New-York tribune., 1899-06-08
LURED TO DEATH BY GOLD.
PROSPECTORS PERISH MISERABLY IN
BRITISH COLUMBIA WILDS.
NEARLY TWO HUNDRED MEN REPORTED
TO HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES ON
THE EDM ONION TRAIL TO
THE KLONDIKE.
fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE. ]

tBY TEIEGRAPH TO rRfBUNE.l
Seattle Wash. June THE story Of last
winters suffering in the wild interior OF British
Columbia along the Edmonton trail will soon
be told. The steamer Laurada arrived to-day
from Wrangel and other Alaskan ports. and
brought the first chapter of the story Of deaths
by drowning starvation and freezing. Several
men have just arrived there from points on the
trail and within the next few weeks all will be
out. The deaths reported by the Laurada num-
Der nearly two hundred Fifty men have been
drowned in the Great Slave Lake. Twenty have
perished in the rapids Of Mud and Laird rivers
There have been at least ten deaths from freez-
ing and twenty-five from scurvy Several min
have been lost in the woods. Bodies OF
scores Of men who died from exposure have
been found. The details Of the terrible story
of death and the names Of some twenty victims
were given last week at Wrangel by men who
were almost dead after a years suffering Only
the strongest got through TO the coast, and
hundreds Of others are still in danger
Arthur NJ Collins old British Columbia
miner shot himself through the head on the
Laird River early in February. He was de-
spondent over his failure to reach the Klonidke
and had eaten all Of his provisions. He would
probably have starved. as the miners had moth
ing TO spare for him. few hundred miles
further south the body of c. Ritcher, Of New
York. was found He. too, had used a gun
after losing the trail and becoming respondent
In letter found near his body Ritcher de-
nounced the Canadian Government in the Bit
terest terms and said that the men who
boomed the Edmonton trail were responsible
for his death.
F l.. Bremner. of Brooklyn; Harry Hitchcock
of Texas and G. B. Preston, of Trenton, n. j.
who tried to cross the Great Slave Lake on
fralI raft. were drowned. Several parties were
lost in the same storm, but they had no friends
on shore and their identity has not been
learned.
c. p Smith. of St. Louis. and II. p. Munson.
Of Chicago were drowned while trying 10 cross
Mud River just before the freeze up
Fritz Clingman. OF Buffalo. refused TO give up
TO the difficulties Of the lower Edmonton tral
and made his way to the headwaters of the
upper Laird River. Here scurvy overlook him.
and he died.
MANY VICTIMS OF sCURVY.
r W. Thomas was one OF many victims Of
scurvy at the hospital camp on Mud River. He
was from Los Angeles. and leaves a son in the
interior
doctor who has had a hospital on Mud
River is on the way out with the news of a
number Of deaths Valentine Wendler. Of Phila-
delphia died In his cabin, twelve miles from
McDame. Exposure and scurvy brought about
his end. A man from Philadelphia was found
dead beside him. Frederick Preston. of Phila-
dephia was drowned while trying 10 ford Laird
River. Captain Mason. oldtime Alaskan
pilot, was drowned in the Nelson River
Hutton and John Payne. OF Vancouver, head
ed a party OF nipe who were lost IN the noun
tains between Hay Mountain and Upper Laird
post.
The frozen body OF p. Neely. OF Sault Ste.
Marie Mich a prospectOr was found aban-
doned IN a tent on Laird River. His companion,
a man named Graham. had deserted him. Nicely
was so badly frozen at the time as 10 be abso-
lutely helpless. Miners look upon Graham as
a murderer and II he is captured the Edmonton
trail may have a lynching.
W. SeabroOk died from starvation He was
German but where he came from is unknown.
His body was found in deserted cabin near
Mud Lake.
n Reardon of Cinclnnati J. P. McCrumb OF
Pittsburg. and Robert Tonsi Of Mexico, were
frozen to death in the mountains while trying
70 reach GlenOra.
Pitful appeals for help come from miners in
scurvy camps at Dearie Lake and Mud River.
The Hudson Bay Company was preparing TO
send a relief party To Dearie Lake with vege-
tables for those sick with scurvy. The North
west Mounted Police were also going TO give
assistance. According 70 miners. more than
this will be necessary If many lives are 10 he
saved All who are out bitter against the
Dominion Government and tho Canadian Pacific
Railroad. All sorts Of names are applied TO
officials who persuaded them TO try the route.