The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-09-14
AN INDIAN MYSTERY.
Old Doctor Found Dead in, a
Cabin at OBrien.
HIS FAMILY CHARGE MURDER.
Feud Between Neah Bay and Black
River Indians Ends in . Strange
Death-The Inquest.

A Neah bay Indian named "Old Doctor"
was found dead in his cabin in Mess hop
ranch, near O'Brien's station on Monday
afternoon. His people believe that he
was strangled to death and have a sus-
picion that "Bill Yank," Black river
Indian, with whom he has had trouble.
did the deed, although there is no direct
evidence.
A party Of Neah bay Indians, among
whom were "Old Doctor" and his family.
have been picking hops at G. s. Mess
ranch, where number of Black river
Indians are also working. Monday morn
ing the old man got drop of water in his
eye from the vine on which he was pick
ing and it caused him so much trouble
that his son. "Young Doctor" told him to
go back to the cabin and stay until the
other people came from work. He left
them and that was the last time any of
his friends saw him alive. After he had
been at the hut u little time a cry was
heard, but the son told the mother to
finish the box before she went to the
house.
This took her nearly three hours, and
when she reached the cabin her husband
was stretched upon the foor-dead. His
calico shirt was torn almost off and she
says she could see finger marks about his
throat, as if he had been strangled. His
nose was slightly bruised and on his chest
was blood red mark about three-quarters
of an inca long. He had frothed at the
mouth and his arms were thrown behind
his head. Near his body was a club, but
there was no blood on it. The cabin was
IN disorder and gave evidence of hard
struggle having taken place.
The whole family at once came to the
conclusion that ''Old Doctor" had been
murdered and suspicion rested on the
pole puller. whose name is believed to be
"Bill Yank," and who had left the ranch
the night before. The Indians claim that
he was one of the parties who beat the old
man nearly to death at Pages hop ranch
year or so ago. The cause for the beating,
If such there was, lay in the fact that a
Neah bay Indian named Gilman was
charged with stealing a horse from Bill
Yank, of the Black river tribe, and Old
Doctor admitted that Gilman was his rea-
tive. Gilman was arrested and the horse
found in South Seattle. The case was
brought before Justice Won Tobel and
Gilman discharged. The horse was then
taken to Neah bay, where it is now. The
Black river Indians were bound to get
back the horse because it was quite a racer
and the pride of the tribe. The case was
put in the hands of Sheriff Woolery, who
made an effort to recover it, but Mr.. Nc
Namara. the attorney who had conducted
the case for Gilman. had given him a paper
stating that he had been acquitted of the
charge and that the horse was his prop
erty, and Indian Agent McGlynn, there
fore, refused to give up the animal
Meanwhile the feud between the tribes
had steadily grown, and letters of
threatening character were written to the
Neah bay Indians by the Black river tribe
The members of the latter tribe would not
go near Neah bay under any consdera-
ton. and the friends of "Oid Doctor"
think it was his carelessness in coming
into his enemies country that cost him
his life. The Neah bay Indians got very
little sympathy from the other hop pick
ers, and when the Indian boss, Ben Solo
mon. was told about it he said:
''He would not have died if he had done
right"
This is looked upon by the Indians as
equivalent to statement that the doc
tor" was killed and that Solomon knows
of the deed
The corpse was rolled in a blanket, put
in rough box and then placed in a small
canoe. The family canoe was loaded with
the household goods and the funeral pro-
cession started for Seattle to get white
mans Justice" for their countryman. They
arrived yesterday morning at the foot of
Jackson street and sent word to Sheriff
Woolery, who heard their story, and. not
being satisfied with the evidence gwen in
support OF the charge OF murder, referred
them 10 Coroner Horton. An inquest was
held ut Bonney Il Stewards in the after
noon.
The first witness called was Young Doc
tor, son OF Old Doctor. who testified that
his father was in the cabin alone. and that
before or after he yelled they did not see
any person so To or from the place. He
saw marks about his fathers neck which
made him think he was strangled.
Mrs. Old Doctor was good witness. and
gave an account of the horse stealing af-
fair and the beating of her husband and
said she believed the pole rulier. .Riu
iank," killed her husband for revencs
She was certain about the neck being red
and showing marks of fingers. She 70.
peated the Indian boss remark about the
old mans death. and seems posi,iv. he
knows about the case
Dr. J. Il. Loughary Was called AZ III.
medical expert who had examined the
body for traces of violence. He testified
'hat the marks on the nose and chest were
nnlmpcrsant and that there were no ex
teEnal signs Of violence He allowed that
Il would have been possible TO bav.
smoihered the man and left no marks on
the neck. He might have died of apo.
r.exy.
Assistant Prosecuting A,tor,sr NJ.
BRIDE, who conducted the case said =.
VAS not satisfied to close the INQUEST w,fb
tie vadenes before the Jury ana vou,d