The San Francisco call., 1896-05-04
Fears That They Will Slay a
Prominent Sitka Man :.
in Revenge.
ON THE VERGE OF TROUBLE.
Settlers Eager for the Reds to Make
Move That Would Warrant
Their determination.

VICTORIA, B. c., May 3.-Accor6fng
to DR.. Charles L. Tisdale of Alameda, Cal,
who returned from the North by the
steamer Mexico, clash between Indians
and whites may occur at any hour near
Sitka, Alaska. The trouble grows out Of
the killing several months ago of an In
dian by a white man named Mills in sa-
loon row. Alaska is supposed to have a
strict prohibition law, but DR.. TIsdale says
that there are numerous saloons running
quite openly at Sitka and Juneau and the
liquor dispensed is vilely adulterated. It
was thought the Indian trouble had blown
over, but of late the redskins have become
more threatening than ever.
Some time ago an Indian killed white
man. He was tried, found guilty of muir.
der and is now under sentence of death.
One evening after this, while some sailors
of the United States steamship Pinto were
drinking in saloon at Sitka, an Indian
came in drunk and quarrelsome.. He In
terfered with the sailors and a row en-.
sued. 1t came to an abrupt conclusion
when civilian named Mills, a man Of
immense strength, grabbed the Siwash by
the legs and, swinging him in the air.
dashed his head against a wall. Down
fell the redskin with his skull cracked.
Then somebody dragged him into a room
in the rear of the saloon, where the unfor-
tunate creature lay for couple of days
like dog without care or attention.
On the third night after the trouble a
man walking along the street stumbled
over body stretched on the sidewalk. It
was the victim of the fight who, in a
dying condition, had been laid there, pre-
sumably to give the appearance of haying
met with an accident. The indian died
the next morning, and the chief of the
tribe swore out warrant for Mills, who
was arrested and tried for the murder last
month at juneau. DR.. Tisdale states that
all the evidence was not brought out and
Mills was acquitted.
This result made the Indians savage
against the white men. The chief of the
tribe spoke bitterly of what he considered
the great Injustice of condemning an In
dian to death for numbering a " tie man,
while white man could kill an Indian
with impunity. SAN eye for an eye and a
tooth for tooth" is the Indian method of
evening things up and they swear that
only the blood of white man will wipe
out the injury.
When the Mexico left there was a bitter
4CC1AOS OObnCCh tAO UAlbco duQ 1HQl6QS.
1t was feared that the Indians would carry
out their threats, while the whites were
determined that if any one was murdered
they would wipe out the tribe.
Should strife begin it would be a war of
determination against tie indians, and the
United States authorities would have their
hands full to restore order.
DR.. Tisdale left for San Francisco last
night. He is nephew of Hon. David
Tisdale, who has just been made mem.
Der of the Dominion Cabinet, and at one
time was Government physician at Hawaii
during the reign of King Kalakaua.
Strange to say, Mills has gone back to
Sitka and feels perfectly safe, as he con-
siders that it will not be on him that the
Indians will wreak vengeance, bnt rather
on the most important and prominent man
in the district.