The San Francisco call., 1898-07-22
Town Still Under Martial Law. but Soapy Smiths Gang Is
 Scattered.
Many Disappointed Gold Seekers Return From Copper River-That Privateer
 Story Revived.

JUNEAU, Alaska, July 1T, by steam ship Al-K1 to Departure Bay, B. o., July 21.-The town of Skaguay is still under martial law and all saloons are still closed. Possibly the latter may be opened tomorrow or next day. Every ship carries south, even yet, pas- sengers who would not leave but for threatened developments.
 Preliminary hearings of persons sus- pected of standing in with the Soapy Smith gang have been in progress sev- eral days. Marshal Shoup rounded up all those who had been bound over by the United States Commissioners, twenty six in all, chartered the steamer Farallon, which happened to be in port, herded all aboard and took them to Sitka to prison. The Jail at Sitka was already full and an annex of some kind must be provided. Deputy United States Marshal Taylor, who is accused of general and particular complicity with the gang, and one other man were not put in irons, as at first reported.
 The citizens investigation committee is still at work. The spirit of refor- nation has evidently seized the town more seriously than ever before. The
 
 diker Stewart in Soapy Smiths saloon has been recovered-that Is, part of it. As thorough a search of the town as was possible, together with pow erful bluff of the investigation commit tee against suspected members of the Soapy Smith gang, resulted 1n the ais covery of all but $500 in Soapy's trunk. It Is believed that this sum indicates that a divvy had been made and that ha Der of the gang.
 City Surveyor Frank Reid, who shot and killed Soapy, Is also doomed to death Blood poising has resulted rom his wound in the thigh and it is said he cannot recover. If Smith had died before the steamer Tartar left there IS no doubt there would have been num- Der of hangings.
 In the search of rooms and houses large assortment of burglars tools and safe-cracking implements were found. This is taken to mean that these tools were shortly to be used on the stores and safes. Marshal Shoup thinks the gang intended to rob Alaska towns and then hurry south.
 The latest sensational report Is that the gang was about to begin operations against out-coming gold-laden Klon- dikers by waylaying them on the trails. There Is said to be evidence of this, but what 1t is has not leaked out of the committed This could be easily done in the mountains and the bodies pitched down into ravines, where they would be eaten by wild beasts and their crime not be discovered for months, perhaps never. But Soapy. the leader and or ganizer, Is dead. The gang is broken up, at least temporarily, and the chief of police, so-called, of Skaguay, Is on his way to prison. J. w. Tanner of Juneau has been appointed Deputy United States Marshal at Skaguay in place of Taylor. The latter is charged with neglect of official duty.
 Among those taken to Sitka by the Marshal are the following. They are charged with crimes from highway robbery down: Turner Jackson, John Clear, Al H. Isaacs, Charles Butler. George Wilder, s. L. Taylor, Harry Bronson, w. E. Foster, Van B. Trip let, John Bowens and Mrs. M. J. Tir- pey. The woman is under arrest for keeping a house of bad repute. The situation has quieted down greatly.
 The sorriest looking collection of gold-seekers from Copper River got back to civilization and Juneau last night on the steamship Excelsior. They will take the regular steamers here and proceed to Puget Sound and home. The 200 and more passengers secured rate of s15 to Juneau and $10 to the Sound. The Excelsior also brought down few disappointed people from Yukatat. Aboard were two Copper River boxed corpses-the remains of Leroy Murfln of the Sleepy Eye mine, who died on March 24 last, and J. H. Opdahl of Mar shall, a miner who died the day before, both from exposure and over-exertion. Murfin wrapped his dead friend in blanket but no one was there to per form even that small rite for himself.
 Richard Shaw, @ wellknown young man of means of Rochester. N. Y, who took what was considered the best out fit to Copper River, was drowned and his body not recovered. Some of the men have so little money that they are