The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-12-23
An ARCTIC TRAGEDY.
for Child Murder Melted Ou(
70 n Brutal EsouImsu.

| RanIshneBt for Child Murder Melted Ou(
| 70 . Brutal Esquimau.
The whaling steamer Belvidere, which
arrived recently from the frozen Arc
tic, brought a story of tragedy among
the savage Eskimos.
Last winter, while the vessel was
frozen in the ice near Herschel Island
q native who was known to the crew
| Of the whaler as Pier was engaged to
hunt on the mainland of Alaska for deer
for fresh meat for the crew. He waa
good hunter, but, unlike most of the
natives, he had fierce and fiery tenn
per. Shortly after he had been engaged
| Is hunter for the vessels crew he built
snow hut on the land only about two
miles from the vessel There he moved
his family. and not long otter q child
was born to him
The child was nearly three months
old when Pier returned, unsuccessful,
from long hunting trip in the interior.
Not deer had fallen to his rifle, and
he went home brooding over his ill-luck.
In his savage nature he felt that the
child that had been recently added to
his household had, when it came into
the world, brought with it q curse on
his prosperity. To it he laid all the
blame for his having returned from a
chase empty-handed. In his rage he
seized the child by the feet and, swing
ing it about his head with all the brute
strength at his command, dashed il
down upon the sharp points Of an ice
covered rock. The little ones brains
were dashed over the snow surrounding
his rude home. and, taking the body,
he threw it to his pack Of fierce sled
dogs. They soon tore it to pieces After
the act he calmly walked back to the
vessel and informed the officers that
the ill-omen that hung over his head
had been removed, and that he would
be more successful in future hunts.
Missionary Whitaker, who was
aboard the whaler at the time, had the
man held on board the ship while he
investigated his story. Pliers fellow
natives detested him for his cruelty.
Whitaker, who had devoted his life to
the welfare of the EskiInos of the more
northern region. had been greatly
troubled by his quarrelsome spirit, and
as an example to the others of his
savage flock he felt that the murderes
must be punished.
Pier. was led to stake In the center
of the native village, near the whaling
station. His back was barred and he
was triced up to the stake. The mis-
sionary took Q stout cat-o-nine-tails
and gave the murderer 90 lashes across
the bare back with all the power he
could command. When he had finished
he handed the lash to Mate E. L. West,
of the Besvedere, and the muscular mate
followed the miSionary's example,
while the crew OF the whaler and the
natives looked on and counted tho
lashes.
When the mate had finished with hia
GO lashes the murderer was bowling pitt
fully for mercy. He was faint from pain
and loss of blood, and when he was let
loose he staggered about, spurned by
ell his fellow villagers. He was or
dered to leave the neighborhood and
never return. Death would be his lot
il he was ever seen about the settle
ment again. He was allowed to take
his rifle and a supply Of ammunition
as we'll as sled load Of provisions and
supplies. on which TO start life anew
in the far interior.
He was given until the following
night to prepare for his journey. AS
be left the village for his hut he took
an oath that he would kill the first
white man he came across after he
left the village lines as revenge for
the punishment he had received at the
hands of the missionary and the whaler's
mate.-San Francisco Examiner. /