The Wrangell sentinel., 1929-10-24
BEAR KILLS
 JACK THAYER

to it's list Wednesday when Jack Thayer, Junior Forester, United States Forest Service, died near Eliza Harbor, from wounds inflict- ed by an enormous bear. He was attacked about two and one-half miles from the beach at 2 p. m, and died at 10 o'clock that eve ming.
 Thayer was accompanied by his assistant, Fred Herring. Only the former was armed He had a .303 caliber rifle in his hand and had time for but one shot, apparently wounding the animal. Herring, un- armed, succeeded in climbing a tree and escaped.
 Thayer and Herring were cruis- ing pulp timber. They were emerg- ing from a muskeg swamp and as they approached a thicket at it's edge, a big dark brown bear crashed through the brush not more than 15 or 20 feet distant. It was in a vicious mood and | launched it's attack.
 Herring, in the rear, turned and fled for tree, as he was without | any weapons of any kind Thayer, an experienced woodsman and hunter, fired one time. The bullet apparently took effect but it failed to stop the maddened brute. It bawled loudly two or three times as it crashed into Thayer.
 Herring, from his perch in the tree, could not see clearly what followed owing to the heavy brush that intervened. However, he could hear the sounds of the bear growl- ing and mauling and see the strug- gle dimly When the animal left Thayer, Herring hurried to his side.
 Thayer was still conscious when his companion reached him. He murmured: Save yourself, Fred" and almost immediately lapsed into unconsciousness. He was terribly lacerated both from claws and teeth. The left side of his head and neck were fearfully torn. His stomach was torn open, the flesh on the back of his legs was stripped off, and his back, hands and arms were pierced many times by the bears teeth which apparently had both mauled and chewed his vic i tim.
 Herring made Thayer as com | fortable as possible. He then set off for the Weepoose, the camp tender in use. There he and Capt | c. c. Collen, third member of the cruising party, loaded themselves with blankets, a lantern, flour to close the gaping wounds, and other first aid dressings and hurried back | to the scene of the attack. l It was almost dark by the time they arrived and it was with some difficulty Thayer was located. He had regained consciousness and was able to talk a little. But he was very weak from loss of blood and the mauling he had received. A stretcher was made out of poles and a blanket and Thayer was wrapped in blankets to keep him warm. Everything possible was done to ease his pain.
 1 He was too badly hurt to be moved and at 10 o'clock he died. Thursday morning Herring and Collen started out with the body to the anchorage of the Weepoose. They made about half mile and were forced to abandon the effort. Thayer YVES a big man and it was not possible for the two men to carry his body through the brush and windfall Instructions.
 Il Collen took the Weepoose and went to Pybus where ha obtained five men to a.d him, the eannery watchman, fox farmer and three fishermen. They reached Thayer's body early Friday morning and soon had it on the Weepoose. They left for Juneau yesterday after noon, were forced into shelter dur ing the afternoon by h ayy weather and came on here last night, arriving at a. m. today.
 Since last May MT. Thayec and MT. Herring have been cruising pulp timber areas on Admiralty Island During the early part of the season they cruised from the vicinity of Hawk Inlet to Kootzna- hoo Inlet Several weeks ago they moved to the east side of the island and were cruising southward from