The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-06-16
DESPERATE PASSENGERS.
THE QUEEN BRINGS TEN CONvfCTs
BoSxD FROM STTkA.
Some of Them Aurderers, Some OF
Them Robbers-on Their Way to
serve Long Sentences I'm Srn

Ten prisoners sentenced - long terms IN
Johnson al S.skA will arrive on the steam
er Queen this morning IN charge Of dep
uty United States Marshal John Cudshee
ard party Of well-armed guards. They
wilI be rushed south rs rapidly as posi-
be. Mcsf * them are desperate men. con-
viesed and sentenced for taking the life 81
q fellow man. TIE Others are robbers.
The hsst-known Of this criminal band
are the three murierers Of Sam Roberts.
the Dyea gambler. The men are Fitznat-
rick, Corbett and Brooks al Of San Fran
cisco The former gets a ufe term and
the other TWO ten years each n San
Quentin and sl.ono fine Mrs Mary p.
Dixon. Of San Francisco. sister OF Fgtz-
patrick. viii also return on the same
steamer. She went north for the purpose
OF saving her brother. Corbett's aged
father. OF San Francisco. viii he on the
boat or his way home. broken hearted by
the conviction. Of his son.
John X Ross VINO was Roberts partner
and who w-as with h.m AZ the time he was
murdered Is new in Seattle. His testimony.
given al the trial in Sitka, convicted the
usen. Ross told the story Of the murder
as he gave II on the stand 10 a Posr-In-
teliigenCer reporter yesterday, as follows:
About O'Clock on the morning OF
March y I left the Wonder hotel az Dyea
with Sam Roberts 10 go 10 his cabin on
the next street. / was carrying come fifty
pounds Of money. about s2c0 on nay
shoulder. We unlocked the cabin door and
Roberts lighted a match. Before it bazed
up sufficiently for Us TO see the interior
We heard a Noise. We knew something
was wrong and backed out on the porch.
Roberts was a large man and crowded me
of just as a sho. came out the door. fired
by some one in the interior. A moment
later a shot was fired from the south cor-
ner Of 4he cabin. Ii passed through Rob
ert's lungs and heart. killing aim instant
~. / believe the man who fired the shot
that killed him was Corbet;.
Whoever it was ne ran UP 10 the porch.
thinking he had killed both of US. The
sack of money was lying there. Just as
he was reaching over 10 pick II up Fitz-
patrick. who was III the house. fired at
him, thinking IL was one OF us. The bull
let struck Corbeti in the shoulder. and
has stree caused him to lose the use Of
his arm. Fitzpatrick came out of the
house and fired two shots from his big
revolver at some men who were coming
from the saloon. / was lying quite still
at the side of the porch The night was
dark, and from the flashes of his gun /
recognized him. As soon as he fired he
ran around The house. and l started
after him lie did not notice the
money, While | was running away /
understand three other men who were in
the house got away.
"Corbett applied for medical aid from
the United States army officer stationed
there and was arrested. Brooks claimed
that he had shot him accidentally a few
hours before the murder and was also ar
rested. Fitzpatrick was arrested on III
formation | gave the officers. At the pre-
fmlnary examination l said nothing
about recognizing him. tearing that |
would lose my lie If L did. AT the final
trial I told the whole story as / have
given Il 10 you.
kirkpatrick was defended by Judge De-
laney. He demanded a separate trial
His brother and sister came up from San
Francisco 10 help him They testified that
he had always been a straight man and
had worked as q marine fireman. The
jury brought in a verdict of guilty.
Brooks and Corbstt are brothers-tn-
law and elected 10 stand together. There
was nothing but c!rclmstautial evidence
against them. and both expected 10 go
free | have always though. that Corbett
was the man who fired the shot that
snuffed out sam Roberts life and that
Brooks was not there at al. Had the lat
ter gone on the stand and told the truth.
/ am satisfied that he would have gone
free They were defended by Attorney
Blackctt Brooks was a salesman for
many years for Montague 6 Co. OF San
Francisco. Corbetcs old father told me
that his sor had always been wild and
had been In much trouble" /