The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-11-02
Plan to Seize Dawson City in the
Name Of America.
THE ALLEGED RINGLEADERS-A
LETTER FORWARDED TO AT.
TORNEY GENERAL M'KENNA
WARNING HIM OF THE DESIGNS
OF SOME DARING AMERICANS.
HOW THEY HOPE TO PROFIT BY
THE SCHEME.

a letter from j nneau, Ala ska, saws: In
the same mail in which this letter goes
there will go to Attorney General Nc
henna at Washington warning Of a Wild
cat hlihustering scheme, which for daring
can he likened only 20 Jameson's raid on
the Transvaal 1t is nothing less than
plan to seize Dawson City in the name Of
America and open up the reserved claims
Tor immediate operation. The story comes
here from United States Commissioner
j. n Smith, at Dyea, and it has general
belief at that place. The United States
marshal has considered it of sufficient
Importance to notify the Washington au-
thu rites at once.
Jones, of Port Townsend, the newspa-
per man who was the first man appointed
United States commissioner at St. Mich.
ael's, and j. j. Rutledge, the United
States deputy maj shall at Circle CITY. are
said to be the chief filibusters Jones
did not get to st. Michael's Mt once on his
appointment. and 1t WAS said that he had
resigned. 10. Sheppard, of Nebraska.
was appointed in his place. Both Jones
ann Rutledge are venturesome fellows,
quite capable of conceivng and trying
to carry out such a scheme.
According to the story Jones and Rut-
ledge figure it this way: They mean TO
declaie that the Klondike gold fields are
In the United States territory, taking ad.
vantage for that purpose of the fact that
the boundary line has not been definitely
declared, although they know as we'll as
anybody else that the disputed part Of the
boundary line does not Affect that terri
tory. There are about 5000 miners in
the klondike region, and nearly ali are
American citizens. They are ve-y indig-
nant ut what they consider the oppression
and unjust eXactions of the Canadian
mining laws, under which they ale com
PEELED IL pay heavy royalty, and the
| Size OF their claims are reduced very
greatly Particularly are they wroughu
up over the reservation of each alternate
claim for the crown.
1t Is alleged that Jones and Rutledge
propose after all communication lis cut
OH for the winter, to go to Gawson and
formally hoist the Stars and Stripes, de-
clarng that all the fields are on AmeIi-
can soil and therefore open for entry.
They rely on the heavy support of the
$500 American miners to overawe the
few British mounted police, and to defeat
them II 1t comes to question OF fight
ing. They mean to declare martial law
with themselves as commanders and
their gang If filibusters as officials, and
no one will be allowed to leave for the
coast. III by chance anyone does get away
they argue it will be impossible for either
government to get troops into the Klon-
dixie before next May or June. In the
meantime MI the claims now reserved for
the crown will be located and worked to
THEW full capacity.
In this way millions of dollars' worth of
dust will be taken out and secured before
either govern Ment can raise hand to
prevent it. 1t is insisted that no harm
can come To anyone, inasmuch as the real
boundary line is in dispute and unknown
and that American citizens have the same
right to say that the gold fields belong to
America and to establish our claim there
AS the British. Jones and Rutledge fig
ure that the grateful miners will put up
dust enough to make them very hand
some reward for their trouble and lisk.
1t is impossible to learn here what the
territorial officers will door whether they
Will try to do anything. The story has
not gene raj circulation here