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In The News
Nome Gold Digger
Nome, Alaska
Vol. 1, No. 7
Wednesday, December 6, 1899.
KILLED ON HIS SLED.
Wm. W. Wright, of Virginia, an Eglatula Miner,
is Murdered Under Strange Circumstances, Scott and Haines, His Partners,
Missing.
ONE OF THEM WAS WOUNDED, BUT THE RESULT IS
UNKNOWN.
They Had Three Deep Prospect Holes and a Fine
House - All the Provisions and Guns were Taken.
GEORGE WOODRUFF SENDS A COMPLAINT TO U. S.
MARSHAL LEE - J. S. WORTH'S STORY.
Captain J. s. Worth of the Alaska Exploration
company, who arrived here Sunday, brings news of a frightful murder on
the Eglatula river, at the head of Norton Bay.
The crime was committed last June, and it is
only just now that it has been discovered. The man killed was wm. W.
Wright, of Borough, W. Va. One of his two partners was also shot, but
whether killed or not, is not known. The third partner is believed to
have committed the double crime.
The names of the two partners alluded to aare
show by location stakes on mining property held in common, were Scott
and Haines.
Recently, as Captain Worth stated to a Gold
Digger representative yesterday, Indians from the Eglatula river
reported to the miners of the Waptulip, emptying into Norton Bay, that
they had seen the crim eperpetrated, and that Wright had been shot while
on a sled. They also said the body still remained there.
The Indians also told that the man who did the
shooting ran over the hills after murdering the man. George Woodruff and
several other miners were so impressed with the story that, a month ago,
they went over to the Eglatula.
"They found the man as reported," said Captain
Worth. "His body was lying on the sled. On the location states they
found the names of his partners. Letters and other data revealed that
the dead man was Wm. W. Wright, or Borough, W. Va.
"There was a fine house there that it must have
taken two or three months to build, and three prospect holes, each down
about eighteen feet. The house was a sort of a tower, made mainly off
sod.
"All the contents of the house, the provisions,
guns and everything else of any value, had been removed. Woodruff and
his companions did not bury the body, but let it remain on the sled just
as it was.
"Who of the two partners committed the deed, and
what became of the murderer and the wounded man, is not known. Possibly
the two who escaped were both mixed up in it, or it may have ended as a
double murder. It is a mysterious thing, and has aroused great feeling
among those conversant with such details as have become public."
William Blatchford, of the A. C. Co., who went
with Wm. Crowdy in pursuit of Joseph Carroll, brought letters to U. S.
Marshal Lee with facts about the crime. The marshal is giving the matter
attention.
Wm. Crowdy, so it appears, will go back to
arrest the murderer or murderers. He is understood to have warrants in
his possession now, and will leave tomorrow to serve them.
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NEWS NOTES.
The following is the program of the Nome
Literary Society for tonight: vocal Sole, Dr. Humphreys; Oration, "The
Needs of Nome," Judge Rawson; Vocal Solo, Miss Benton; Instrumental
Solo, Mrs. J. F. A. Strong; Vocal Solo, J. J. Boyle. Debate: "Resolved
that class distinction is a necessary adjunct to the formation of the
civilization of the United States." Affirmative, Key Pittman; Negative,
A. Allardyce. There will also be recitations and original papers.
The report that a large crowd of Dawson men
would reach here from St. Michael this week is declared to be unfounded
by Captain Worth and Chief Clerk Kimball, who have but recently arrived
from there.
"Nate Degginger, the scientific mixologist of
the Northern, and Jim Donalson, chef, deserve highest praise for the
able manner in which they handled the bi crowd at the Northern's free
spread Thanksgiving day.
It has leaked out that the Masonic club, at
their Christmas entertainment, will present the "Three Degrees of
Masonry." A ball will follow.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RAFFLED FOR DR. YOUNG.
A beautiful fox robe belonging to Dr. Young, who
has been very ill with typhoid fever, was raffled at the Beach saloon on
Saturday night. The highest throw was made by Dave Gilchrist for ticket
No. 55, belonging to somebody unknown. The raffle was conducted by
Attorney McNulty and W. J. Mertaugh, while Mrs. Dr. King lent valuable
assistance in the sale of tickets.
D. Young was kept in complete ignorance of the
affair until it was over.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LETTERS FROM THE YUKON.
Arrival of Chief Clerk Kimball with a Large Mail
Sack for Nome.
Fred S. Kimball, chief clerk of the U. S. mail
service at St. Michael, arrived here on Thursday with about 250 letters
for people here. The letters had all been addressed to St. Michael for
persons there who have since changed their post office address to this
point.
Mr. Kimball left St. Michael on November 1 and
came with the mail carriers as far as Eaton. From there he came with Dr.
F. H. Gambell and the reindeer. Mr. Kimball will leave here on his
return on December 7, and will take back letters at the regular letter
rate.
"I think there is a good prospect of the mails
getting through from the States, via Skagway and the Yukon, that are
contracted for by Mr. Richardson," said Mr. Kimball. The first mail
ought to reach St. Michael, not later than the first part of January.
From here to St. Michael it is very fair for traveling. We made very
good time."
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NEW AND RICH REGION.
Captain J. S. Worth, who left St. Michael on
Nov. 13th, and reached here a day or two ago, says there is going to be
a stampede to the Onawaktulik river, on the south side of Norton Sound.
"The miners we saw," said he reported to us that the ground was so good
there that it was paying its way to bedrock. That is to say, according
to this account, there was enough gold in the gravel to pay while going
down to real pay."
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PERSONAL.
J. D. Coppersmith has gone on a week's
prospecting trip in the hills.
Rev. D. J. Elliott, superintendent of the
Pioneer mines, leave in a few days for Golovin Bay.
Thoas Wheeler returned on Saturday from Cape
York, where he has been for some time. He thinks well of the camp, and
while absent located several claims.
Harry Palmer, a member of the Masonic Club, who
has been ill for several days, over the Butte restaurant, with typhoid
fever, was removed recently to the St. Bernard hospital.
Ben Nichols and Daniel Flaherty have returned
from Golovin City, where they went on a prospecting trip. Fred
Heffelman, who accompanied them from here, remained to secure more
claims. The original destination of the party was Norton Bay, but they
learned that the ice had not formed. They traveled by dog team.
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HIS HAIR TURNED BROWN.
They were talking of the proneness of Alaskan
life to turn a man's hair gray, when someone mentioned the experience of
John "Broc" Moran, who effected a reversal of the rule.
When Mr. Moran came to Alaska in 1897, he
weighed 228 pounds and his hair was a dark brown. Very soon he began to
experience the usual effect of the climate and lost flesh until his
weight was reduced to 161 pounds, while his hair turned gray.
Not long ago he felt a general strengthening of
the system; he increased in flesh until he now weighs 195 pounds, and
his hair has resumed its former handsome brown.
It was as if "Broc" had found and bathed in the
fountain of life.
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CHANGED TO GOLOVIN CITY.
Andrew Erlansen, who arrived here on Sunday from
Council City reports that over a week ago the miners held a meeting and
changed the name of Council City to Golovin City. They also decided that
the staking of claims by power of attorney would not be allowed.
On Monday night, the 27th ult., the miners held
another meeting and decided that all those having cabins should first be
allowed to file on and hold their lots, and that all others should then
be allowed to draw by lot for locations. There are about 100 miners in
camp.
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MINING PARTY BACK.
W. M. Gibbs, Dan McCarty, J. A. Murphy and Geo.
A. Morrison, who have been absent for some weeks prospecting in the
Bonanza district, returned Tuesday. Paddy Ryan and Bob Stanton also came
back. They all staked claims. Mr. Murphy staked 21 claims on Pine,
Spruce and Magnet creeks, tributaries of the Solomon party staked 72
claims in all, which is evidence that they did some pretty tall
hustling.
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MALLON'S VICTIM OUT.
Chas. Stewart, known as "Scotty" Stewart, who
was shot in the left thigh recently by John F. Mallon, is out of the
hospital and around town.
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SCANDINAVIAN CLUB.
The Scandinavians of the city have organized the
Scandia Social Club, with H. O. Norwig as president, A. A. Schotness
vice president, Fred H. Stone secretary, B. S. Foss assistant secretary,
and Z. A. Westby treasurer. There are now some twenty-five members. One
object of the club is to aid the sick and distressed in the
organization. Drawings are being made for a permanent club house.
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WORK ON THE CREEKS.
Lane and Price Sending Out Large Lots of
Supplies for Their Mines.
Will Employ 150 to 200 Men Next Season -
Mitchell & Cooper Preparing to Crosscut - Lindeberg Mines.
Lane and Price on Saturday sent out four teams
and as many sleds, loaded with lumber and other supplies, for their
claims on Anvil creek. It is stated that they will forward other
supplies steadily till they have enough to last them through next
summer.
Some of these supplies will be put on Glacier
and other creeks, where this firm owns a large number of claims. The
claims to which the present supplies are being sent on Anvil creek are
No.'s 2 below and 8 above discovery. The Lane and Price syndicate also
owns the discovery claim on Glacier, No. 2 below on the same creek, and
a number of others there.
Next season they will employ at least from 150
to 200 men who will come in on one of the early vessels.
Lon Cooper who will Archie Mitchell owns No. 1
above and No. 1 below on Glacier, and No. 3 above on Anvil, has returned
here after being absent some time there.
"We will prospect our claims on Glacier and
crosscut them, as soon as it freezes in January," said he yesterday to a
Gold Digger representative.
"We have been hauling up wood in order to get in
shape and will take up a lot more. All the ditches around there are now
level with snow. The glacier on Glacier creek, and the one on Anvil,
which get under way in winter. We are not permitting to form much, as
are keeping them open.
"The Lindeberg people have finished their
building on No. 1 below discovery on Anvil creek. They are employing two
men there.
"There are men at work too on No. 8 above
Price's claim on Anvil. There are also men at the mouth of Snow gulch,
who have recently taken in wood and provisions, and are going to do
prospecting."
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ROBBED A CABIN OF GOODS.
A cabin belonging to A. E. Thompson on Third
street close to the Dry creek trail, was entered Saturday night and
robbed of about $350 worth of general provisions. Mr. Thompson had been
in attendance at the Masonic club, and arrived home about 10 o'clock. He
found the door broken open with a pick, and that the goods had been
taken away by a dog team and sled.
Acting Chief of Police Lowe detailed several men
Sunday and examined every cabin and tent to a point a mile beyond Dry
creek., but could get no trace of the provisions or thieves. The theft
was a very bold one, as persons are passing and re-passing the cabin
constantly.
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OTHER CANDIDATES.
Among names mentioned for member of the city
council are those of Albert Fink, Dr. Southard, J. H. Wright, E. S.
Ingraham, P. J. Lauritzen, E. Von Sohnen, and Major Roth. Mr. Fink is a
pronounced candidate, and will make an aggressive fight. It is probably
that some of those whose names are given will not consent to run, but
others may come to the front and take their places. It promises to be an
interesting contest.
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A PACK ON HIS BACK.
Fleet Joseph Carroll, Minus Dogs and Sled, Turns
Up at Port Safety.
Crowdy and Blatchford, His Pursuers, Return in
Disgust - Carroll Said to be Wandering In Indian Camps.
Though more than two weeks have passed since Wm.
Crowdy and Wm. Blatchford went in pursuit of Joseph Carroll, the fleet
mail carrier, who took the wrong sled with him, they have not secured
him and their whereabouts till Sunday was obscure. It was different with
Carroll, however. He is alleged to have been at Port Safety a week ago.
He had no sled or dogs whatever, and carried
only a little pack on his back. Carroll's friends have always said that
if the wily trailsman even suspicioned that anyone was in his pursuit he
would never be taken, for he is known in every Indian camp along the
coast, and has friends among the Redmen. It was thought Carroll would
avoid St. Michael and go via Nulatto, up the Yukon. Crowdy is a husky
fellow and went fast and light, but he is not more athletic than the
mail carrier.
Carroll stayed Tuesday night at Burns' store, at
Port Safety, and then left down the coast. A real race over the snow
between Carroll and Crowdy would be as interesting as the derby, but
Carroll under the circumstances appears to have slipped aside and let
Crowdy conduct the contest alone. Crowdy and Blatchford reached Golovin
Bay, 80 miles distant, in twenty-one hours, but did not once catch sight
of Carroll.
They pushed on some thirty miles further and
then their sled broke down. After they started too, they found that they
had not been properly outfitted, so Crowdy said on his return here
Sunday.
"If we had ever caught sight of Carroll we would
have brought him back," said Crowdy, "but the fact is Carroll was still
here when we left. We found on our trip up that he had been at Port
Safety.
M. J. Burns, agent of the A. E. Co. at Port
Safety is in town. He says that it is true that Carroll stopped with him
on the Tuesday night mentioned.
"He had a half can of condensed tea, a load of
bread, six or seven biscuits and a pound and a half of bacon," said Mr.
Burns, "and carried this in a little valise on his back. I thought then
there was something peculiar, for I heard him tell the Indians that if
anyone asked them if he had been there to tell them no. Carroll did not
know I understood the Indian language."
Crowdy has a large fit of disgust over his
effort. He blames his sled and those who packed it for much of his ills.
Carroll is apparently the only man who is pleased. He is believed to be
hiding in some of the Indian camps.
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LUCKLESS BEACH MINER DEAD.
Norman Vandewerke, who up to a few months ago
had been mining on the beach, died of fever recently at St. Bernard
hospital, and was buried on Saturday; the Rev. Dr. Wirt officiating.
Vandewerke was from Grand Rapids, Mich., where his father resides. He
was about 25 years old. He had made about $1000 mining on the beach, but
lost it in gambling and for a time did not get his meals regularly. This
led to his illness.
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