The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-01-24
Fun IN ALASKA.
Newspaper Colony Had a "Freeze-
OutU Game.

Newspaper Colony Had a "Freeze-
out" Game.
The special newspaper men assigned
| to Alaska until future notice have seq
| regated at Juneau, and between
steamers are at loss for something to
do. News and excitement are scarce,
| and will be until March. The arrival
| at Juneau of Jack Dalton, "Swiftwater
Bill" William II. Chambers and their
parties furnished all the interior news,
settled the doubt Of starvation and
made other Stories brought out later,
dull and uninteresting. The correspond
ents at Juneau include Weston Coy
ney, New York Herald; Charles G.
Wood, New England syndicate, and Hal
Hoffman, San Francisco Cali. These
three specials, when they are not grind
ing, are seeking in some way to create
some plot to make things interesting.
One night, few days before Christ
mas, Coyney, Wood, Hoffman, Harry
Clinton and George Bent, the latter two
mining men. were having a rather
carnival time in the Occidental hotel.
They were playing "freezeout" for CT
CARS and pousse cafes About o'clock
Bent went up to his room, followed pres
emily by Coyney, who. after talking
few minutes, took white Alpine hat
belonging to Bent, and, unseen by him,
came down to the Office wearing the
rather dudish headgear. It attracted
attention. and after some discussion
Coyney said he would sell the hat. Gin
ton was interested, and before his inter
est abated he had the hat and Coyney
had Clintons cap and SO cents, and the
crowd got drinks. Coyney went back
to Bent's room and astonished that gen
tleman by handing him a cap and 80
cents. and relating the circumstance.
While Coyney was out Clinton and
Hoffman traded. The latter gave his
cap and 81 to the former and secured
the much priced hat; the "dicker" in
cluGed refreshments.
While the last part Of the trade was
in preparation, Bent came down, and
picking up the hat, which was lying on
the bar, said: What in thunder is my
hat doing here?" and putting it upon his
head walked off. Coyney wasn't in
sight. Then came the summary, and
with the assistance of an expert accoun-
tant it developed that Bent was in his
hat a cap and so cents; Clinton was
ahead so cents and Hoffman's cap; Hotf-
man was out hat, cap and 81; Coy
ney, the originator was in one drink,
and Wood was in two drinks. Coyney
was arrested the next day, under mock
auspices, and a mock trial was held the
following evening in the hotel dining
room The Judge was an old-timer,
capital lawyer and created lots Of fun
in his decisions; the jury was composed
Of one man AMI eleven women. the
wives Of governn7 ent officials and mer-
chants. Burton e. Bennett, the district
attorney Of Alaska, was chief counsel
for the Defense and Judge Seasure, of
Oregon, who defended slim" Birch for
shooting two deputy marshals on Ad-
miralty island, prosecuted the case. Bent
and Hoffman were both plaintiffs and
defendants. Coyney was specified
criminal; but pleaded not guilty, because
he only got one drink out of the tran
saction Wood was chief prosecuting
witness for all sides and also Junior
counsel for the defense. The examina-
ton of witnesses and the objections of
opposing counsel, together with the
closing arguments, would astonish the
persons who look upon Alaska as the
most uncivilized portion Of United
States possessions. The court room
was full of wit and originality. Judge
Clark, in his instructions to the jury,
reminded them that the court had the
last say, and ne proposed to say 1t, If
they brought in an opinion not in &C
ccrd with his instructions. The jury
rendered a verdict Of emotional In
sanity, and Coyney was sentenced to
assist in the construction Of the Ska
quay road.