The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-06-03
Sitka Grand Jury Hot After AL
legged Law Breakers.
w. E. CREWS ONE OF INDICTED.
IL In Alleged That He Handled the
Money Which Was Paid That
Liquor Might BE smuxgIcd- Per-
init From Him Necessary, Ii Is
Alaska Customs Ohciais' Hands.

The sensational indictments OF customs
officials In Alaska told OF In Wednesdays
Post-Inteliigencer In a fragmentary dis
patcks brought down on the City Of Seat
tie, have been substantiated by the ar
rival Of the George w iz.der at Astoria.
The Elder. after leaving Sitka. where the
indictments were found by the grand jury.
touched at Juneau. a few minutes later
the City Of Seattle left juneau for the
south. and there was only time fo- short
dispatch TO be written and put aboard the
Seattle. 1t turns out that the indictments
were more numerous than al first report
ed, and that several citizens not in the
customs service were also deemed entitled
to trials by the grand jury for violating
the liquor laws Of Alaska
A special dispatch TO the Post-Intelli-
gencer from Astoria, received late last
night. gives the following additional in
formation about the scandal:
ASTORIA, Or, June 1.-The Alaskan
steamer George w. Elder arrived here this
morning direct from Sitka. Her freight
consisted OF eighty tons of contraband
whisky. While here 1t was learned that
the United States grand jury had made
some sensational indictments al Sitka. In
Gictments were returned against Deputy
Collector Floyd and Custom Inspectors
iisllmon. Beliman Marquam and Cieayer.
Bob Smith, the Portland gambler ana
Skagway brewer. as well as w. f. Crews,
the Juneau attorney. were included in the
list. The specific charge is that the men
indicted had conspired to rob the gov
ernment and that they had permitted
whisky 10 enter that country upon the
payment OF one dollar per gallon 10 The
conspirators. Bob Smith was the manager
of the business, but Attorney Crews, of
Juneau. Il is alleged. handled the money
and the inspectors seized all whisky. it
Is claimed, unless IL had permit from
Crews 10 enter. The bonds were fixed at
5000. but the fact OF the indictments
leaked out and all the indicted men dis
appeared except one who furnished bonds.
Collector lvey was not indicted. The jury
was not convinced that ne had knowledge
OF what was going on.
Others Indicted.
Besides the officials named In the fore
going dispatch 1t Is said that Tom Luke,
an inspector at Skagway, was also indict-
ed. IL is reported that Luke 3 offense was
letting in fifteen barrels OF whisky and
seventeen barrels of bottled beer. &. S.
| Hannum, until recently the deputy coll
hector at Juneau. but who was. :: IS said.
removed by Secretary Gage several
months ago for alleged completely in liquor
irregularities. was also included in the
wholesale dragnet OF the jury. Hannum.
II is reported. was at SiiKa just before
the indictments were brought in. and he
went TO Juneau on u tug and, IL is said,
Immediately left that town for the passes
and got over into the Northwest Territory
before the jury's action go, out. He was
a lawyer at Juneau before his appoint
ment as deputy collector. Marquam
was removed from his position at Juneau
at the same time AS Hannum. but Col
leetor Ivey gave him another position on
the government launch a. Sitka.
Tom Kay. one of the customs officers at
Skagway. has il is said. been removed
by Deputy Collector Floyd since the
grand jury subpoenaed him. and those
who claim TO know say that Kay and
Floyd must have had difference OF opin~
ion over the administration of the local
Office. Kay was removed once before, but
was reinstated by Collector IVey. 1t has
been said that his offense At thar time was
seizing sixty~five kegs Of whisky on the
Elder belonging 10 Bob Smith. To story
was that after seizing this liquor Kay
locked IL up and later met Smiths wagon
hauling L away from the Warehouse where
he had stored Il.
-. j. Kendall and Locke McKinnon,
saloon keepers of Juneau We're also before
the grand jury and presumably testified
against Collector Ivey. Il local rumor In
juneau Is true. Kendall. II IS said. had
something 10 d. With Ivey's appointment.
W r. Crews was formerly the law
partner in juneau os Hannum and Ivey
tie went 10 Alaska from Seattle some
three years ago and ia well remembered
here as having run FOR superior Judge Of
k-ng county on the Democratic ticket He
was a candidate for a great many other
Offices.
Al Juneau IL Is reported that Ivey has
recently made threats az removing Inspac-
tor OConneil. who lately s.4xed some Of
BOB Smiths liquor on the Elder and re-
fused 10 release it when ordered by ire
collector - do 50. In retaliation for Coi-
iector IVeye alleged threat. the citizens Il
Juneau now propose II Is said. 20 hold a
mass meeting and send monster petition
10 Secretary Gage comp,imenting UCon-
nell for MS efficiency and declaring that
DConnrN Isl their belief viii come na4rer
- enforcing tnT h40or laws than Collector
fVev himself 10e collector has kzo Il =
said gotten the hieh co0ri officials a; So
ka down ca aim hy writing yo tna DEPART
meHt at Washington. declaring that IL he
had a good Judge. prosecuting attorney 4 nj
marshal that Re coul6 enforce the nltIor
Laws hat with the present officials re eoald
do nothing. Collector INey seems 20 have
cosne out ahead 81 those y 10 were SEEK
ing his overthrow. although a passenger
on the Elder said At Juneau that the grand
jury was s.ill "a session Ivty Went 30
AlaSka from Portland hlf WIS formerly A
pTactIciug attorney az WEafcorn. wash.
ore Of Collector fvey's customs Officers
az WraaEel i Martin eulDr. MAO ran for
congress on the Populist tickle; against e.
Ia a. The last election and came near beat
ing him. J. X Mount chief inspector AZ
Ska-way. Vas Also said 10 aave been a
Popul4st in oregon.
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