River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-01-08
A TRAPPER TRAPPED.
He Tries 10 Catch IA Bear and Is
Himself Caught--A Terrible Exc
perfence.

miles from town, relate the following
remarkable incident: On last Thurs
day afternoon, about 6 o'clock, two o
the party were on the trail of deer
which led them into remote rayine il
the Businesses of the mountains, into
which they had not before ycntured
The snow being about two feet deep
and the walking very heavy, they be
came discouraged, and, losing all hope
OF overtaking the deer, which they hac
wounded, they abandoned the pursuit
On their return one Of them discharged
his gun at hare, and soon after O
faint halo was heard at some distance t
the right, as iffrom some one in distress
Uncertain whether they were not mis-
takea and had not been de-
eeived by the whistling Of
the wind, they shouted aloud.
when the cry was repeated. As night
would soon come, they held a consulta.
ton, and were about preceding to
their camp, three or four miles away,
concluding that the noise was made by
wandering Indians, or came from a par.
ty of wood.choIpers. They started
on, but soon prolonged and mournful
howl was borne down the wind and
again reached their ears. They stared
at each other moment, and then by q
simultaneous impulse turned in the
direction from which the sound pro.
ceeded. They went on for some dis
lance, laundering through the snow
down precipitous descent which led
them through gloomy canon. As
they drew nearer the voice of a human
being 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 hear him at intervals shout.
ing, "For Gods sake, don't 90 away
and leave me y ''Come and get me out!
am caught, and starving J" Still they
could see nothing, but guided by the
mans cries, and cheering him with
hopeful answers as they advanced, they
pushed forward, and at last discerned
what seemed to be small cabin built
of logs, without windows or doors
The snow had drifted against enc side
of the hut nearly as high as the roof
and. as they could see no entrance, they
went around to the other side. A.
soon as the occupant saw them he ut
tered Explanations of the greatest joy
and explained his situation in q few
words by stating that he had built q
bear-trap and had caught himself in il
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 stick of timber
which lay near by, they pried it up
sufficiently for the prisoner to crawl be.
meath. lie appeared more dead than
alive, but, by the judicious use of a
flask Of brandy, they were able tC
get him to their camp about dark,
where their companions had a blazing
fire awaiting their return. The
half-famished man ate ravenously. lie
was supplied with plenty of hot coffee,
and smoked pipe, after which his
strength somewhat revived, and he
gave the following account of how he
got into the condition in which he was
found. He said his name was Thomas
Way, and that ne had been engaged in
chopping wood in the mountains dur.
ing last summer. Since the first snow.
fall, about month ago. he had fire..
Quently noticed tracks of bears among
the pine trees, and had often tried to
get shot at them, kut without success
At last the idea struck him to build O
pen such as he had often seen grizzly
bears caught in in Lake county, Califor'
mia, where he used to live. He ex.
planned that bear trap is made by
building a small, square house OF
heavy, hewed .ogs, and covering il
with a strong roof. The door is Of
heavy logs, also, and slides up and
down in grooves. When it is up there
is an entrance about five feet high and
four feet wide. A sheep is killed and
hung up inside Of the pen, attached Ia
a rope, which is connected with trig'
ger. so that when the bear enters and
seizes the mutton the door falls, and he
is Gagged. Way went u work and com.
pleted his trap to his satisfaction, and
intended to bait il the same night. Hay.
ing curiosity TO see how it would
work, he went in and pulled the rope
slightly, when the door fell down. lie
attempted 10 raise il, but was horror.
stricken, and his hair stood on end
when he found that he was unable 10
move il. IL worked and struggled,
but the heavy weight refused to move.
The pen worked only too successfully,
and he waF caught in his own trap.
lie yelled, shouted, called for help, but
knowing that he was miles from O
human habitation and in savage local
ity where few persons ever ventured
he sat down in blank despair. nc
spent that night in agony, and got but
little sleep. II commenced 10 snow, but
fortunately he had a heavy blanket
overcoat. The next morning he com
F.. menced shouting again until his throat
was sore, but was only answered
by the howlings Of tbs
tempest. lie had set nix
gun against a stump outside, and
ionged TO get at it and fire it of that
ne might attract somebody's attention
He soon began to get hungry. His
IL. - ,,,anehad by thrugtiuv his