The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1910-10-06

Covered with lite blanket Of
snow, living In natural position. as
though asleep. and without an EXPIRES
sion to Indicate anything but quick
ana easy death. the body of Law Of
ficer w. M. Aiken of the forest service,
for which rescue parties have been
searching for two days. was found at
al early hour yesterday morning and
was brought here late last night after
having been carried nv members Of
the party seven miles along Il noun
tain trail to 4 wagon road.
Forester Greeley, who WAS IN charge
of the rescue party. Stated upon his
return last evening, that from the ap-
pearances Of tile body Mr. Aiken had
died within a few hours after being
left by his companion, as the snow
which covered his form fel Monday
and Mas the only snow ~ the week.
To have remained on Tile BODY the
snow must have fallen AFTER the man
was cold. ana d number ~ hours after
death had taken place,
The experience of the past three
days has been severe on all of the
men of the party and especially 50 on
Clarke and Trip. The latter's lower
limbs are bruised and black and ue
from his travels through the faiieh
timber IN his desperate attempts ~ gel
out Of the woods and To summon he'P
for the sick and dying man.
The Final Search.
The unfortunate man was iohha u,
the spot where he was left ana las'
.ann nliye by his hunting companion,
Homer Trip, who attempted to sum
mon help to assist Mr.. Aiken back to
the ranch, as he had been STRICKEN
with an attack Of Rrights disease ano
was unable To walk Much credit II
due Forest Ranger Dwight l.. Beatty
for the discovery of the party, as II
was his detail knowledge Of the conh-
try which enabled dhe rescue party I'M
der Forester Greeley To follow the trai
taken by the hunters, II Will De re-
membered that Mr.. TriDp went win q
pnrty Tuesday to q point on Inc .fa'
where he thought he had left Mr.. Aiken
but that no signs of nm conid III
found. That evening Ranger beatty
questioned Mr.. Trip closely about fh'
landmarks he had passed and became
not proceeded far enough. "Wednesday
afternoon Beatty led the searchers
mile further up the trail and there IN
stituted systematic search of IN
mountain side the six men In the paft'
each covered a section 30 feet vide u
a semi-c circle from the trail. I'M
search was continued until 1t becam
TOO dark 10 see. At daylight yesterha.
the search was continued ana IN
very first round that was made le'
directly To the body of the man 70
whose discovery alive all hopes ha
been abandoned. A stretcher was pro
yided, with poles, and. the men of III
marty. taking turns, carefully and sadl
more the remains Of their companio
dawn seven miles Of mountain trail I
the Holloman ranch where i wa
reached later in the day by convey
ance sent from this city The new
of the discovery Of the body was dis
patched to the nearest telephone sta
tjon by messenger and reached the for
estry healannrters shortly after noof
Friends of the family carried the sa
word 10 the anxious wife. who Is in
delicate condition and Well-nigh ex
hausted BY the terrible suspense of tn
past four days.
Forester Greeley and several mem
hers Of the rescue party arrived abot
G o'clock last evening, the others re
naming TO escort the remains home Z
n later hour,
Terrible Experience.
With the return Of II. t. elarke af'
Homer Trip. Mr.. Aiken's hunting con
nanions. the details of the terrible q,
perience that brought about the TRACED
became fully known and correspont
I'm major detail with what has bet
published concerning the cirenn
stances. few minor details Oeins d
ferent
The three men drove to the Holloma
ranch Saturday instead of stopping
Richard Goaer's place The Holoma
ranch Is two miles further up the cree
than the latter and Is the last place
be reached by wagon. From TINS POI
sbn thraa hunters started ID trl