The sea coast echo., 1898-02-12
LYNcHINc A A.LoNplKEY THIEF.


StOioN Rt)vtsions.
3 A letter FROM Jn neau,, Alaska. tells
of the lynching of William G. Martin
of Missouri for,stealing food at Lake
Bennett.
Martin had sdad what he could of
his provisions at 'SkaguaN abandoned
the remainder anoS started in for the
Klondike with less ythaIka sixty-pound
pack on his back! Being so Eight, /"
his arrival attracted particular atten-
tion from camps of hoathuilders. His
pack was secretly examins,d ID to see how
much grub he had. It was noticed
that he had about TWEEN ty pounds of
bacon among other things, but no
sugar. Martin camped back on the
side of the hill in the brush alone He
must have heard how SCARCE provisions
are expected to be- in Dawson City
next winter. He was suspected and
watched, but it was not tillf after he
had tried to buy provisionsA
The second day it was saen that he
had sugar for his coffeeA Aand that night
his pack was uncovered and q side of
bacon branded with the private mark
of one of the campers was found. A
poor attempt had been made to oblit-
crate the mark. The Investigators re-
ported the facts to the few campers
who had not yet turned In, and, al
though it was late, the entire camp
was quietly aroused and a, miners
meeting held. twas the general sem
timent that an example shbuld be
made of the thief. The question was
put. The reply to the motion was an
instantaneous rising to the feet of
every miner, and crowdiof about 60
determined men moved off into the
brush, in the direction where Martins
dying campfire could be- seen dimly
Pickering. Martin was asleep. He
was unrolled roughly from his blank
cts and stood blinking on his feet.
"We stand no stealing in this camp.
Your time has come, Martin'was told.
He started to speak, but said nothing,
and stood trembling from head to
foot.
''Do you want to leave message
to your friends?" he was asked.
No." said the man on the brink OF
the grave.
"Do you want to pray?"
''No," said Martin.
''If there is anything you want to
say, say it quick" said the spokes-
man.
A slipknot had been made at the end
of long painter of the boat, and the
moose was put over Martins head
Boys" said Martin, in faltering
voice, ''you know how it is when a
man has mortgaged his all, starts for
the Klondike, and sees that he can't
get there. If L am not hanged my
life is not worth much to me, anyhow.
I've got 1000 pounds of stuff at Ska.
quay, and I'll promise ON my life to
carry it in here for YOU"
Enough of that. 1t would not save
you if the stuff was here.'
Martin was half dragged down to
the shore of the lake. 1t took less
than two minutes to lash two slender
pines, dressed for masts, in forked
upright and drop another mast from
the rock on the bluff over between the
forks.
MAY I write message, boys?"
asked Martin.
"Be quick about it. was the
answer.
Poor Martin took letter from his
pocket and kissed it. Then he tore it
up, saving only the back of the en-.
velope, stopped, pulled off his rubber
boots, and placing the paper on the
sole of one, wrote in darkness the fol-
lowing in dim and trembling hand:
Hoping that with the money I
might make in the Klondike, sacrifice
wouldsap out the door and love return,
through the window, 1 left yeu.~ Kiss
Ted, but nevet tell (Signed)
GID"
In the morning Martins body was
seen turning first one way and then
back,slike kettle dangling over fire,
his arms tied behind him with pack
strap. On the other half of the en-.
velope which Martin tore in two were
his name and the postmark st. Louis.