Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-14
A TRUE WOLF STORY.
Ammonia Saves n LevvisburS Doctor
From n Horrible Death.

SuSeS IL IeVISDurrs DOCtOF
From a Horrible Death.
From the Philadelphia Record.
From the most reliable records 1 can
find the last genuine Pennsylvania wolf
was taken about eleven years ago" writes
b. H. Warren, MD, state zoologist, in his
annual report of game for the game COM
| missioners, to be submitted to the governor.
wolves from other states have several
| times since then been captured in Pennsyl-
vania, and possibly small number may
| still inhabit a few remote and wild districts
| Of this state.
The following is true wolf story, writ
ten from data furnished by DR.. Thornton,
of Lewisburg, Pa, whose father figures as
tho hero.
About the year 1915 wolves were abund-
ant in Tomhickon valley. between Gaia
wissa and Hazleton. When the Catawissa
railroad, part of the Philadelphia and
Reading, was being built, DR.. Thomas a. H.
Thornton, a practicing physician, one cold
autumn night was called out of bed to visit
a patient about twenty miles from his
home. AT that time there Were no regular
roads, as we now have. In their place the
traveller used narrow paths trails. Dr.
thornton in his anxiety to reach the bed
side of the sufferer attempted to make a
short cut. He lost his way and for one
week wandered through the Wilderness
and, having no gun, was Obliged to subsist
on roots and herbs. The doctor was on
horseback, and after wandering aimlessly
about the painless forests for four or five
days. got into large swamp. where the
morse stepped into quagmire from W ich
his owner was unable to eXtricate him. and
the animal had to be abandoned imbedded
as he was almost to his belly in the soft
and DOGGY bed. The doctor removed the
saddle bags containing his supply of medi-
cines, etc, threw them over his shoulders
and started off.
Several hours after the doctor got out Of
the swamp where he had abandoned his
horse he was Mortified to see that he was
being followed by a band of five or six
wolves. AT first they kept at respectful
distance when sticks were thrown al them,
but finally, as if they appreciated the help
less condition of their intended victim and
as darkness came on, the hungry blood
thirsty band became holder and holder:
they circled around the terrified and faded
man. and, closing in started to attack him
on all sides. One more vicious and impuI-
siVe thar the others made a spring at the
Doctors throat but wel-directed blow
from a club temporarily disabled the ami
NAL and caused his ravenous companions
TO discontinue at that time their preme,Ii-
tated and combined attack
me doctor, by this thrilling episode and
the frightened condition of the wolves sue
ceeded in going perhaps a mile unmolested,
when, to his great horror, he found the
whole pack, led by the vicious brute he
peheved he had MANNED with mis- club, hot
on his trail. The stunning blow admins
tered to the leader of the bowling band
seemed to have only intensified the brutes
courage and thirst for blood. The man
weakened by long exposure and loss of
food realized that he would soon be torn
to pieces if he did not adopt some new
means of defense
Fortunately as the animals began clos
ing around him for another onslaught he
reached high rock and mounted on its ton
where giant tree served to protect him
from falling backward He reached this
emnence in time to provide himself with
some stones and two three lpl,
before his Dursuers started to attack him.
He stood back to the tree and as the ami
mas attempted to come up he drove them
back with his primitive weapons. A large
stone hurled with great force and accuracy
broke the head of one Of the assalants and
this gave the doctor breathing spell
The man, however, realized that he must
soon quit his refuge, and remembering
that he had in his saddle bags a large bot
tie full of ammonia, he determined to en-
poy it as final resort to save his life
he quickly removed one of his green baize
leSgings tied it securely to stick and
after saturatins the Logging with ammonia,
he boldly started down from the rocky
promontory toward the wolves The cum
ming animals, apparently aware that he
could more easily be overpowered on level
ground, separated, skunk off and permitted
him to proceed several hundred yards be-
fore they renewed the pursuit They did
not. however, allow much time to elapse
before they took the trail of the man who
had thus far SO successfully baffied their
powers.
The doctor stood still and waited until
one of the brutes rushed within an arms
length, when he struck him in the face
with the cloth saturated with ammonia
This reception was most novel and unique
one for the wolf, who ran off bowling with
pain. Two more of the band were slapped
across the mouths with the saturated baize
and they also left. After this experience
the wolves followed the doctor till day-
light the next morning, when they gave up
the chase, which they had continued for
forty-eight hours, and which unquestiona-
bly, would have resulted in most horrible
death if it had not been for the contents of
the ammonia bottle.
DIR. Thornton succeeded in finding a
shanty occupied by the men constructing
the Catawissa railroad, where he was care
fully cared for, and in the course of four or
five days was taken to his home where he
was i'll for fully a month"