The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-02-20
LAST OF THE SLAVES.
story of an Alaskan Indian Bonded for
IA Murder.

United States District Attorney Burton
+. Bennett, formerly Of Seattle, but now
stationed at Sitka, has been writing some
very interesting letters 10 friends here ON
the novel scenes by which ne is surro and
ed. In letter dated February 5, he relates
an incident which is of more than Usual
interest 1t is the story of probably the
last slave held on United States territory.
Last week. he writes, "klan-tach. one
of the sub-chiefs of the Sitka tribe, came
TO my office with an interpreter. and said
that the Killisnoo Indians owed him loo
blankets worth 500 or $3.50. and wanted
me 10 give him letter ordering them 10
pay ii, as he and his warriors in canoes
were going TO start for there the next
morning early. / refused 10 give him let
ter till had further investigated the mat
ter. ! thersupon sent for Col. George Kos
trometinoff, the Official court reporter,
Russian by birth, and native of Sitka.
and son OF a Russian naval officer who
speaks the Indian language. At my request
he made a thorough inves ugation OF the
matter. with some interesting results.
About forty years ago, 1t seems. at
Hootz-noo-oo Drown Bears forO large
Indian village, one and one-haif miles from
KIllisnoo Qittle fort In the BAY, fight
took place between two clans. and during
the fight an Indian woman was killed. Her
name was kah-shtet-shik. She was an
aunt of Klan-tach. one of the sub-chiefs
OF the Sitka tribe. According TO the Indian
custom or law. the man who Killed her
had to pay a great many blankets. or lose
his life. Who IL was who killed this woman
was of course unknown, as IL occurred dur
ing a general fight Hence the debt fen
upon the Killisnoo tribe. which was obllg-
ed 10 pay or have one of Its men killed. Not
having enough blankets TO pay for the
death OF the woman. the tribe gave a slave
10 Klan-Tach to settle H. Slaves at this
A. Il. 40
was named Ea-how. and was about -
years old. When be was quite young he
was stolen from the Hydah tribe, who live
IN the southern part OF Prince Edwards
Island. At this time slaves were obtained
by stealing children from other tribes and
from prisoners taken In war. A chief who
had ten slaves was considered a very itch
man. klan-tach returned 10 Sitka. and
kept Ea-how as a slave until last summer.
when ne died. The kah-wAn-tau tribe CHE
war frihsb. Of which kisn-tach - one 81 the
principal chiefs. after the death % Ea-hoN.
concluded that g. had nothing 20 show that
81 had ever been paid Tor the death of
Klan-tarh's aunt and also concluded that
II ought % have az least 100 blankets 80
settle the matter
Last week kisn-tach came 20 ms office
with his interpreter. and after eKplaining
matters asked Tor a letter 70 the kiiiisnoo
Indians. ordering them 70 pay 4. blankets.
or course he NRE refused. and told that
the kiilisn0o Indians owed him nothing.
and that. moreover. he had no right 20
own slaves ia this country. lie explained
~ saving that be had freed this slave years
ago. bat he WoulH not leave. III seems that
in ISIS. when Capt. Glass. Of the James
town. Was here. the Sitka tribe. as weli a.
AL other Alaska tribes. had great many
slaves. and he freed them all. bar this man
Es-h0W concluded 10 stay with klan-tach.
D, FassF F 49, -.
and hts warriors are determined to get
pay for the squaw that was killed forty
years ago. as the next morning after leaV-
ing my Office. ne. with five canoes. started
for Kiusnoo TO enforce his claim. / do
not know the result yet This is the last
Sitka slave, and probably the last instance
Of slsve-holding in the United States.