The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1869-05-19
How We Govern in Alaska.

BY all accounts General JEFF. G.
DAVIS, commanding the Department
| of Alaska, is RESPONSE BILE for the diff
ficulties had with the Kake Indians.
1t is alleged that on New Years day
he supplied one of the Chiefs literally
| with liquor, and Big Indian, together
with other big Indians. got happily
drunk, and at nIght-falI refused to
retire outside the garrison lines to
! their own encampment. They were
forced out and in the melee one of
the Kakes wrested a musket from
| the HANDS of a soldier, and carried it
! off as trophy. Thesoldiers, ordered
to do so, rushed into the Indian camp
to recover it, and were driven out.
The next morning the Indians were
drawn up in battle array, but few
discharges OF firearms and field-pIe-
ces sufficed to cool their ardor. A
parley ensued. DAVIS rode out for
parley. The SItkas, who were Wis.
1ting the Kakes, crowded around the
Chiefs of the latter tribe. and elbOWed
them into the garrison, where, cap
tives, they were treated with great
rigor. Other outrages followed, two
Indians were killed, aud they aVeng-
ed themselves on two whites who
were caught when out on an eXpedi
ton. Then followed, the small war
winch resulted in the destruction of
few Indian villages, and secured the
lmplacable hatred of the most Wa
like tribe in Alaska to the American
people aud Government.
Indeed, if the accounts received
from this distant point are true, the
garrison and officer at Sitka have
cOn'iu3ted themselves in SUCH man
ner rs to bring reprOach and ,,isgrace
on the American name. They seem
to have lost all self-respect, and oak
ing advantage of their military
strength and distance frSm civiliZa-
ton, consume their time IN debauch-
cries and orgies of the most brutal
character. We read of "a certain
COlonep accompanied ny q citizen,
who went to u widows house, play
fully smashed the windows, and when
the frightened lady fed, with q child
In her-arms, pursued her with whOops
and yells. The child died from the
incidental fright and exposure. In
another instance a parcel OF officers
entered the apartments of another
lady, during her absence, ransacked
her wardrobe, rugged up the chairs In
her dresses, and, after drunken bout,
wound up the performance with q
torch-light procession in daylight.
La another instance, the officer in
command, while General DAVIS was
absent, went into a saloon, and hear
ing some one in the bath room, con-
Guided to see who it was, broke in
the door, and discovering lady, in-
) cad nf anOlOgizing for the intrusion,
liIsuliet her IN the grOSSeSt manner,
and when '.j' cted, proceeded TO head
quarters and dispatched IA tile ofSOI.
oilers to shut up the saloon and arrest
the man who mad dared expel the
ruthan. Among the genial anus
ments of the officers is that of bum
ming about the streets of Sitka at
night, knocking down all the persons
they meet, and otherwise demon
strating the glorious principle of be-
ing free and independent citizens Of
free and Independent Government
But we have no patience with de-
tails so profoundly disgraceful. There
Is some compensation in the knoWl.
edge of the fact that three OF the ruff
fins have died of detiriIInI tTenlens,
and it would be no loss to the world
were their brutal cOmpaIrfOtS TO fol-
low by the quickest dispatch. There
Is hope that General HALLCR, who
recently visited Sitka, will put an
end to the Infamous proceedings, and
caused those engaged in them to be
tried and punished. 1t is due TO the
country, to our good name as peo'
pie, and to the honor, of American
arms, that there should be rigorous
investigation and condemnation with
out mercy,
-Ci9I. Commercial.