The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1890-11-05
LIFE FOR LIFE.
The Queer Workings of a Law of the Ma
tives of Alaska.

An Androscoggin county lady, who
recently returned from Alaska, where
her husband was employed by the
United States Government as teacher
among the natives, gives some interest
ing particulars of the country and peo-
pie. While at Chilcott the lady wit
messed tragedy and its consequences.
which illustrates the peculiar code of
justice among the natives.
A party of white miners were at the
supply agency preparing to start off on
a prospecting tour to the Yukon or
some other distant mining locality.
Several Indians wanted to accompany
them, but objection was raised by
others. Liquor had been freely drunk,
and bad blood was in the ascendant.
An old chief. much respected by the
whites, excited the ire of a chief of
another tribe, and the latter sought to
vent his wrath by striking the others
son, who CHANGED to be present The
father retaliated by knocking the ag-
gressor down. The latter thereupon
drew his revolver and fired, the bullet
penetrating the old chiefs lungs.
Knowing that the custom of his
countrymen demanded life for life,
he at once darted from the scene of the
affray and fled directly for the house
in which the white lady was stopping
hoping, if he could once gain an en-
/ trance, to be enabled TO secure immu-
nifty from punishment. She stood in
the doorway as he approached, but he
was destined never to enter. 1t ap-
pears that his dissipated, quarrelsome
habits had already placed him in bad
odor with his own tribe. and one of the
fleet-footed young men intercepted him
when almost at the threshold, and
with terrible cut with a huge knife
! almost severed his body in two.
Now comes the singular part that
! Justice had to take in the affair. In
stead of the actual murderer paying
the penalty of the crime, according to
| their judicial code the life of the old
chief, as the assumed prime cause of
it, was to be forfeited, Notwithstanding
he had at first acted mainly on the de-
| fensive, and had already been perforat-
! ed with the bullet of his enemy. He
sought protection from his white
friends, but, while they were heartily
in sympathy with him, they did not
deem it prudent to interfere in the
matter. Seeing no hope in that direc-
ton. he turned from them with the re-
mark: ME show white man how
brave Indian die" and gave himself up
to be shot"
After his wife had adjusted black
cap to his head dozen or so men of
his own tribe drew themselves up for
the execution, but their hands trembled
so, or they 50 disliked to shoot their
beloved chief, that in firing the bullets
that entered his person only mangled
him, and did not at once prove fatal.
He begged them to kill him outright,
but they desisted, and he was carried
to his hut to slowly die from his
wounds. Thus he fingered for nearly
two weeks, suffering the greatest
agony. His wife would go to his bed
side night after night and plunge a
knife into his side to hasten death and
his release. which seemed so long a
time coming. During his suffering the
lady visited him almost daily, and he
seemed very grateful for her solicitude.
Finally he died, and Justice" was
satisfied. .-Lea0iston Journal.