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In The News
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner and
Tanana Tribune
Fairbanks, Alaska
Saturday, July 20, 1912
Tenth Year--Number 125
Whole Number 2867
RAIN HELPS OUT NEWSBOY
Mill on the Top of the Hill is Running Steadily at the Present.
STOPE HAS BEEN STARTED.
Good Money Can Be Taken Out While the Rains Continue.
The rain that has been falling in Fairbanks for the past few days at frequent
intervals looks good to manager Golden, of the newsboy, for it means that the
stamp Mell on the hill at the mouth of the shaft can run steadily, and should
the rates continue day by day the plant will be able to take out enough money
this summer to pay for the cost of removing the mill down the hill to 11 above
Cleary, also the balance due on the original purchase price of the mine.
Since the raise in the mind from the 215 to the 115 foot level has been
completed, a stope has been started on a block of good or and the returns of the
mine will be more satisfactory hereafter if the ore Mills as expected.
Manager Golden returned to the creek this morning.
A call for bids for the moving of the mill has been made, but the right is
reserved to reject any or all of the bids. Further the officers of the company
state that no money will be expended toward moving the mill until enough of the
stock has been sold to pay for the expenses of moving, and to pay the balance of
the purchase price over and above what the mill itself provides from the rock
now being handled.
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MISS STEVENS BURIED TODAY
Last Rites Over Body of the Departed Were Held This Afternoon.
The last rites over the body of the departed were held this afternoon for Miss
Lottie B. Stevens, of Olnes, who died in Fairbanks Thursday afternoon after a
brief illness.
The ceremony took place at the Presbyterian Church at 2 o'clock, being conducted
by Rev. Condit and was well attended by the many friends of the popular Olnes
businesswoman. The interment took place at the Fairbanks Cemetery, where Miss
Stevens' body was laid away in accordance with her own wishes.
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ELECTRIC CAR FOR GILMORE
It is Now Taking the Regular Morning Run of the Little Auto.
The electric car of the Tanana Valley Railway is now maintaining a regular
schedule to the creeks, having been put on the run heretofore handled by the
little gasoline car which has been leaving at 9:15 and returning at 4:50 5 PM.
The little car still maintains its midday run, leaving Fairbanks at 1:40,
because there is not the business so far to justify putting on the larger one.
Manager Joynt reports that the electric car is working better of late as the
batteries are getting stronger with use.
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DEADWOOD IS STILL ON MAP
Number of Plants Working Away on Small Scale on the Old Creek.
SO WRITES A CIRCLE-ITE.
Water Shortage Hindering the Operations of the Hydraulic Men.
Old deadwood Creek is still furnishing employment for a number of small plants,
reports a friend of T. E. Winecoff, of the Fairbanks abstract office in a letter
from circle dated July 13. The circle man writes as follows:
"I suppose you would be interested in a slight description of the Circle
country: well, Circle is the supply depot of the mining territory of the Birch
Creek country. Mastodon, Mammoth and Eagle creeks are the producers of the
district. There are three hydraulic plants on Mammoth and Mastodon, and one on
Eagle. There is one dredge operating on Mastodon, and I am told to a paying
proposition. The hydraulic plants would pay big if the water could be had during
the open season, but unfortunately the water is very scarce. Deadwood is a
producer in a small way, there are no large plants on Deadwood, but several
small diggings. There is some talk of large operations on Deadwood within the
next two years. I believe Circle has a bright future."
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FAIRBANKS THE BEST CAMP YET
Wells-Fargo Moving as Much Gold as Was Handled Last Year.
Says James W. Hill, of Wells Fargo company, who came in yesterday morning from
Dawson, and who left this morning for Ruby, Nome and the Iditarod: "Fairbanks is
the best camp in Alaska by long odds. You may not know it, but I feel the change
from the other places just as soon as I land here."
A thing that appeals greatly to Mr. Hill as be speaking the future activity of
the Fairbanks camp is the movement of stamp mills to the district this season,
the present indication being that there will be an even dozen in the camp before
winter sets in.
Referring to the gold output Mr. Hill said that the company was moving fully as
much Gold as was handled last summer.
George Busch, the route agent of the company, will visit Fairbanks a little
later on his way up River, after which he will go out by way of Dawson.
Mr. Hill will not be back until next spring.
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ARRIVALS AT HOTELS
PIONEER.
Andy Christensen, Fish Camp; John Hirst, Jack Wilburd, Chatanika; Theo. Dover,
Ester; Fred Miller, Dutch Blanchfield, Ed Cairns, William Hopkins, C. J. Bell,
Emil Holtgren, Gabe Bendethe, Henry A. Shook, Teddy Bailey, Miss Reagan, Charles
E. Herron, Col. W. P. Richardson, Joe Fischer, Harry Taylor, Sei Scrafford.
FAIR VIEW.
C. A. Anderson, George Nordorf, S. H. Armstrong, J. Hartney, H. P. Karstens, C.
A. Phillips, Al Raynor, Frank Harvey, E. L. Shermer, S. Meredith, Geo. Peppard,
Jack Timmins.
NORDALE.
Pete Pearson, E. T. Bradbury, Mr. and Mrs. E. W. Griffin, Otto Warner, H. H.
Reynolds and wife, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Larson, C. E. Gates, A. O. Jones, Mr.
and Mrs. John Lappi, Charles Freeman, Joe Eglar, Clem Alexander, Miss Holly,
Chris Antonisen, F. C. Wiseman, Mrs. A. C. Anderson, Robert Chenquist, Emil
Dorfner, A. K. Horner.
THIRD AVENUE.
Miss J. M. Culbertson, Joe pants, August Smith, J. N. Valmer, M. Martin, Dr. S.
Hall Young, Bill Dickson, H. C. Douglas, Mrs. N. G. Cox, Mrs. John Metzger, Mrs.
Frank Mothes, F. Jorgensen, H. D. Price, Wm. Gafford, Wm. Chistock, John T.
Todd, Chas. Hardin, H. E. Hardin.
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DETAILS OF THE RECENT TRAGEDY AT DAWSON
Verdicts of the Jury--Burial of Victims and Relative Who Murddered Them--Motive
For Tragedy Has Not Been Ascertained.
John Vaglio, 55 years of age.
Mrs. John Vaglio, about 40.
Rosa Vaglio, 16 years.
Christina Vaglio, nine years.
Eugene Vaglio, about 45 years.
Such as the grim list of dead marking a tragedy which will make memorable this
Fourth of July in Dawson. Eugene Vaglio, the last mentioned in the foregoing
list, is the perpetrator of this, the most shocking crime in the history of
Dawson. He shot and stabbed the others to death, and then cut his own throat. He
was a brother to Mrs. Vaglio. She had married a man of the same name. Some say
her husband belongs to an entirely different family, and some say they were
cousins.
The tragedy occurred at nine: oh 5 o'clock this morning in the Central Hotel, on
Queen Street. John Vaglio was the proprietor of the hotel and lived on the
second floor with his wife and two beautiful young daughters, all of whom were
killed. Without a moments notice the murderers strode into the building and
wiped out the entire family in their private apartments, and then slashed his
own throat. All died immediately. None show signs of a death struggle.
No one living witnessed any of the deaths, but witnesses saw Eugene and touring
the premises. Mrs. Vaglio evidently was killed first. She was found, fully
dressed for the day, lying face downward in her bedroom, with a bullet womb in
the vicinity of the heart and several knife wounds in the breast. She fell on
her face beside the bed, with blood beneath.
John Vaglio, the father, apparently was killed next. He was found lying in bed,
with the covers thrown back. Evidently the reports of the gun which killed the
mother and wife had awakened John, and he was attacked as he started to arise
and go to the rescue of his wife. Six bullet wounds were found in John, three at
least of the number being in the head. The empty shells were lying on the floor
and on the bed. John fell back in bed, and beneath him a pool of dark blood
formed.
In the front bedroom was one bed, in which the two girls evidently slept.
Christina apparently had been roused by the shooting, and had gotten out to
ascertain the trouble. This little one, the baby of the family, was found in her
white nightgown, lying face down, with a jagged hole in the four head, with the
brain matter visible. A portion of the gown was drenched in blood.
Rosa, evidently the last of the family to be killed, lay in her bed with the
covers over her, and faced downward, as though sleep, but with the Crimson pool
of blood beneath the head, telling too well the awful _____ of the murderer.
Possibly Rosa had not awakened, and if so, was the only one that died without
the horror of what was about to be her doom. She may have turned from her side
or back to her face after the fatal shot was fired.
Eugene Vaglio then put an end to his existence at the foot of the bed in which
the girls had slept. He was found stretched it full-length on his back, in his
throat a deep gash, and his blood forming a pool that's bread far over the
floor. His hands also were drenched in blood. Back of his head, which was toward
the front window, was the elk handled bowie knife, which he had used. At his
left foot lay and Iver-Johnson self-cocking revolver. At his right foot lay a
Colts automatic. Both were 32 caliber. The shells were in various places over
the rooms, and in the kitchen leading to the sleeping apartments was an empty
Colts magazine. One of the dishes on the shelf was broken. This probably was
shattered by a stray bullet. No evidences of a scuffle were present, and the men
below in the restaurant heard no sounds but shooting and one heavy fall, which
probably was the falling of Mrs. Vaglio. She struck on her nose, and it was
badly bent. Mrs. Vaglio was wearing a pair of handsome diamond rings. She was
the only member of the family up when the tragedy occurred.
Alfred Tetrault, who lives in a cabin back of the central, heard the shooting.
He opened the door after three shots were fired. He says he saw a man in a draft
suit follow Mrs. Vaglio into her kitchen from the back porch. Then he heard more
shooting.
Tony Jelich, the dishwasher and the restaurant, said he heard shots fired in the
rear upstairs rooms, and later heard shots in the front room. Tony Levant, the
cook, testifies to also having heard the shots. He counted 11 reports. Joe
Dempsey was in the bar room when he heard the shots.
Some guests in the house heard the shots, while others in the place slept on,
oblivious of the shocking tragedy being enacted so close to them.
As soon as the firing was heard an investigation was made by the men on the
premises, and the grim scene in the Vaglio Apartments quickly made plain the
nature of the tragedy. The town station was notified immediately, and Constable
Bowen was dispatched at once to the place and took charge. Constable McLean came
a little later, and then major Harrigan and Sergt. Gillis arrived and conducted
the inspection. Major Harrigan, as corner, held an investigation at 12 o'clock,
with the jury and at 2 o'clock this afternoon opened the inquest at Lowes
morgue.
Not a trace of written evidence was left by the murderer, so far as known, as
the reason for his strange actions. But two or more claim to have heard Eugene
state within the last day or two that John and his family would "get there is
all right." Various ones testify to the man being of a restless and nervous
disposition.
From all that can be gathered it seems that Eugene and the family had a falling
out last fall, and and that from that time he had born a deep grudge against
John and the others. Some say that he had paid some attention to the eldest
daughter, but that she did not like him, and that hurt coolness toward him, and
the fact the parents agreed with the girl preyed on him, and perhaps thereby
arouse the feelings which eventually prompted him to slay his own sister, her
husband and two daughters and to take his own life.
Alfred Tetrault, who lives in the cabin back of the central, and who saw Eugene
racing after his sister just as the first shots were about to be fired, says
that a few minutes before he had seen Eugene in the alley walking about
restlessly, and now and then halting as though meditating on something serious.
Pete Pararia and two or three others who knew Eugene said they had seen him on
the street yesterday, and that he was riding a bike, and had said he hoped to go
to work in a few days on a dredge. He had worked all winter on 18 or 25 below on
Barker, where he had a lay with Butler, the colored minor. This spring he came
to town and had complained at various times of being on outs with John and
family. Tony Jelich says that Eugene had stated he would not come in the
restaurant in the Central often for reasons which the boys knew, implying
because of trouble with John's family. Mrs. J. E. Clar_, of __________ appeared
at the hotel shortly after the shooting and volunteered to lay out the bodies of
the mother and the daughters saying she had experience in such work and was the
closest acquaintance of the family. She had known the mother and girls since
they came here, years ago. Christina was born on one of the creeks near Dawson,
where the father had mind. He came here in '98, and afterward was with his
family in Nome. He had the old central when it burned on Queen Street several
years ago. The entire family came here from Rome or vicinity. All our Italians.
Eugene was sent for, it is said, and was brought here about two years ago at the
insistence of his sister, and ever since his arrival had been about the central
often on, and had not had much success as a moneymaker. Some intimate he envied
John success, and that was one of the causes of hatred for John and his family.
Eugene this morning was attired in a dark suit, was black felt hat, and a small
ready-made bow tie. Around his body, after the tragedy was found a belt with
scabbard attached, suitable for carrying the knife which lay behind him. Nazario
and others said Eugene had been drinking some of late, but not to any great
degree. He slept last night at the Tanana Hotel, and got up there shortly before
9 o'clock this morning. He said nothing to the others there this morning or
previously intimating murderous intentions.
Dr. Culbertson was called to the scene of the tragedy immediately after the
accident. He found all five victims dead. Later he examined the bodies for
wounds. Dr. W. E. Thompson also was present.
After taking the evidence of about 15 witnesses the corners jury adjourned. The
doctors are making postmortem examinations. The hearing this afternoon was on
the murder of the John Vaglio family. After that a new jury will hear the
testimony on the suicide of Eugene Vaglio.
Verdict of the Jury.
Eugene Vaglio killed John Vaglio, Camille Vaglio, Rosena Vaglio and Christina
Vaglio, and then committed suicide. The foregoing is the gist of the verdict
rendered by two juries sitting before major Horrigan, as corner, in the central
hotel tragedy. The first jury sat in the cases of the four who were murdered,
and the second in the case of the man who committed suicide.
The jury in the murder case is comprised Dan Matheson, Foreman; Henry Dook,
Robert Stewart, Harold Butler, O. F. Kastner and T. D. MacFarlane.
The jury in the suicide case comprised Charles Deering, Foreman; E. Gifford, F.
W. Clements, Charles Stone, Mr. Gillis and George Vernon.
The verdict rendered by the first jury reads as follows:
We the undersigned jury of six, M paneled by major Horrigan, coroner, to examine
into the matter of the death of the late John Vaglio, Mrs. Camille Vaglio, Rosa
Vaglio and Christina Vaglio, after viewing the said several bodies, and bearing
the evidence of many witnesses, to find that the said John Vaglio, Mrs. Camille
Vaglio, Rosa Vaglio and Christina Vaglio came to their death at the hands of the
late Eugene Vaglio by wounds inflicted with bullets from revolvers fired by said
Eugene Vaglio, and from knife wounds inflicted by the said Eugene Vaglio.
That the said John Vaglio was wounded by six bullets. Any one of several of them
would be sufficient to cause his death.
That the said Mrs. Camille Vaglio was wounded by two bullets and three's dabs
with a knife. Anyone of them would be sufficient to have caused her death.
That the said Rosa Vaglio was wounded by five bullets and four stabs with a
knife. Anyone of several of them would be sufficient to have caused her death.
That the said Christina Vaglio was wounded by three bullets and one stab with a
knife. The bullet wound in the head was sufficient to have caused her death.
Dawson Pays Tribute to Victims.
Yukon has seen many a strange funeral, but none more singularly tragic than that
of the Vaglio family. All four members of the family circle were laid at once to
their eternal rest. Dawson turned out to honor the departed, and the sympathy of
Klondike was made tenderly manifest. Not a relative of the family remained here
to mourn the departed, but Yukoners bear in their hearts a common sorrow perhaps
never known before in the North.
The funeral service took place at 2 o'clock. The day before and yesterday
forenoon hundreds of citizens had viewed the remains at Lowe's Chapel. It seemed
the whole town called. The caskets therefore were not opened at the church or
the grave.
The fraternal order of Eagles, of which John Vaglio was a member in good
standing, escorted the remains from the chapel to the church. Marching from
Eagle Hall, the Eagles proceeded in double column, with the Dawson brass band at
the head. Proceeding along third Avenue to Queen, thence along that street past
the recent home of the family, the procession turned into second Avenue, and
marched past the chapel, halting with the officers of the Lodge at the rear. The
procession then parted ranks and the caskets bearing the remains were carried
out by the pallbearers and put in the rigs. One open carriage carried the two
white caskets, containing the remains of the sisters, Rosa and Christina,
side-by-side, and covered with flowers. Following that rig came a hearse
conveying the remains of the father, and next in order a hearse bearing the body
of the mother. The pallbearers were Thomas Rosburgh, Peter Sutherland, A.
Morris, Paul Tukul, T. G. Ponzo, and Peter McDiarmid, all Eagles.
Six girls, friends of Rosa and Christina, were pallbearers for the daughters.
The girls were all in white and comprise Irene Allen, Emma Allen, Irene Brown,
Alice Graham, Viola Kelton and Marjorie Carlin. The hearses, pallbearers and
Lodge officers moved through the parted brakes to the front, and followed the
band to St. Mary's North end church. The church was crowded with friends when
the procession arrived, and not have to the friends could gain admission to the
large edifice because of want of room. The caskets were placed near the altar,
and the services were conducted by Father Allard and the Rev. Father Donnelly,
of England. The eulogy was pronounced by Father Donnelly and the remainder of
the service was in charge of Father Allard. Mrs. J. A. McDougall saying "nearer,
my God to Thee." Napoleon Laliberte also sang a fitting selection. The church
was draped in black and white.
After the service the procession move slowly to the cemetery, following up A. C.
Trail through the beautiful green foliage that lined the way. Every horse and
rig in the city was in the procession, carrying friends, and hundreds walked.
The Eagles alone had about 150 in the column. The interment was made in the
Catholic cemetery. Evergreen boughs line the graves and covered the mounds of
earth. After the services by Father Allard, the bodies were lowered
simultaneously, while the band played softly. During that solemn interval the
six girls in white stood at the heads of the graves with the friends gathered on
all sides.
Scores of bouquets, crosses, wreaths and other beautiful floral tributes were
placed on the graves. Schoolmates of Christina and Rosa sent beautiful special
pieces. The Eagles and numerous others contributed cut flowers and garden
flowers, while many sent beautiful wildflowers.
Eugene Vaglio Buried.
Eugene Vaglio, who killed John Vaglio and family, then committed suicide,
Thursday, was buried in the public cemetery this morning. No mourners followed
the remains to the grave. The deceased was debarred from burial in the Catholic
cemetery. The Catholics exclude all suicides from consecrated ground.--Dawson
News.
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