The one-armed lion tamer who went by the name of Captain Jack Bonita and his pride, ca. early 1900’s.

Amputation

Before he lost his arm, as a result of his encounter with the lion ‘Baltimore’ at Coney Island in 1904, Captain Bonavita appeared in the arena with 27 lions, a performance which no other trainer had ever attempted. 

For eight months the trainer fought against the amputation of his arm

Death

Capt. Jack Bonavita was clawed to death at the Bostock animal farm Monday (1917). He was training a vicious polar bear when the animal turned and attacked him.

The trainer had been putting the bear through his customary performance when the beast became enraged and attacked him. A policeman killed the bear by putting six bullets into him. Captain Bonavita sustained a fractured jaw and was badly lacerated about the face and body.