Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-08-07
SEATTLE DAILY posr-NTEiiGENcER TUESDAY AUGUST l. 1888


TRorBLE AT HARRBBrRcfa.
Three White Men killed BY Indlans-
Lynch Law-one Indlaa shss and
Tive Hanged.
The Nanaimo Free Press Of Saturday
last contains the following details of a
serious disturbance attHarrisburgh, OF
as it is sometimes called "Juneaa City, v
Alaska Territory:
DIR. Mclean. who arrived from Har-
risburg by the steamer Eureka yesterday
morning, gives the following details of
the murder of three white men and the
shooting and hanging Of three Indians.
The principal mining camp il at the
Basin, about mile from the town Of
HarrisburRh. The town points are con-
nected By trail which Ia much fire.
quented By whites and Indians. On the
trail are two vhiakey houses, one kept
BY Richard Rennie, Q native of Jersey
IsiAnd. England, and the other by q
Frenchman named Martin. These are
ostenGbly to furnish liquor to the min
ers, bat in reality to the Indians. About
three weeks ago Rennie ana Martin got
drank and during the evening ex-
changed cabins by mistaks-Rennie
going into Martins cabin and Martin
taking possession Of Rennie's cabin.
During the light An Indian broke into
Martins cabin where Renaie was sleep-
ing and stole q bottle of vhiskey.
Rennie got up and struck the Indian,
who then ran sway. Early next morn :
ing Martin went to the camp with q
demtjohn Of whiskey, and after giving
the Indians . drink, asked them to keep
the demijohn for him. He then re-
turned to his own cabin and found Rem
ME there. Rsnnie told him about the
Indian stealing the whiskey, and that
be had chAstised him. Martin told him
that he had no right to do that, az the
whisksy was his (Martin's). Rennie
then took bunR starter and went after
the Indians at the camp. While on the
way to the camp he met two Indians
who assaulted him with q club, break
ing his skull. When found hs was in
sensible, and remained in that condi-
ton twenty -four hours when he expired.
From an autopsy made BY DR.. Mclean
it was clearly shown that he had been
struck from behind with heavy blunt
instrument, and the skull badly frac-
tured. The two suspected Indians were
arrested, and they confessed to having
knocked Rennie down, but accused
Rennie Of striking first. DR.. Mclean
Examined the Indians and found no
mark except one several days old. The
Indians in their confesn0n admitted
that Martin and q Russian, named
Zackal0f. were looking ON at the time
but did not attempt 70 interfere. In
arrestinR the two Indians u third Sitka
Indian resisted the arrest, and all three
were marched to Jail and ironed TO
await the arrival of the mail steamer.
GUARDS were placed at the jail both day
and night. One of the day guards,
named Dennis, was very careless, and
allowed the Indians to roam around the
Jail building without handouts on.
During his temporary absence outside
the building. the Indians took pistol
out of the cupboard. On the return of
the guard, and while he was looking ont
of the window, he was shot in the left
hip, the ball coming out near the float
ing rib. on the right side. Dennis then
fired his pistol several times and
alarmed the town. The Indians then
ran to the camp, taking the pistol with
them. The first man to reach the Jail
was an old soldier, named Major Civ
SAAoJ oAsS - WILL a. 40 "a " b&40 OOA40kolOu
of Dennis he rushed down the hill and
found the Indians in q house trying to
get the shaokles of with an az. He
through the right lung and fell to the
and cut his head and face in q horrible
for tle woods, the ono shackled remain
N thn nHA - he
Indians was shot dead by some infur-
lated citizens, and the other got away.
The one remaining in the house was ar
rested, tried BY jury of citizens, found
guilty, and hung the next day-just
a. the Eureka was entering the
harbor. Colonel Barry ordered the In
dian chiefs to bring in tho escaped
muir 1erer, or he would hold them re-
sponsible. The runaway Indian was
soon brought in, and within half an
hour was tried, found guilty and hung.
The Hon. Edward Perrepoint, who was
present at the last hanging, asked on
what evidence they intended to hang
the Indian, when ono of the chiefs vol
unteered the statement that he saw the
with an AZ. The guard, Dennis, can
hos kOoa1oiy uvob 40 su0 Woouu 10 Iosol
one. The q. 3. war vessel Adams was
away at the time, and the people are
quite certain that had Captain Merri-
man been ct HarrisburRh, this tragedy
would not have happened, for they say
that he 10 pre- eminentlv the right man
in the right place. Our informant
states that the placer mines are turning
ont very we'll, and that more gold has
been taken out already this season than
had been taken out the whole of last
year. Men are crying down the coun-
try and the mines, who did their pros
peotinG around the bar-room stoves and
never visited the mining country. The
Treadwell quartz mill IL Running all the
time. and their ledge 10 turning out
very well. with excellent prospects for
the future.