mrs. Baynes, candle in hand, came running downstairs, and were just in time to gaze with awe upon the disappearing stern of the mammoth. Nothing in the window had been damaged, for if Topsy was looking for a more varied diet than hay, used cameras, tripods, biscuit boxes, and boots she found not to her liking. Before she had time to do any more damage the circus attendants with motorists and others, persuaded her to return to her tent, where with others or her kind, she calmly continued the munching of hay. Topsy is 60 years of age, and came to Australia from Singapore. In 1928, and has been with the circus ever since. She is a highly trained animal, being able to juggle, dance, and play the mouth organ. She stands 9ft. 4in in height
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