They used a crane and I saw the pictures somewhere on the internet. The only thing I can think is that they killed the the elephant first and then hung it as a symbolic punishment.
The story's quite true, it happened in the early 1900s here in my present location of Tennessee. the circus involved was the Sells-Floto show, and the bull's name was Mary. Click on the pic of Mary hanging from the 120-ton railroad crane used to hoist her body for a link to the story with details.
Appropos of nothing in patrticular, my ex's name is also Mary. Coincidence? I think not.
