Los Angeles herald., 1908-11-29
BOYS FREEZE TO
DEATH TENDING
INJURED CHUM
DIE IN MOUNTAINS RATHER
THAN DESERT HIM
STAND BRAVELY BY coMRADE
WHO BREAKS HIS LEG
All Three Pass Thanksgiving Night
Huddled in the Snow While Their
Parents and Neighbors
Search in Vain
TT HREE children were frozen to


death in the mountains north Of
the Santa Clara valley, less than
seVenty-fiYe miles from Los Angeles,
Thanksgiving night, budding at the
| head of a canyon, in snow three feet
deep, while other boys and girls We're
dreaming of their pleasant holiday and
turkey dinners.
Cuba Thorp, only 10 years old. his
brother, Clifford Thorp, aged 16, and
comrade, Joe Blaes, Is years old, start
ed out without their coats from their
homes near Santa Paula Thursday
morning to see the snow on the noun
tains, intending to return in time for
the Thanksgiving dinner. The weather
at Santa Paula had not been unusual.
and the boys had no conception of the
difference of temperature they would
encounter in the mountains.
Boylike they must have dared one
another to go farther when they
reached Timber canyon, about eight
miles from their homes. No doubt they
would have returned, safe but hungry,
had not Joe Blaes slipped on a jutting
rock which the treacherous snow coa-
cealed. In the fall his leg was broken
and he could not rise.
1t must have been well on toward
sunset at the time, and the boys un-
doubtedly were tired out. Clifford
Thorp might have taken his small
brother and reached his home safely
but it is evident the two lads would
not leave Joe helpless in the snow.
They were then at the upper head Of
the canyon, in the high peaks.
The boys fathers, r. S. Thorp and
Jacob Blaes. are leading ranchers liv-
ing in the Santa Clara district, just
east of Santa Paula. When the boys
had not returned after nightfall the
parents became alarmed and word was
telephoned to the neighbors. 1t was
too late and too dark to do anything,
and the parents could only hope.
Searching parties were ready as soon
as daylight broke Friday. Every avail
i able saddle horse in Ventura county
was secured and more than $50 men
went into the mountains. Two gangs
Of japanese from the Limoniera ranch
were impressed into service, and, when
they understood the cause, went viii
| lipgly. Most of the parties remained
out all night, camping, to take up the
| search at daybreak Saturday. as no
trace had been found on the first day.
Two men who were looking for the
boys camped Friday night within 150
feet OF the bodies, but in the morning
they went in the wrong direction. Even
| If they had been more successful they
would have been too late, for when the
bodies were found it was evident that
the children had succumbed to the cold
before daylight Friday.
Bodies Finally Recovered
Henry Newman, a pumper at the
Empire oil wells, and w. Hamlin Of
Santa Paula, came to the bodies late
/ Saturday afternoon. Little Cuba Thorp
evidently had sat down to wait while
his brother endeavored to help Joe
Blaes, and, being worn out, soon had
fallen into a sleep which made his
death a painless one. His body was
found in a sitting posture some dis
tance higher than those of the other
two.
1t was plain to the searchers that
Clifford had remained bravely with
Joe, and tried to help him home. To
Clifford, the eldest, the responsibility
had come and it was evidently az
cepted without thought of any other
course. He had the alternative of
running home, perhaps to save himself
and sacrifice the others, or of remaining
in the dark to take care of his little
brother and helpless Joe. He stayed
and, no doubt, did all he could for
Joe, but it could not have been long
before the latter's misery was ended.
Clifford evidently had died last, WON
dering. perhaps, whether he would have
strength to fight away the coyotes or
wildcats and realizing more keenly
than the others the fact that they
/ might never see their IbilltS dBdl2is
His body was found in a sitting po-
sition by a rock between those of his
brother and Joe, whose corpse was
stretched in the snow lower than the
others and down the side of the can
yon, near where he had fallen when
his leg was broken
The bodies were taken to the under
taking establishment of c, e. King IN
Santa Paula, where Coroner L. F.
Beckley of Ventura County will hold
an inquest this morning at 10 O'Clock.
The funerals will be held Monday.
All three boys were companionable
and well liked by those who knew
them. Their parents had no idea that
they were going any farther than near
enough to the mountains to get a good
glimpse of the snow, but the boys could
not resist the explorers feeling and
clambered up the mountain to their
death.