The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-07-15
New Orleans Party Involved in .
Terrible Murder.
TWO MEN ARE THE VICTIMS,
=. ms0eS DarA Stays HIS 1--WE Fart
neys 1Arosgh Jealsosy - tie
wenan ~ the Ca0p anA UnwtIl-
lnsness % Ssba1t - . Dlv1siSn
~ The Community Prep<ssy-Me
- h New Q PYssones q Uoe1e oaa.

81. MICHAEL. June 9-Ds4aiIs have
just reached here Of = terrible tragedy
that was enacted last fall on the Yukon
river. efGhty-fiye miles from the little
tcwn Of Anvik. resulting In the murder
Of one man outright and the wounding OF
another. who died I'VE months later Ths
alleged murderer ID held prisoner az the
United States barracks here. and win be
taken to 6atka for trial. He n charged
BY = coronerss jury with murder in the
FIRST degree and has been bound over
for trial BY United States Commissioner
Sheppard
The prisoner and alleged murderer Ii J.
Homer Bird. J. II. Herring was the first
victim, and the one who subsequently,
died Was r. II. Patterson. The entire
party hailed from New Orleans. Bird and
the two witnesses. Charles Shelter and
Miss Noma Strong. viii be taken to Tn
alaska on the steamer Roanoke and there
transferred TO the steamer Excelsior bound
for the Alaskan capital. Shelter and the
woman are held under bonds Of t5,ooe A
the only witnesses Of the tragedy are both
under bond. full story OF the affair
cannot be secured from other Of them, but
from Wallace W. Blaine. engineer OF the
government launch Nordica. who arrested
Bird and who talked 70 the dytn9 man
Patterson. the following interesting mar
yatlve u Cleaned:
last summer in the bark Rufus Wood.
which cleared from Gan Francisco. They
had full OUTFIT. including steam launch
and barge. in which they made the trip
wife and Shelters sister. but this WAS
doubted by many who observed the ac-
tons Of the party while they ssre here.
The trip up the river was made ieisureiy.
the boat coming to anchor at q coal mine
about eigfaty-fiy mfIes this side Of Anvik,
where u WAS decided 70 remain for the
Portable q,iartsrs. the men busying them
selves making cabin on the barge and
the woman attending TO the housekeeping
and cooking.
Tale NJ the sAsetias.
Herring and Patterson. after everything
to Bird that = division Of the supplies
be made, AZ they wished to earn money
by cutting wood for use By the trAnspor.
.s rsn.,s y sad snaI Ba
sued. In which 6heffler supported the
other two. This quarrel. aided by jeai-
Quay, came TO q climax the following
The woman had prepared the meal and
was serving the mush. Bird Was sitting
on bank a short distance above. over
,ooknS sns s.nsrs .se Ss h, sss's "a q
mot coming 10 breakfast. He said ne
would In short time. ~ he was not feel
ing extra we'll
man heard 4 click and looking up saw
Bird with a shotgun In his hands At
this time Shelter locked up and notic-
as ss er ue So e sas ann shoot
me Just then report rang out and
Herring fell dead An instant later
another report was heard. the
charge striking Patterson. IN the neck
and shoulders. Thus wounded Patterson
Jumped into the river, and AZ he came up
bird fired NJ him again but missed. The
bank and a little later was helped into
the boat by Shefflor and the woman. who
had escaped Birds wrath. Herring was
buried near by. and Patterson cared for as
So terrified were Shelter and the wo-
man at Bird that no, word was said
concerning the shooting for several
months. Finally the coal miners and
become OF the other two men. Van Hend-
ricks. u coal miner living several miles
from the party. managed one day TO get
bunk. He asked what his sickness was
and before Patterson could answer Bird
jumped up exritedly and said, .toh, Moth
made Hendricks suspicious and while at
Auvfk March - he told Rev. John w.
Chapman. the Episcopal missionary at
that place. OF the occurrence.
The Investigation.
Mr.. Chapman made up his mind to In
ftHtsk4tfs HNd WITH iBiilfte anu ffthIftcNs
started for the cabin. eashts-fve miles
distant taking along a largo sled mat
tress and blankets When about FIVE
miles from the cabin the missionary and
his companions saw three men, who
asterward proved 10 be Shelter and Bird
and the woman dressed In mans apparel
They were trying 10 make themselves
heard and when the Chapman party
moved ea one Of the ether party. Bird
waved his arms and started In pursuit
This caused Mr.. Chapman and the other
two men IN redouhie their efforts and on
reaching the cabin they found the door
licked An entrance was. however soon
effected. ana Patterson found Ia be In a
very weak condition He refused 10 say at
first what was the matter with him. but
when Informed that Bsrd was not there
told Mr.. Chapman and Blaine OF the
shooting
he had no sooner finished his story
than BIRD rushed In. almost hrea,hisss
His FIRST question was What did Pat