Daily Sitka Sentinel from Sitka, Alaska • Page 1

Member of the Associated Press A I I Monday, Noviember 7,1988 Vol. 50, No. 217 Sitka Alaska 35c Bear Kills Hunter On Baranof Island ByWILLSWAGEL Sentinel Staff Writer A brown bear shot and killed by searchers in the woods west of Port Alexander Saturday is believed to be the animal that fatally mauled and partially ate a Juneau hunter the day before. The mangled remains of Harley Sievenpiper 40, of Juneau were found where the bear was shot, about a from the site where the attack took place. Sievenpiper's remains were sent to Anchorage Saturday for autopsy, said Fish and Wildlife Protection trooper Rollin Young of Sitka.

Young said this is the first case of a fatal bear attack on a human being in Southeast Alaska in more than a decade. Hunting companions heard Sieve- npiper when he was attacked by the bear Friday. Running to his aid, they found the signs of the apparently fatal attack but could not locate the body. They returned to Port Alexander to get help. Young and Don Kluting, a member of the Sitka Volunteer Fire Department search and rescue squad, flew down from Sitka on Saturday, and, accompanied by about a dozen residents of Port Alexander, went into the woods to search for Sievenpiper's remains.

Following a trail of torn clothing and fresh blood from the attack site, the searchers spotted die bear at almost exactly the moment he spotted them, Kluting said. Kluting said he and James Lange of Port Alexander shot the bear as it was about to attack three of the searchers standing on a nearby ridge. Kluting said their first shots hit the bear in the ribs but did not slow down the animal. Their second shots hit the bear in the shoulder and brought it down. Kluting fired an insurance shot into the animal's skull to make sure he was dead.

"I took 11 steps and I was at the the other guys (on the ridge) took two-and-a-half steps and they Were at the bear," Kluting said. "After we shot the bear, I had to sit down. It was just way too close for comfort." Nearby, Kluting and Young found Sievenpiper's remains, which were torn apart "Only his back was intact," Kluting said. Young said the first reports of the bear attack were received here Friday night. Sievenpiper's companions, David Trego of Juneau and James Hendricks of Port Alexander, had said they heard growls and their friend's screams, but left to get help after they were unable to find him.

A dozen Port Alexander residents were already in the woods when he and Kluting arrived, Young said. Kluting said he. managed to pick up Sievenpiper's trail on the beach and followed it for about 200 yards into the woods where they found the site of the attack. The forest was littered with Sievenpiper's clothing, His pack, eyeglasses and his rifle, jammed into the muskeg. Kluting said he and.Young then continued up the trail.

Kluting said the bear had evidently dragged Sievenpiper's body half- mile down the beach and men a mile into the woods. '-'It was an easy trail to follow," he said. "There was a lot of torn clothing and a lot of Kluting said the amount of blood indicated Sievenpiper was probably killed soon after the attack. After the Silka men hooked up with the other split into two groups. Kluting took half of the party ahead and when they found evidence they would radio back to Young and the others, who would photograph and record the items.

When he and his party started finding remains, three of the men opted to wait on a nearby ridge, Kluting said, as he and Lange continued to follow the gory trail, i "Nerves were on edge," he said. "Every little bird that chirped, everyone was jumping." When they heard an unmistakable growl, Kluting said, he and Lange could see the bear's head through- the brush as the animal immediately moved toward the searchers. "I could see the bear moving to the where the ridge'lin'e was," -he said. "It was headed right for those guys." Kluting said he and Lange fired as the bear rushed past them, intent on the three others. As the last two shots struck the bear in the shoulder, he said.

Continued on Page 16 Gov. Michael Dukakis Vice President George Bush Dukakis jBiUsh Run Toward Finish Line By DONALD M. ROTHBERG AP Political Writer George Bush and Michael Dukakis: talked confidently of fast finishes today as they crossed paths in batlleground states on the. final 'day before On Ihe olher side, Dukakis said, lalk a lol about October surprises in an eleclion campaign. Tomorrow we're going lo' have a November surprise." "The race is, very, very tight.

It's Americans' choose a new president. gelwng-'tighter by the hour," he said. Underdog Dukakis 'ke Dukakis, Democratic vice November'surprise, SJ presidential nominee Lloyd. Bentsen declared he was finishing "not in power walk but in a sprint." "I never felt any better in my life," Bush told a rally in Ashland, Ohio. "That adrenalin is flowing.

The country's coming in behind our candidacy." was racing through key slates. In addition to several stops in his home base of Texas, Bentsen was slated to campaign in Louisiana, Arkansas and Missouri; Bentsen appeared in Dallas with a caged quail at his side and drew hoots Lawyers Quiet On Tort Reform Issue ANCHORAGE (AP) Alaska lawyers have stridently opposed previous tort-reform measures, but they've been noticeably quiet about Ballot Proposition 2, the tort-reform proposal that will be decided Tuesday. insurance companies, oil companies and others supporting the proposed constitutional amendment have raised $274,000 and spent most of it on an advertising blitz to promote what they call a "fairness" amendment. But the Alaska Trial Attorneys gave lip withoul a fight. 1 The biggest outlays by the amendment's opponents appear to have been about $300 spent by the Alaska Public Interesl Research" Group to hold a recenl lelephone news conference with Ralph Nader, and about $3,300 paid by Anchorage attorney Robert H.

Wagstaff for full-page advertisements irt. Anchorage's two daily newspapers. said he bought the ads to counteract what he saw as misleading advertising by the other side. "It made me feel better" he said. The proponents' advertising is "very artfully worded to give the impression that it is a very innocuous amendment, and it isn't." The decision thai allorneys would nol fighl Ihe measure evolved some lime ago, but the trial allorneys saw no reason lo broadcast Iheir strategy, said Eric Sanders, an Anchorage attorney.

"This law is not going lo make lhal much difference," Sanders said. "The reason I didn't tell that before was I wanled them lo go ahead and spend their money." Others said the attorneys didn't Want a high profile in the campaign because they fell people would perceive lhat they had a vested interest in the issue. "Lawyers are nol terribly well regarded," said Jeff Bohman, director of Ihe AKPIRG. "It's sort of frustrating in a way from our standpoint But we've been doing the best we can." Bohman said he also has persuaded an Anchorage television station to air 30-second spots of him this weekend describing, the opponents' argumenls. He said the stalion agreed lo run Ihe ads free of charge.

The proposed amendmenl would eliminate joint and several liabilily in all lypes of cases ranging from medical malpractice lo producl liabilily suits in Alaska. Joint and several liability comes into play when there are two or more defendants in a case. The amendment would mean that doctors, hospitals and other "deep pocket" defendants would pay just Iheir share of damages, regardless of whether olher defendants can pay. According to reports filed with the Alaska Public Offices Commission, some of the biggest contributors lo the Citizens Coalition for Tort.Reform were the Alaska Stale Medical Association, wilh $10,000, Ihe Health Association of Alaska, $10,000, and Standard Alaska Production of Houston, $5,000. Opponents of the measure formed two political action commitlees to lobby against it, but neither group had raised any contribulions or spent any money before Ihe Nov.

2 deadline for filing of campaign reporls. Sanders, Bohman and other opponents said Ihe ballol proposition is likely lo pass. "I would Ihink it would pass overwhelmingly," Sanders said. "When you spend as much as Ihey spenl and presenled it in a manner they have, people will think, 'Well, why shouldn't I vote for Slill, Ihe tori reform coalition was caught slightly by surprise when Ihe lawyers failed lo rise lo Ihe batlle. "About a month ago, when we started to see the APOC reports and nothing was Ihere, we started lalking aboul it," said Bill Gee, treasurer of Citizens Coalition for Tort Reform.

But he said even if they had known the opposition's slralegy, Ihey still would have raised the money. "We would have still raised Ihe money because if we didn't, they might have decided to go oul and raise Ihe money," Gee said. "In politics you have lo be prepared for everything." from a crowd when he asked, "How do you like Ihe idea of George Bush as president and Dan Quayle standing in the wings?" The GOP vice presidential nominee campaigned in Maryland and in safely Republican Virginia a.s well as Indiana, his home state. the latesl polls bolstered the vice president's optimism as he followed his Democralic rival inlo Ohio and roared toward St. Louis.

Al a sunrise rally in a sleelworkers union hall oulside Cleveland, Dukakis was in high spirits after snatching a two-hour nap on an overnight flighl from Ihe West Coasl. "Good Morning, Ohio," he said. "We took Ihe red-eye to be with the Buckeyes." "I don't need sleep, I'm charging," he said. We're going lo win." Bush began his day in Ihe Detroil suburb of Soulhfield, and took a jab at Dukakis' fondness for exercising by walking rapidly while carrying weights. The vice presidenl said Ihe race in Michigan was close and "it's a very imporlanl place lo be as we run right down to Ihe finish line, nol in a power walk but in a sprlnl." Bush said that when Americans vote they should ask Ihemselves Ihis queslion: "Is the country headed in the right direction? The answer is, yes it is." From Michigan, Bush was headed for rallies in Ohio, 'Missouri and Texas, where he maintains his voting residence.

Dukakis preceded Bush into St. Louis by a couple of hours and told his audience, "This is Ihe 'show me' state, and I'm here to show you how much I want your support," he said. Then, in a reference lo Bush's summer home in Maine, Dukakis asked, "Are you going lo let the pollsters and pundils decide Ihis election, or are you going to send a message that can be heard from California to Kennebunkport?" "They're getting so worried Bush is foilowing me around can you believe il?" Dukakis lold a rally Portland, Sunday nighl. The Democratic nominee was on a non-stop campaign swing with no time to see a bed until he arrives home in Massachusetts Election Day. "I don't need sleep, I'm charging," said Dukakis afler a series of West Coast appearances.

"There ain't no slopping us now unless we slop ourselves," Bush lold crowds in California. The vice presidenl was winding up his campaign wilh rallies in Michigan, Ohio, Missouri and Texas where he mainlains his voling residence. An Associated Press state-by-state: survey said Bush was leading in states with 356 electoral votes 86 more than the 270 needed for a majority while Dukakis was ahead in states wilh a total of 101 electoral votes. Campaign Reminder No campaign signs, buttons, bumper stickers or other such campaign messages may appear, withm 200 feet of polling places; Sitka voters were reminded today. Municipal Clerk De Ingwersen cited Alaska Statute 15.15.170 in issuing the reminder.

Soviet Skies Not So Friendly Sergei Allilyuev, left, and Victor Tagashov with Allilyuev's car, a Lada, in Moscow. (Sentinel photo) EDITOR'S NOTE; This is the sixth in a series by Sentinel Reporter Will Swagel on his recent trip to Vladivostok, U.S.S.R. Ctpjnghl WO! ADaSj Sitta Sialintl 1S88 By WILL SWAGEL Sentinel Staff Writer Outside tiie window of my room in the Hotel Ostankino, Moscow is waking up. In a small triangle of trees between three sidewalks just below my window, a man is raking leaves. As he works, various people traverse the three paths on their morning journeys.

There are grandmothers in babushkas, working men in while aprons pushing handcarts piled high wilh boxes of produce, young women wearing the ankle-length leather coats that seem to be a uniform fashion statement, I can't hear what anyone is saying, but I can hear the groaning of the buses from the nearby boulevard, and smell them, too. The air is filled wilh the grinding of gears, the screech of brakes and the acrid odor of diesel exhaust. No sooner has the the raker finished one section of the park than a breeze flutters more autumn leaves to the ground he has already swept. I watch a bird preen itself in a tree for just a second and when I look back, the leaf raker is gone. The phone rings and it is Sergei of Novosti Press, my hosts in the Soviet Union.

Young and personable, Sergei is a functionary at Novosli's North American Department, whose job is lo arrange the visit of writers from the U.S. When he picked me up at the airport the night before, he rattled off the names of at least a score of U.S. publications whose reporters have recently been here. Glasnost obviously is bringing Western journalists to Russia in droves. Sergei says a Popular Mechanics writer is due in next week.

We agree lo meet at Novosti's offices at noon. While there I am to meet the head of the North American Department and find out my travel arrangements to Vladivostok. The purpose of my trip, after all, is to cover a conference there on "security and cooperation in the Asian-Pacific Region. I spend a leisurely morning repacking my bags and watching Soviet TV, which is kind of like US. Public TV without Masterpiece Theater.

There is a science show with diagrams of inter- nal combustion engines, volcanos and deep-sea diving rigs. The topic, I gather, has lo do with the exchange of gases. This is followed by a half hour program in Spanish, a biography of revolutionary poet Pablo Neruda. Then it's time to leave, so I drag my suitcase and bulky camera bag down to the lobby of the Ostankino. Taxi in Russian is "taxi," so I figure I can handle this.

I figure wrong. "Taxi?" I inquire of the pleasant young woman at the front desk. She smiles back. "Dva chasa," she says. I take out mv phrase book and translate.

"Two hours." Two hours? I can't wait two hours for a cab, not will) such a short time in Moscow. "Does anybody here speak English?" I ask the bystanders, near panic. They shake their heads. Finally a man steps forward. Yes, he says, in English, it is two hours if you call for a cab, but maybe I can find one sooner.

He convenes a quick conference with some of the others standing around, and the three of them fan out into the street, where five men are standing beside Iheir cars, looking idle. Continued on Page 16.