The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-06
Man Charged With Murder of
Burns and Hendriokson.
IS SAID TO HAVE CONFESSED.
Neil Mckeith's story as Related by
. Passenger ON the UtOptn-t1aws
Fled Post Haste Over the Crusted
snow. hut Was Pursued Day md
of the Canadian Mounted Police.

Frank Claws. the Norwegian who is
charged with the murder of two British
columbia prospeetors named Hendrickson
ana Burns early in April on the Stickeen
river, has been captured by the Canadian
mounted police after a long chase over the
snow fields of the interior OF the North
west territory. Claws is said 10 have made
complete confession. telling in detail
how he killed his partners in their tent
for the sake OF robbery and revenge. He
Is being held in irons at Telegraph creek
and may have been lynehed by this time
as the feeling against him is said 10 be
very strong.
A passenger who arrived from Wrangel
on the steamer Utopia said that Neil Ne
Keith and party had brought the news 10
Wrapgel from Telegraph creek shortly be-
fore he left. McKeith had gone into the
interior for Mackenzie, Mann & Company
as superintendent OF the Yukon a. Lake
RESIN railway scheme. which for time
made all Canada howl OWING TO the enor-
nous giant OF mineral land that the COM
pany almost secured from the govern
ment for building the road. The bill was
turned down by the upper Canadian house
and work on the railroad has siackened
UP.
According to McKeish's story Claws was
captured by a detachment of Canadian
mounted police under Capt. Mclean about
ten days after the crime. He had made
nfty miles from the head of the Stickeen
river over the trail to Lake Teslin The
mounted police We're on the ground short
ly after the bodies of the two murdered
men We're found by the Robinson party of
Los Angeles. They at once started on a
all A ft,rn sZts y<.r ~S.,
the effect that a man, presumably tho
murderer had driven rapidly away from
the scene of the crime ON sled drawn by
buckskin horse.
short distance above GIenora the pur-
suing detachment of police fell in with n
party who had pulled the big Norwegian
out of the Ice. His horse and SEED had
fallen through and would have been lost
had 1t not been for the assistance rend-
cred. Claws remained only few minutes
after getting clear OF the thin ice. At
Telegraph creek they got a description of
Claws from three men who had formerly
belonged 10 the party which had split up
twelve miles below Glenora a few days be-
fore the brutal murder.
They traced him from camp to camp
over the snowy trail across the prairie
country TO Lake Teslin. The man was GO
ing at the highest possible speed, travel
ing chiefly at night when the snow was
crusted. None OF the parties who saw
the queer outfit, that seemed to be in such
q hurry. were able to talk TO the man.
The police caught up with the murderer
about fifty miles out on the trail. The
officers surprised him and Claws made no
resistance in the face of their guns.
On the way back to Telegraph creek
he made a complete confession oc his hru-
tai crime to officer Mclean. He turned
over the pocketbooks of the two murdered
men. After reaching Telegraph creek he
changed his mind about the motive that
mis-. TO Kill the two prospec.ors.
At the hearing held before the magistrate
he pleaded mot guilty. 10 the charge and
set up the defense that he was compelled
to kill Hendrickson and Burns because
they were going TO murder him. The
officers are guarding their prisoner very
closely. fearing that the strong feeling
against the man will result in iynching.
which is decidedly against the ideas of
justice held by the mounted police.
The prompt capture of Claws by the
police, in spite of the start he had. shows
the slim chances that a wrongdoer has OF
escape In the frozen north. He can go
that the officers cannot follow
and In that country where visitors are 50
few every action of man trying to es-
cape is as plainly noticed as though writ
ten down. Hardly a man suspected OF
theft or murder In the Northwest terri
tory during the past winter has escaped.