The Alaska daily empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1912-1926, 1920-05-01
THE KILLING OF CLARENCE THOMPSON

The attention of DR.. William T. Hornaday and
the gentlemen of Congress is respectfully called
killing of Clarence Thompson the other day
near Chichagof by brown bear Clarence Thomp-
was young in the full vigor of life He
a capable young worker in the logging
camps and a constructor surface structures about
mines He had been in Alaska several years. and
a permanent citizen of the Territory-just such
q robust virile this pioneer Territory needs
help in its constructive development
And he a patriotic citizen of the United
States When the news flashed across the CONT
nent that the Congress had declared state of war
between the United States and Germany he
among the first to try to get into Alaska
regiment if to be formed He waited just
long enough to discover that there would be no
State Territorial regiments and that the selectve
draft law would not quite reach his years Then he
enlisted n private in engineering regiment.
He was among the first to reach France and among
the last to leave He gave two years of his time,
and hazarded his life in his country's service on
foreign soil. And his time valuable too, for,
said. he a capable young and strong
and industrious.
The and his discharge secured, he came
hack to Alaska straight from the
archer's bow and to work. He did not spend time
lettering in the cities of the East. He knew where
there mans work to do, and he came to it Just
he had gone to
few days sprained wrist told him that
he must rest his for day two that he might
he fitted work in his accustomed manner But
he could lie entirely idle, he took his rifle
and went up nearby creek While in the woods
he into brown bear that devouring the
carcass of deer-one of the choicest of Alaska s
game animals Before he could defend himself the
bear upon him. and in the twinkling of
eye this young, vigorous Alaskan worker and former
soldier of his country had received his death wound
This is a story. 1t is the of
of many similar tragedies that have occurred in
Alaska. They have been frequent that the repu-
tation of the brown bear the most ferocious
and dangerous of all American animals has been
established.
who have under the influence of his egotistca
moWthings and selfprofessed superiority in all things
are much perturbed in fear that Congress may re-
move the protection of the law from these man
killers. They that Congress should continue
to protect these animals that feed flesh and
blood that they may provide occasional thrills to
interest-satiated millionaire sportsmen. clubmen and
cabaret habtues of the East.
The Empire believes in law and order 1t be-
lieves in the enforcement of law. 1t believes that
good citizens should obey the law. But, without
hesitation it believes it to be the duty of the people
of Alaska to kill brown bears whenever they have
opportunity to do so-it believes they should shoot
them and trap them Stay them in any manner their
ingenuity may devise, and let the law which pro-
tects them hang. The people of Alaska have
cried out against this law for of years. 1t
is the statute books over their long continued
protest Congress would repeal it if 1t not
for the activity of the assinne Hornaday and few
other who ought know better. The ques-
tion is of sef-protecton, and in the of
Clarence Thompson. dead citizen of Alaska other
victims of brown bears the Legislature Alaska
should throw down the guage battle on this
proposition. II should pass law providing a bounty
fer killing brown bear. 1t is question of protect
''- human life the hand pandering to the
absurd profession and vanity of consummate fakr
the other