Rumors of Apes Escaping from Zoo or Circus (1800s - 1940s)

The second edition of Chad Arment’s The Historical Bigfoot (Coachwhip Publications, 2019) contains many newspaper reports of hairy creatures – often described as “apes” or “gorillas” – rumored to have been sighted in the U.S. from the late 19th century to the 1940s, and which were explained as escapees from a zoo, circus, and the like. I’ve arranged the list of examples of this trope chronologically. The numbers in bold preceding each entry indicate page numbers.

469 “A wild man or gorilla…is supposed to have escaped from some traveling show.” (KS, 1870)

670 Two gorillas, while exercising on deck, escaped from a South American boat harbored nearby. (NY, 1886)

671 Gorilla “escaped from a Brighton Beach museum.” (NY, 1886)

43 “gorilla had got loose from the circus which is now exhibiting on Union Square.” (Utah, 1887)

412 “it is supposed a gorilla escaped from” Robinson’s show. (IN, 1889)

1051 “A reward of $1,000 for the capture of the living gorilla supposed to have escaped from the show quartered at Janesville, or $500 for the carcass, has been offered.” (WI, 1889)

272 “some time last fall a circus train was wrecked…and many of the animals escaped. Among the animals was a gorilla.” (CA, 1891)

296 “The gorilla probably escaped from some circus years ago.” (CT, 1891)

481 “The animal probably made its escape from some traveling show.” (KY, 1892)

473 “A gorilla was reported to have escaped from Cook & Whitby’s circus…a few months ago.” (KS, 1893)

302 “baboon which escaped from a menagerie here a score of years ago.” (CT, 1895)

679 “chimpanzee escaped from some menagerie.” (NY, 1895)

311 “It is thought the gorilla made its escape from some circus.” (CT, 1895)

649 Gorilla “escaped from a circus caravan.” (NJ, 1896)

331 “gorilla escaped from a circus menagerie.” (PA, 1901)

538 “The supposition is that it has made its escape from some circus.” (MA, 1902)

44 “ape belonging to a circus that exhibited here, escaped, and is at large in the woods in the vicinity.” (Iowa, 1904)

515 “The circus train met with a railroad wreck, and several wild animals were freed from their cages.” (MD, 1905)

327 Gorilla “escaped from Barnum’s winter quarters…or from some zoological garden.” (CT, 1905)

860 “That it is an ape escaped from some zoological collection is the most commonly accepted theory. This was strengthened by a rumor that the authorities of the Zoological Gardens of Philadelphia were out looking for a lost simian.” (PA, 1906)

992-3 Captured baboon “is thought to have escaped from a show that exhibited…a short time ago.” (TX, 1914)

595 “gorilla that has made its escape from some show traveling through the country.” (MS, 1917)

736 “The ape is believed to have escaped from a Cleveland zoo.” (OH, 1919)

1031 “ape believed to have escaped from a circus.” (WV, 1920)

1032 “ape which is supposed to have escaped from the Cincinnati Zoo.” (WV, 1920)

885, 888 “a circus or carnival train was wrecked…and a gorilla escaped.” Claim that a reward of $500 dead or $1,000 alive was “offered by the carnival company.” (PA, 1920)

685 “baboon thought to have escaped from a rum-running ship.” (NY, 1922)

948 “Some weeks ago…a large and ferocious gorilla escaped from” a carnival. (SC, 1925)

281 Large monkey or gorilla “might have escaped from a traveling circus.” (CA, 1926)

560 “an ape or a monkey with a carnival company got away from its cage…six weeks ago.” (MI, 1926) 926 “ape escaped from a circus in Johnstown some time ago.” (PA, 1926)

926 “escape of a gorilla from a circus at Brownsville recently.” (PA, 1926)

382 “A big ape escaped from a zoo…more than a week ago, and it is believed that the animal may have come to this city.” (IL, 1928)

654 “gorilla escaped from a circus train.” (NJ, 1929)

385 Gorilla “is believed to have escaped a carnival…twenty miles from here.” (IL, 1929)

425 “some species of ape, probably escaped from a circus or carnival.” (IN, 1929)

455, 457 “gorilla escaped from a circus…a year ago.” (IA, 1930)

462 Showman claimed “the animal was in all probability one which escaped from his truck when it was turned over in an accident three weeks ago.” (IA, 1930)

749 “ape escaped from a circus which showed here about 10 days ago.” (OH, 1930)

767 Ape “may have escaped from a circus which showed at Zanesville recently.” (OH, 1932)

427 “a chimpanzee or baboon escaped from a carnival or circus.” (IN, 1933)

464 “chimpanzee is believed to have escaped from a circus cage.” (IA, 1936)

391 Baboon “was the property of a hurdy gurdy man or circus, and had escaped its owner.” (IL 1937)

429 “an empty circus truck in the vicinity.” (IN, 1937)

391 Large monkey or baboon an “escaped circus animal.” (IL, 1942)

398 “escaped circus or zoo ape.” (IL, 1942)

942 “The wild ape…escaped from a circus which played in the vicinity six weeks ago.” (PA, 1945)

1055 Ape “escaped from some nearby fairgrounds.” (WI, 1946)

Cf. Chad Arment, Boss Snakes: Stories and Sightings of Giant Snakes in North America (Coachwhip Publications, 2008), for reports of giant snakes that supposedly escaped from a circus, carnival, or menagerie: 96, 97, 111, 118, 140, 141, 159, 161-2, 173, 176 (bis), 177, 181, 198, 200, 201, 202, 210, 218, 234, 242, 246, 247, 251, 257, 258, 259, 260, 261, 262, 264, 271, 299, 305, 309 (bis), 340, 341, 347, 361.