Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1898-04-01


The following is true wolf story
written from data furnished by DR..
Thornton Of Lewisburg, Pa, whose IA
ther figures as the hero:
about the year lS45 wolves were
abundant in Tomhickon valley, between
Catawissa and Hazleton. When the
Catawissa railroad, a part of the Phil
adelphia and Reading, was being built,
Dr. Thomas A. H. Thornton, practic-
ing physician, one cold autumn night
was called out of bed to visit patient
about 20 miles from his home. AT that
time there were no regular roads as we
now have. In their place the traveller
used narrow paths or trails DR.. Thorn
ton in his anxiety to reach the bedside
Of the sufferer attempted to make
short cut. He lost his way and for u
| week wandered through the wilderness
and, having no gun, was obliged to
subsist on roots and herbs. The doctor
| was OH horseback and after wandering
aimlessly about the painless forests for
four or five days got into large swamp,
where the horse stepped into quag-
mire from which 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 medicine,
etc., threw them over his shoulders and
started off.
Several hours after the doctor got
| out of the swamp where he had aban-
doned his horse he was Mortified to see
that he was being followed by band
| of five or six wolves. At first they kept
ct respectful distance when stones
were thrown at them, but finally, as If
they appreciated the helpless condition
of their intended victim, and as dark
ness came on, the hungry, bloodthirsty
band became holder and holder. They
circled around the terrified and jaded
man and, closing in, started to attack
! him on all sides. One more vicious and
| impulsive than the others made Il spring
at the doctor S throat, but well direct
ed blow from a club temporarily dis
abled tho animal and caused his raven
GUS companions to discontinue at that
| time their premeditated and combined
1 attack
"The doctor. by this thrilling episode
and the frightened condition OF the
wolvea, succeeded in going perhaps a
mile unmolested when, to his great
horror, he found the whole pack, led by
the vicious brute he believed he had
manned with his club, hot OH his trail
[ The stunning blow administered to the
leader of the bowling band seemed to
| have only intensified the brute's cour-
age 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
closing around him for another on
slaught, he reached high rock and
mounted on its top, where giant tree
served to protect him from falling back
ward. He reached this eminence in time
to provide himself with some stones and
two or three good clubs before his pur-
suers started to attack him. He stood
back to the tree, and as the animals at
tempted to come up he drove them back
with his primitive weapons A large
stone hurled with great force and ao-
curacy broke the head of one of the as
sailants, and this gave the doctor
breathing spell.
1.-THE man, however, realized that he
must soon quit his refuge, and, remem-
bering that he had in his saddlebags
large bottle full of ammonia, he deter
mined to employ it as final resort to
save his life. He quickly removed one
of his green baize leggings, tied it Sc
curely to stick, and after saturating
the Logging with ammonia he boldly
started down the rocky promontory to-
ward the wolves. The cunning animals,
| apparently aware that he could be more
easily overpowered on level ground,
separated, skunk off and permitted him
to proceed several hundred yards before
they renewed the pursuit They did not,
however, allow much time to elapse be-
fore they took the trail Of the man who
had thus far so successfully baffled their
powers.
"The doctor stood still and waited
until one of the brutes rushed within
an arms length, when he struck him
in tho face with the cloth saturated
with ammonia. This reception was a
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 next morning, when they gave up
the chase, which they had continued for
4S hours and which unquestionably
would have resulted in a most horrible
death if it had not been for the contents
of the ammonia bottle.
"Dr. Thornton succeeded in finding a
shanty occupied by the men construct
ing the Catawissa railroad, where be
was carefully cared for, and i'll the
course of four-or five days was taken to
! nis home where he was i'll for fully a
nj II