The Butler weekly times., 1897-10-14
HELD AS HOSTAGES.
Leaders Of kIondike Expedi-
tions Prisoners of Oeluded
Prospectors.

Csptives Will be Lynci,ed Unless Re
lief IN Sent to Their Dupes.
Port Townsend, Wash, Oct. T.
The schooner Sailor Boy arrived
here today, seventeen days from st.
Michael's, with Sensational news OF
the condition OF things at the mouth
OF the Yukon river, where mayor
Wood, OF Seattle, who took the Hum.
boldt expedition north, and d. X.
Howard, who had charge of the ILL
fated Eliza Anderson, were practi-
cally held by vigilance committee,
made up Of di,gusted and desperate
members OF their Klondike expedi.
tions. The two men are threatened
with lynching unless they succeed
in getting the minels to the head.
waters of the Yukon, which is now
an impossibility. and their few
friends who came down to-day ex.
press the greatest anxiety about the
liyes OF both Wood and Howard.
Some security was felt when it was
learne Il that the United States col
diers are now on the way to ST.
M,chaels, whore their presence will
be needed to preserve order.
It had been showing for four days
prior to tbs departure Of tie Sailor
Boy, on September 10, and ice was
then beginning TO form on the water
outside the mouth of the Yukon.
The river itself had not yet begun to
freeze, but the cold weather had
come to stay and the river is too low
to admit steamer travel, thus shut
ting off the possibility of further
communication with Dawson City
until next June.
The Elizabeth Anderson's passen-
gers, who abandoned her at Dutch
Harbor and went to St. Michaels on
the schooner Baranoff, found on
their arrival at the mouth of the
river that it would bs impossible to
proceed to Daw son this winter, and
then trouble began. They had paid
their passage and freight money to
be landed in Dawson, and Howard,
: in charge of the party, coolly an
nounced that the exr edition was a
failure and he would not unde, take
to feed the ll6 passengers during
the winter, ncr would be attempt
to take them on to Dawson in the
spring. Then Howard, so it is
claimed, tried to leave one OF the
cutters, but was forcibly detained
by the miners and notified that be
must remain there during the win.
ter and submit to whatever demands
the men might make on him The
Mayor Wood party is in the same
fix. Their river boat was ready to
start September 19, but the eneir eer
j. Il. Robinson, of San Francisco,
declared that it drew too much wa.
ter to get up the river, and hs re-
fused to take her, returning here on
the Sailor Boy. Even if the Wood
party can get into the river the ice
will block them before they reach
the timber line, 200 miles inland,
and their situation will then be most
serious and many Of them will perish
from cold before spring.
| It is this condition of affairs tha.
brought down the thirttca rassen.
gers on the Sailor Boy, it being
their purpose to make demand on
Abe promoters of the Humboldt and
Eliza Anderson expeditions for re-
urn Of the passage money and
treights that were advanced for the
trip to Dawson City. representing
% all nearly 100000. Attorney
Phelan, Of Chicago is to be retained,
and the enraged miners will keep
Wood and Howard with them until
they receive word that their de.
mands are to be complied with.
The cutter Bear left st. Michael s
~ September Is, for St. Georges
.eland, to t,ausfer the Duffeld sur
eying party to st. Michael's, and
Ill transport band of reindeer to
nrk Cl0ropno prooao1;c-, a.. 4 ,