The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-01-16
GUNS IN THE CHURCH.
SERIOUS RELIGIOUS TROUBLE RE-
PORTED FROM ALASKA.
Russians said TO Be ut the Mercy of
the Trading Company-So ofcfaI
Complaint Yet Received by the
Government at Washington

NEW YORK. Jan ia dispatch II
the Herald from Paris says: The 81.
Petersburg correspondent of the Euro
peaz edition % the Herald writes that
serious complaints against ne existing
state Of affairs in Alaska ara brought ~
The Svst- II alleges that the handful Of
Russians remaining in the territory sus-
fer under al sorts o. vsxatious and even
oppressive acts on the part Of the Amer
lean traders who run Alaska L Is
claimed that q number OF the cor, pany's
agents entered a Greek orthodox church
during service. with firearms III their
hands, to drive the congregation out 10
work. ard that The Russian teacher. hav-
ing refused 70 give his lessons IN English
the Americans threatened 10 burn down
MS school. General condemnation IS
brought against the government 81
washington for leaving the admf1istra-
ton OF Alaska TOO much in the hands OF
3 trading company. which, It is claimed
nnds il 10 its interest to Gsbauch the ma
tives.
Trouble In the Church.
special 70 the Herald says: Absolute
~ no Official Information has been re-
ceived IN Washington IN regard 10 the re-
ported outrages perpetrated on Russian
residents % The territory Of Alaska BY the
North American Commercial Company.
The state and treasury departments have
heard nothing frorn their Representatives
IN Alaska and Russia on the subject The
statement thai agents Of the company in
vaded a Russian school and chapel may
have some basis. State department off,
cia,s believe there are religious troubles
existing in Alaska. There are three
classes OF schools: First the territorial
schools, under the direction Of the gov
ernment. second. the orthodox Russian
schools. governed by Archbishop Nicholas,
who is a close personal friend OF Emperor
Nicholas. and which the United States is
obliged BY treaty provisions 10 protect;
third, the orthodox native Russian schools.
The Russian government last August
protested 10 the state department at the
action OF unorthodox Russian school au-
thorities in seeking the withdrawal OF
pupils from the orthodox schools The
state department turned the matter over
10 the treasury department with instruc-
tons 10 investigate the matter and so far
as can be learned no report has been re-
ceived.
The authorities are inclined TO believe
that the outbreaks just reported are the
result Of religious disturbances existing
between the orthodox and the unorthodox
churches. They do not see what connec-
ton the agents OF the company could
have In the matter. The company's rights
are all confined 10 the seal Islands. and 50
far as can be learned they have no au-
thority on the mainland.
The suggestion is also made that the
agents may have visited the mainland
and perpetrated the outrages, but this
can only be- settled by an investigation
which will be made by the treasury de-
partment either through the Russian min
ister. the represen tatives of the state de-
partment or the agents OF the treasury de-
partment in Alaska.