The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-06-08
BHIsKEr SMUGGLING IN ALASKA.
Twenty Years OF Effort. Have Not Awaited
to Break II Up.


WASHINGTON. June THE killing OF one
missionary and the maltreatment OF another
show the lengths to which the whiskey Snug.
glers OF Alaska GO In dcfying law.
Section 1855 Of the Revised Statutes gives
the President authority to regulate and re.
strict or prohibit the importation and use OF
distilled spirits in Alaska. Rules on this sub
ject we're made long ago. and at once unprin-
cirled traders sought to evade them Besides
the Illicit importations. a liquor called hooch-
enoo was manufactured by tho natives from
molasses At one period there was so much
trouble from drunken brawls that our ves-
sells were kept busily on the watch at S!tka.
At that time i've Illicit stills were broken up
by marines landed from vessel OF the navy,
and 1t was thought that many more in the
town escaped discovery.
While tho Russians used to give the natives
small supplies OF LIQUOR and the Hudson Bay
Company bought skins with it. yet II is said to
have been either the whalcrs or else the gnrri-
son established in Alaska during the first ten
years after its purchase that found out how to
distil the liquor from moasses and impaired
the art to the natives.
But the smuggling Of liquors has been
carried on for years Vessels ostensihly en- gag ed
In whaling or other industries were concerned
In this business. Ono Governor Of the
Territory said that during its first ton or
WSs e but pnas1 the and sg
Erospectors. the smuggling Of Iliuor Increased.
to the ravages Of liquor In Alaska. and the law.
lessness which 1t produces. are those OF tho
oHlciai account Of the salmon canneries. and
the supply Of liquor by the Chinese employees.
=, :, Tho %, missionaries and teachers have been
glers. and tho latter have often threatened
vengeance. In a notice of the death Of DR..
don Jackson says that far away from any
officer OF the law he battled alone against in
Temperance per. and that on his death his wife
But the first victim Of the smugglcrs was Mr.
Edwards. had been establis shed us teach
1T appears. a small vessel in charge. of two mon
came to his settlement and Edwards. believing
@ Party h'y naS to the sell crafts sGa
mortaiy wounded Edwards. who was dying
board. Another missionary teacher. who al
terwqrd inGmdrTed into the Affair." WIS very
may SHOW Whether Eiwards s' had authorfty for
his proceedings. and whethc tho man who
shot him was acting. as he averred. in self
Recently Victoria despatch announced that
DR.. Sheldon Jackson had been murdered by
Of Education in Alaska. who has prosecuted
his work with great enthusiasm. and has spe-
Gially attracted public attention l,y his plan of
domest icating tho reindeer In Alaska. Tho
somewhat vague account from Victor ia resem-
hlcs so much the on" already given in regard
to Mr.. Edwards as to lead to the hope that it
may be merely an incorrect version OF the for
mer IT speaks of the arrest Of whiskcy SNUG
glers who had come in u boat. OF their being
bound. and Of their subsequently being re-
leased and shooting jackson with revolver.
sort without second. and there is ground for
tho surmise that tho two stories relate to u
single transaction.
Alaska is Il Territory with m imperfect
Government, as lnwlessness here and there
of the need of Some efficient system OF trial
and punishment of offenders against the laws
regulating tho liquor traffic. Tho evils arc
very great and the enforcement of such laws
as exist is almost impossible" This recon-
incubation has derived increased force from
the incidents Just spoken Of