The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-11-01
THE FATE OF A
GOLD SEEKER
MYSTERY ABOUT THE DEATH OF
A WEALTHY CHICAaoAN.
His Wife Believes He Was Murdered
by Some of His Own Party-Nine
of Them Drowned Afterward.
Strange Messages Sent to Her
From Alaska.

Chicago, oct. 81. The Chronicle says:
THE family of Louis Scala, of this
city retired contractor, who left chi
cago on a quest for gold in Alaska last
May, are convinced that he was muir
dered. Mr.. Scala. who was well pro-
vided with funds, purchased mining
machinery and a steamboat in Seattle
and enlisted eleven men in the enter
prise. Mrs. Scala says she has strong
reason to believe some one or more
members of the party killed her hus-
band, took his money and equipment,
and started for the Yukon river gold
district and that. by what she regards
as a remarkable coincidence or an act
of Providence retributiun overlook
them on the trip north and nine of the
eleven men wer~ drowned during 4
storm.
Mrs. Scala asserts that the peculiar
manner in which the news of her hus-
bands death was sent home and the
conflicting stories as to the manner
I'm which h" met his death, coupled
with many other suspicious circum-
stances, make her certain her husband
met with foul play in the far north.
Mr.. Scala. who foI years had been
building contractor in Chicago, intend
cd to take trip around the world
for his health hut changed his plans
and decided to go to the Klordike to
develop a claim which he had pur-
chased earlier in the year -Four days
after leaving home he wrote TO his
wife that he had almost $4,000 in cash
with him and would buy an outfit in
seattle and fit out an expedition TO go
Z =, ri1 tf 81 ali
on his arrival in Seattle Mr.. Scala
bought the steamboat Alpha and
purchased machinery for the purpose
of facilitating the work of digging
gold. He enlisted a marty of twelve
men for the invasion of the gold dis
trict.
The last letter Mrs. Scala received
from her husband was written at st.
MichauTs Aug. >. Il that letter Mr..
Scala said ne intended to start for
the Yukon valley in few days and
that he was well and strong. Two
days later an anonymous letter was
mailed from the same place 10 Mrs.
scala which impaired the information
that her husband was sick. Three
days after the receipt Of that letter
Mrs. Scala received a strip of paper
from Sl. hltIljttl ; tl NiltIl VIE lIIt
words: "Your husband is dead"
AS in the former letter no signature
was attached. Mrs. Scala would no
believe her husband was dead. Sh
wrote to those of the party who's,
names she knew. but did not receiv,
a reply. Still hoping against hope. sh'
waited patiently for further particu
lars believing that some members o
her husbands party would acquain
her with the sad news and the particu
lars of the death Of her husband, if h
had died.
Week after week passed without an,
word, and Mrs Scala became imhue
with the belief tina; her husband wa
either alive or had met with foul piaN
Last Saturday she received anothe
peculiar letter from Alaska. Ii pur
ported to he from one of the party, bu
he did not sign his name or give an
address. The letter confirmed the new
of Mr.. Scala's death.
The writer said that the party left 81
Michaels in the Alpha and were caugh
in a violent storm on the Yukon rive
two daYs later: that the steamboa
spTang a leak and the party had I
take to the small boats. Within a
hour after the steamboat had bee
abandoned the small boats capsizc
and all hut two Of the party wer
drowned Mr.. Scala was one of thos
lost. The two survivors, the letter con
tiuued. We're rescued and made thei
way to Rampant city, Alaska.
The letter was postmarkcd from tina
city sent ~