The Red Cloud chief., 1898-03-25
OUR CITIZENS IN ALASKA.
Natives are slaves Of Rum and Witchcraft
The Trip OF n Warship.

WAsHINGroS, March o2.-Secretary
Bliss to-day made public an interest
ing letter from Governor John G..
Brady of Alaska, containing the OBJ.
servations made by him while on his
annual trip OF inspection to the vari-
Gus points upon the coast aboard the
United States ship Wheeling.
While passing up the Lynn canal
the governor says the officers OF the
ship saw II piece Of w~reckage which
was aftcrward asccrtained to be part
Of the Inflated steamer Clara Nevada.
Of whose crew or passengers lot one
was left to tell tho tale. Special at
tention, the executive says, should be
paid to vessels navigating the Yukon,
the traffic on which is so large that
tho tendency is to take great RISKS.
The Wheeling, after leaving Dyca
called at the village north of { hicago
STAND called IIoonah. Here one OF
the leading men OF the village had
been accidentally killed By u child 6
years of age. The people never take
account of accidents, and the lioouah
natives held the child's mother and her
people responsible and demanded re-
pa.atiOn. a body of 800 men, thor
cughly armed, went to u native village
near kiltisnoO, where the child's
mother and her people belonged, and
compelled the natives to turn over
many blankets, trunks and money to
tho family. They severely admon-
ished the natives and told them their
Did customs would not be tolerated.
From this point the Wheeling pro-
cecdcd to Yukatat, where, upon in.
vestigation, it was found that nearly
everything that had been reported 70
the navy department regarding the
condition OF affairs there was correct.
The governor has considerable to say
about the practice OF w%itchery, which
seems TO exist 20 a considerable ex-
tent in thai part of the country. He
tells of a nan and two women who
were bound and tied for bewitching a
man. On the ninth day the bound
man was released. AS he had had
nothing to cat and only a few drinks
OF water, he was in u fearful physical
condition. The governor spent some
time talking TO these people and after
explaining the laws of the United
States, told them that in the future he
would not deal lcniently with those
who had practiccd witchcraft
Captain Scbreo of the Wheeling had
his men practice with the guns OF the
vessel rs IA useful object lesson to the
natives.
There were about y dozen miners at
Yakutat waiting to proceed to the
head OF D.sencEantmcnt bay. Thence
they were to cross over the glacier TO
the diesel: river, where they intended
20 prospect and afterwards proceed to
the Whit, river and get back to the
-. Elias range OF mountains.
TaS Wheel rg returned to Sitka.
Her cruise, in the governors opinion,
had done II great good to the natives
as they dreaded a gunhoat more than
anything else. lie says he is convinced
: is cline 20 take the natives vigor.
ously in hand and break up thciy
witchcraft, distillipg of rum and man.
u~factur!ug OF beer. and compel them
TO conform to our laws in all respects.
The native vino commits murder or
any crime on another native does no,
escape with the punishment that this
government metes out to him, but Is
acid accountable also under the tribal
customs. The executive concludes by
saying that If backed up by the good
will and force Of the Navy department
he feels hc ~ do much to eradicate
existing conditions during his term Of
Office.