The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-12-05
AWFUL SLAVERY IN ALASKA.

\ AWFUL SLAVERY IN ALASKA.
Brutal Treatment of the Natives by th'
AIaSkn Commercial Company.
New York, Dec. 4.-The Sun thil
! morning devotes half OF its first page tt
recital Of the wrongs of the helpless
Aleuts, Of Alaska, who, it is claimed
are at the mercy of the agents of the
monopoly known as the Alaska Com
mercial Company, which company
under its lease from the Government oi
the United States, controls large part
OF the coasts and islands OF that terri
tory. The facts recited by the Sun show
a shocking state OF affairs; the wives
and daughters OF the natives OF Alaska,
it is claimed, are corrupted by the Com:
mercial Company's agents, many OF
whom are unprincipled drunkards.
Chiefs aud priests are bribed by these
agents and the natives kept in con-
slant state OF terror. Government oihc'
ials who endeavor TO stop the scandal
GUS practices OF the agents are perse'
cuted so that they are glad to desist
The natives having lost all patience
have, the Sun says, addressed to the
people OF the United States IN appeal
invoking their aid in securing proper
protection from the Government. This
appeal, which is written in the Russian
language, has been forwarded to this
country and is now in the hands OF one
OF our prominent public men, who will
lay it before the proper committee III
the next Congress. A translation OF the
paper brings out the following facts: i.
/. The natives OF Alaska are practical
ly at the mercy Of the Alaska CONNER
cial Company.
2. The company's employees on the
islands entertain no respect for the
rights OF the Alcuts, and while they may
thus violate the orders OF their SUPERB
ors, the natives have no recourse.
3, The Ateut's most sacred tamify ties
are outraged by these men, who will
openly debauch his wife aud children.
4. The Aleut is naturally docile, inot.
fensive, law.abiding and humble, but
has been so continuously betrayed by
false friends that he has been driven 10
suspect all who are placed over him.
5. Tho one purpose Of the bad men in
the employ OF the company is to corrupt
and demoralize the natives They laugh
at purity, while prostitution is applaud
ed Nnd rewarded. :,
0. These employees arc discouraged
from bringing their wives and families
on the islands, and the result has been
that through species OF terrorism many
native homes have been broken up and
wives and daughters practically out
ragged. :,
I, The native has no means OF appeal
to Washington because unfamiliar with
the methods OF reaching the ear oil the
Government aud the fact that they can
not leave the islands without permit.
s, This appeal is made to liberty
loving people who frown upon slavery
in any form, but which they are uncon-
sciously toleratiDg in Alaska.
MIR. Thomas +. Ryan, OF Indianapolis,
who was the special Treasury agent to
the Seal Islands in lSS5-S8, corroboratGs
the facts set forth in the appeal. "But,"
said he, II 90 further, and charge that
the Federal Government is largely re-
sponsible for this state OF affairs, for it
has turned deaf eur to the appeals
which have poured in upon it in past
years. The Indifference Of the Govern.
ment to the fate OF these natives and its
course in leaving them to the despotism
OF unfeeling men has caused them TO be
suspicious OF every new man sent out
BY The Treasury Department. An evil
dence OF this fact is found in the follow
ing letter, which l have very recently
received from one OF the best educated
men on st. George Island" The letter
is as follows:
Our DEAR FRIEND: Westill love yol
for what you did for us, and we often
pray for you, and remembering the day
we asked Mr.. Tingle to help US and
bring you back TO US again, and MS he
promised to us all that he would help
us. But we never have got the answer
from him, or from you also. All good
officers who come here suffer what you
suffer. II you had sold your soul to the
company you never have been in trouble
with them. You are mistaken If you
think the company did not put up job
on YOU, We found it out afterwards
and we are afraid for Mr.. Gavitt that he
VIII nave tuC blluc bIOupIey ueCAuSS Nv
had fought hard for US. Heis brave and
honest and we love him. He has the
same opposition that all honest men here
have.
1t is well understood that many high
persons are assisting to make us slaves
| for twenty years longer. Our wives and
children are still ruined by drunken men
who winter here. Please call on all
Christians to help US, and ask the papers
to fight for US. The truth never reaches
Washington. We ask you to see Mr.. j.
w. Beaman, at College Hill, Washing.
ton; General Scribner and Captain KIM
nell, and to helu us in Gods name.
Your friend,
PETER REzANsoFF, and many others.
"This letter." continued Mr.. Ryan,
twas written by the leading man among
the Aleuts on the island, one whom ap::
pointed chief during my inchmbency Of
the office OF special Treasury agent. He
was subsequently removed, through the
agency OF the conpany's men on the
island. The debauchery OF young Aleut
girls, to which he refers, is notorious"
Mr.. William GaVitt, the successor Of
Mr.. Ryan as special agent to st. George
Island, also corroborates the facts com-
planned Of,
Phil DaIy's Narrow Escape.
New York, Dec. 4.-The police have
not yet caught the two men who at
temped to rob and murder Phil Daily,