The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-06
IN Alaska.
Many n Miner HAS Lost Lirc and Cold nj the
Hands or Dosporndoes.

-@ "
From the Chicago Tribune.
Murder and robbery on q wholesale scale mark
the mountain trails Of Alaska. Tho paths which
lead to and from the country of tho Klondike
are beset with inhuman Ghouls who kill and
steal with impunity. There Is scarcely q mile
OF the overland road on which gold.ladon miners
return from the new Eldorado that does not
boar tho mark Of some fondlsh crime of out
lawry, and tho evil has assumed such terrifying
proportions that the strong arm OF the Federal
military department has been invoked to sup
press 1t.
This at least is the sensational story brought
to Chicago by George F.. Barry. F.. L. Heating,
and others who have lately come back from
Dawson City, and they tell 1t with an air Of
enrnestness which forces conviction upon the
listener. In 1t may be found an explanation Of
the action OF the Government In hurriedly do
spatching q comparatively large detachment Of
troops to Alaska at a time when the food sup.
the addition Of even o few more hungry men
makes the situation still more 1erious from the
Conservative men assert that at least So. ooo..
been stolen in the Klohdike country during the
last twelve months, most Of IL inside the last
half year. as the opportunities for plumber Of
this kind have increased with tho desire Of
miners who had made q fortune to get back to
The most direct confirmation Of the report
comes Q n si from ,G George 20 nSrj F. . Barry II T ;rb3. is now moI II Chi n
the klondlke district. He says:
MY story sounds so much like a dime novel
adventure that l am almost ashamed to Talk
was murdered in one batch Gsy bandits is coming
fate. i went over the Dyea trail with a party
of six early in March, 1897. The trail was then
new and in had shape. and we were compelled to
Get through u h.,G W e I'M annl yoi Hsttis sad IN WI, What Ills Is now o,r
rlaip,o yVa Ind fair 1ltrE md hnfnra whit ppf
in had cleaned up nearly $4,000 apiece. In the
meantime twenty other miners had come down
al ' % o x%a'sF: So we had a thriving little camp
claiming to be unlucky prospectors. wandered
into camp and spent q week with us. BY that
time wo were al anxious to get back to Dawson.
as we had decided to start for home from there,
but had not made up our minds as TO the best
way OF reaching the town. The two strangers
said they could easily guide US through the
p,sscs 10 the Dawson trail. A deal was made
pay to be $500 each. payable in gold dust as
soon as Dlwson was within sight.
"Idon't know how It was. but in some manner
I became suspicious Of the strangers, and at the
last minute Pete Farrell. Dutch Bauer AMI l
dropped out OF the party. We were all con
fused to trust ourselves with them. Our only
fear then was that they were making n bold
tangled up and lost in the mountains. We had
no idea that they were pilots for = band OF ghouls.
rs ,ad they stter r,psr turned n out tt to ,r be; we tor tried !, G,o to
favorable opportunity, but the strangers had
Won them over. and early in October Farrell.
ny and they struck Off over the hills to the north.
Nobody has ever seen or heard OF any member Of
One week later Farrell. Bauer, and struck
camp and took up z trail to the west. Before
1ns @ IN b D9as le'' A L MrS a aS iTs, weeks %s " %str%ee ats
and great suffering our little band of three
reached Dawson, and we we're surprised to learn
! that n1fr tnnhc n N rFivRf fhara IN n
started for home, convinced It would do no good
newspaper men waiting TO send out the news Of
big strikes, and the arrival OF a party Of twenty
them could not possibly have been overlooked.
All three OF MS madc efforts to induce the Daw-
son people to get up a rescuinE party, but were
"As have said. we waited for nearly a
month. and then got ready to start for home.
and at once asked him where our friends were.
Tnf in SaIe vac iee sFan IL @g gau Tf'y 70 a back Fep 2 few T Snn,
dred miles on the trail you'll find them waiting
for y %r hath The oh nSid fnSts, Of ~ ei i.t apswe tb made ms, m nc
drop there3I. started in to mix UP with him.
This was a JOB l got the worst OF. MS the room
sympathy with him, and Mt the first opportunity
turned tail %nd ducked out Gt the den; some
fore speaking to the bandit,
Hunting up Farrell and Bauer. told them
OF what nan occurred, ana We at once wont tC
tho authorities and laid the matter before them
Inside OF nn hour n posse OF thirty armed men
was ready to surround the gambling house and
take ont the ghoul. but while we were making
our preparations the fellow had been taken
up the trail.
Later we learned that tho man went uadel
the name. of yellow Tom and was an all
round bad man. Two days before we reached
Dawson he had shown up with a big lot Of gold
aust, which 1t is now plain was stolen from The
mon he murdered. Stronger proof than this
wes found in n sled which was owned by one o.
our Dead Mule Valley party. This WAS un
oarthod in n second and sur ply store. along
with some gums and blankets, which | had M
trouble in Identifying. and the proprietor said
positively he had bought the stuff from yellow
Tom"