The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-27
A PRISONER FREED BY FORCE
POSSIBILITY OF A CONFLICT BE-
TWEEN MINERS AND TROOPS.
Provisions Required for SnstennncG
of Three Men for Two Years-SOme
of the Perils Of the Trails
Special to the indianapolis Journal.

between the miners and the federal troops is
one of the possibilities in this section of the
world. The miners. jealous of their good
names, and confident Of their power to adj
minister all affairs of law and order in their
own way, strongly resent the interference
of Captain Ray, U. S. A., in the arrest and
Imprisonment of alleged offenders. Captain
Ray acts upon his own responsibility in
these things. ignoring the miners, and pro-
ceeding as to him seems best, without con-
sultation with the people of the camps.
This course, naturally, antagonizes the
miners, who think they should have voices
in the management of their affairs, and in
one instance serious trouble has resulted.
Some time ago the store of the North
American Trading and Transportation Conn
pany at Fort Yukon was robbed of gold
dust and bills to the value of about $1,000.
There is no safe in the storehouse and the
valuables had been placed in an ordinary
handbag, which some time during the night
disappeared. A rigid investigation was i'm
stituted, but although suspicion was directs
ed against several persons the evidence was
not strong enough at first to warrant maxi
ing any arrests.
Some days before the robbery a man bv
the name of Weymouth went from Circle
City to Fort Yukon and, going before Cap
tain Ray, who practically has supreme
charge at that point as representative of
the United States government took the
pauper's OATH" Upon this representation
he obtained supply Of provisions sufficient
to carry him through the winter. 1t seems
| that instead of hauling the goods back to
Circle City himself, as others in a like pre-.
dicament had done, he made arrangements
to have it freighted up the river, and he
came on to Circle City alone.
When Captain Ray learned that Wey~
mouth had money with which to pay tho
heavy freight charges he wrote to Commis-
sioner Crane here, ordering him to arrest
Weymouth on the charge of obtaining goods
under false pretenses and intimating also
that Weymouth might prove to have been
concerned in the robbery of the North
American Company's depot. Crane followed
out this order and then requested Captain
Ray to come to Circle City with his wit-
nesses to substantiate the charge Under
usual conditions the prisoner was entitled
to a hearing within ten days. But it is
| long, hard trip from here to Yukon, and
hardly possible for Cranes messenger to
| go there and return with the witnesses
within this statutory time.
| Weymouth's friends in Circle City In the
meantime were very anxious to get him out
Of Jail, and few days ago a man by the
name OF Gilpdn posted sign calling for
miners meeting that evening at o'clock.
MINERS HAVE A MEETING.
| Promptly at the hour set about $50 of this
| inhabitants had gathered, chairman was
chosen, and the business proceeded In the
following way:
The Chairman-Before proceeding to du
business would like to ascertain If the
gentleman who signed the call for this
meeting is present.
H. Gilpin-I am the man who signed the
call.
I'm order that we may act intelligentlg
you will kindly state to the meeting all YOU
know about the matter"
Mr. Gilpin-There is a man locked up in
the Jail, and he has requested me to call a
meeting as he believes he is illegally held,
contrary to law, not knowing the charga
he is here for. have consulted with many
citizens of Circle City, and it is their senti~
ment that meeting should be called. le
was therefore decided to call miners
meeting this evening to discuss and taxa
action on the case and see what can ba
done. AS understand It, there is no war;
rant and no charges against the prisoner.
Chairman-That seems to be a lucid
statement of the case.
Mr.. Gilpin-I wish to say further thaa
this man has been in Jail eleven days with-
out trial.
Chairman think that ''llis honor the
court" should be present so that we can
see where we are at" as the gentleman
said in the House Of Representatives Ii
has been suggested that if we had the pa
pers in the case we could employ some limb
of the law to bring this before tha
court. If he is charged with any crime.
Captain E. d. Dixon-It seems to me that
they can hold a man under the United
States court just as well as they can UNDER
state court. They can fix a bond and IL
the prisoner can't furnish the bond sup
pose they can put him in prison.
The Chairrnan-That IS what this meeting
is for-to inquire whether he has had that
trial. a sufficient time having elapsed.
Coppersmith--I don't think 1t Is right
There must be no one-man power here.
Captain Dixon-Let me make motion. q
will offer it in a resolution that this meet-
ing appoint a committee OF three men to
wait on the commissioner and ascertain why
this man is held, and why he has not beeu
given preliminary examination. and reports
at some future meeting.
Some Miner-What is the matter with
having the commissioner right here nors..
Mr. Coppersmith-The commissioners has
been SEEM and he reports that he Is tao
busy 10 attend the meeting.
Chairman-I think it would be better @
see this man and find out why this man Is
held. You can have this meeting adjourned
until tomorrow evening. 1t viii be only
one day longer.
Captain Dixon-What do you propose Ia
do? Take the law in your own hands ana
force this man to turn his prisoner foose9
1t is a bad thing for us to jump in, ana
when we do not know what we are talking
about, and interfere with the duties Of 3
United States officer.
Coppersmith-Wha did we come here for9
Captain Dixon-Did you come here to
break open that jail?
#. T. Barry-I make a motion that 9 CONF
mitteo Of three be appointed to wait on the
commissioner at once and request him to al.
tend this sHsss.ng.
The motion was carried and conmlttso
was sppointed to request the commissions