The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-09-17
SLAIN ON SKAGUAY
TR ALL.
Detected in Stealing Money
From Tents, a Poor Packer
Is Put to Death.
ALLEGED TO HAVE TAKEN
ABOUT $4,000.
Nothing Known as to the Identity
OF the Executed Man Except That
He Was a Russian Finn.

SEATTLE, WASH, Sept. 16.-According
to W. i. Sauls, a member of the Southern
Detective Agency, who arrived in this city
from Skaguay this afternoon, a Russian
Finn, whose name is unknown, was
lynched by five enraged miners on the
Skaguay trail on or about September g.
The crime for which Ibis man paid the
penalty o his life was stealing. he was
undoubtedly thief, for he confessed it.
That was what he had gone to Skaguay
for. He did not die willingly and begged
and swore in his foreign tongue alternate
~. 1t had no effect. however, as the
penalty for theft had oeen announced.
The scene OF the hanging Sauls says.
was near the foot of the summit about
fifteen miles from salt water. The lynch
ing was conducted very quietly, and none
but those Immediately concerned knew of
it. Sauis, while not an eyewitness to
the lynching, was the man who captured
the criminal, and claims to be thoroughly
posted on the details of the whole affair.
He says he helped the miners committee
run down several criminals while on the
trail.
The Russian Finn, SauIs says, struck
the trail about two weeks before the
Iynching. He sailed for Seattle on one OF
the numerous boats and went to Skaguay
for the purpose OF packing for wages.
This is the information he gave out.
He brought no outfit with him and was
poorly clad. He started to work packing
miners outfits and seemed TO be hard
working young fellow. He was young
not more than 2S. The Russian coul:
talk but very little English aid made no
-ierds among The hackers. He always
4 eened to be afraid of something and
l NJ away as much as possible.
I le morning one OF the pack team
L1Plagers woke Up after spending night
in a tent near the summit to find that his
savings, amounting to between $500 and
$1,000, had been stolen during the night
The next night several other people lost
money. a day passed without develop
ments. On returning from work on the
afternoon of September w. II. Davis
found that some one had been in his tent
and taken his money-bag, which con-
tanned $500.
The bag had been concealed under some
blankets. This was too much for even the
miners to stand. Nearly $1,000 had been
taken in very short space of time. They
decided 10 do no more work until the
thief was found. The next evening De-
tective Sauls was sent for and commenced
an investigation. 1t was discovered that
no one had been near the tents outside of
the immediate party of miners except
this Russian Finn packer. The detective
decided that he must know some thing
rDot- II
miners with him, Sauls elm bed up to the
Russians hole on the hillside. The man
was at home. He demanded 10 know
what they wanted, and in his broken
English ordered them down the hill
Sauls told him be had been stealing and
had better confess and give up the money
or be would hang him.
The young foreigner denied it at first,
but under severe cross examination said
that he had taken the money from Davis
tent He said that be had gone in to look
Tor some clothes. as mis- were worn out
He had hut $1280 left. This he gave back
TO Davis What he did with the balance
or where be had Lid the rest OF the stolen
money he would not say. Sauls took his
man down the hill, turned him over to
Davis and his companions and then went
back up the hill. In the morning ne asked
Davis where the Russian was. The man
who had been robbed replied:
I'VE took him over to the brow Of that
bluff, put one of his pack ropes around his
neck, then all five of US caught hold OF the
rope and pulled him UP till he was dead.
He refused to pray before going to his
Maker. At first he swore at Us, then he
began to beg. and promised all sorts OF
things if we would only cut him down. 1t
took him long time 10 die. If you want
10 see his body it is over there on the edge
of the bluff between two big rocks.
Saus says he went over and looked at
the body. a black mark around the Rus
SLAMS neck told the story of justice salts
fed In his pocket Sauls found two letters
from Russia. One was from his mother.
They we're left with the body.