The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1874-12-25
CAUGHT IN ms OWN TIlAP.
ALLAN ter BuIIds n Trnn
q Bear. and Coalaos 1es,-.,
PerkSh1mK. W u
vIrgInIa { Nev. } CrOnieIe, NoY. 81.

city, who have inst returned from
an expedition into the Sierra Ney-I
adas, about forty miles from town.
relate the following, remarl1ahle
incident: On last Thursday az
ternoon about three O'Clock, two
of the party were on the trail OF a
deer, which led them into a remote
ravine in the Businesses OF the
mountains, into which they had
not ventured. The snow being
about two feet deep, and the walk
ing very heavy, they became dis
couraged and losing all hope OF
overtaking the deer, which they
had wounded, they Abandoned the
pursuit. On their return, one of
Them discharged his gun at hare.
and soon after a faint halloo was
heard at some distance to The right,
as If from some one in distress.
Uncertain whether they were mis-
taken, and had not been deceived |
by the whistling of the wind, they |
shouted aloud, when the cry was
repeated.
AS night would soon come on,
they held consultation, md were
about proceeding to their camp,
three or four miles away, conclud
ing that the noise was made by
wondering Indians, or came from
party of wood-chopers. They
started on, but soon q prolonged
and mournfnl howl was borne
down the wind and again reached
their ears. They stared at each
other q moment, and then, by q
simultaneous impulse, turned in
the direction from which the sound
proceeded. They went out for
some distance, floundefing
through the snow down q precipi-
tious descent which led them into
q gloomy canyon. AS they drew
nearer, the voice of human be-
ing could be distinctly heard call
ing for relief. They answered
that aid was approaching.
The mans yells of misery
changed to cries of joy, and they
could here him at intervals shout
ing, "For Gods sake don't go
away and leave mer' "Come and
get me outw 81 am caught and
starving" Still they could see
nothing but, guided by the mans
cries, and cheering him with hope
full answers as they advanced, they
pushed forward and at last dis
cerned what seemed TO be n small
cabin built of logs, without win
dows or doors. The snow had
drifted against one side of the hut
nearly as high as the roof, and as
they could see no entrance they
went around to the other side.
AS soon as the occupant saw them
he uttered EXPLANATIONS of the
greatest joy, and explained his
situation by stating that he had
built bear-trap and had caught
himself in it five days before.
The door was made of heavy logs,
and was SO arranged as to slip
down into its place from above
They tried to lift it up, but failed.
Finally, by means OF a stick of
timber, which lay near by, they
pried it up sufficient for the pris-
oner to crawl beneath. He ap-
peared more dead than alive, but
by the judicious use of the flask
of brandy they were able to get
him to their camp about dark,
where their companions had n
blazing fire awaiting their return.
The half famished man ate reven-
ously. He was supplied with
plenty of hot coffee and smoked a
pipe, after which his strength
somewhat revived, and he gave the
following account of how he got
into the situation in which he was
found. He said his name was
Thomas Way, and that he had
been engaged in chopping wood in
the mountains during last sum
mer. Since the first snow fall,
about a month ago, he had fire.
queltly noticed tracks of bears
among the pine trees, and often
tried to get shot at them, but
without success. At last the idea
struck him to build pen, such as
lie had often seen grizzly bears
caught in, in Lake county, Califor-
MIA, where he used to live.
He explained that a bear trap is
made by building a small square
house of heavy hewed logs, and
covering it with n strong roof.
The door is of heavy logs also,
and slides up and down in grooves.
When it is up there is an open en-
trance about five feet high and
four feet wide. A sheep is killed
and hung up inside of the pen at
tached to a rope, which is con-
nected with trigger, so that when
the bear enters and seizes the
mutton the door falls and he is
Gagged. Way went to work and
completed his trap to his satisfac-
tion, and intended to Lait it the
same night. Having q curiosity
to sec how it would work,
he went in and pulled the rope
slightly, when the door fell down.
lie attempted to raise it, but
was horror-strieken and his hair
stood on end when he found that
he was unable to bulge it an inch.
He worked and struggled, but the
heavy weight refused to move.
The pen worked only too success
fully, and he was caught in his
own trap. He yelled, shouted,
called for help, but knowing that
he was miles from human habita-
ton, and in savage locality where
few persons ever ventured, he sat
down in blank despair. He spent
that night in agony, and got but
little sleep. 1t commenced to
snow, but fortunately he had a
heavy blanket overcoat which /
kept him comparatively comforta-
BILE. The next morning he CON-
menced to shout again until his
throat was sore, but was only
answered by the bowling of the
tempest. He had set his gun
against a stump outside and long
eel to get ut it, that he might fire
it of and attrac. somebody's at
tention. He soon began to get
hungry. His thirst he quenced
by thrusting his hand through the
chinks between the logs and raking
up snow and eating it. Thus day
after day elapsed, during which
his mental sufferings were tern
bile. 81 tell you, men," said he,
81 thought of everything l had
ever done in all my life, from the
time was a boy six years old"
At last brilliant idea struck him.
He had matches, and would burn
his way out. With the heel of his
boot he would kick and grind n