The San Francisco call., 1901-11-23
Dominion Government
Makes Public It's
kilograms.
Investigation of the Conspir-
acy Is Carried On for
Weeks.
Superintendent of Mounted Police
Tells in Dispatch of the Appeal
Made to United States
Officials.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

VANCOUVER, B. c.. Nov. 22.-The first
official announcement of the Yukon con-
spiracy was made to-day. 1t was given
out at the Department Of the Interior in
Ottawa that since late in September the
Dominion Government has had cognizance
Of the plot and was carrying on a vigOr-
Gus investigation. The American officials
IN Alaska mad been appealed TO, but had
insisted that tangible proof Of the opera
tions Of the conspirators be supplied be-
fore they would take action. The follow
ing telegram from Superintendent Woods
IN Dawson, received by Comptroller Fred
Whyte on November 4. shows now serious
the situation had become;
Snyder reports discovered whereabouts
in SkagWay OF papers relating to con-
spiracy to seize territory. United States
refuse to secure unless Snyder makes affi-
davits as TO conspirators This, of course,
he cannot. Am satisfied such conspiracy
exists"
Previous to the receipt of this telegram
the Ottawa officials had not regarded the
plot as being so extensive as later de-
Telopnents proved. They believed that
only handful Of disgruntled adventurers
were involved. Since that date, however,
the wires between Ottawa and Dawson
have been kept busy.
Warning Given in September.
The first news of the conspiracy reached
Ottawa On September p last, when Comp
trOller Whyte Of the Interior Department
was advised by Superintendent Primrose
Of the mounted police in Dawson of a re-
port from Seattle that some scheme was
being cOncocted to seize Canadian terri
tory on the Yukon. On September % MI.
Whyue again received a message from
Superintendent Primrose saying that he
was unable 10 connrm the report al
though il was serious. On September q
Superintendent Primrose wired that his
previous cipher message referred to the
disputed territory on the Dalton trail, and
that he was sending a mail report.
The promised letter from Superintendent
Primrose arrived on October Z Primrose
gave the results Of the partial investiga-
ton he had made
1t appears that a man named II. Grehl
had told another man in Dawson that he
knew Of conspiracy against the Govern
meat Grehl had been shadoWed by the
police and it was discovered that he had
told several stories about himself; that
be had been in Dawson about a month:
that his conversation was to the effect
that he belonged to q, secret organization
which intended TO take possession of the
Yukon Territory, its plan being to capture
White Horse and the smaller detachments
OF mounted police along the river, when
II would be an easy matter TO capture the
barracks in Dawson. He said the organi-
cation had representatives in both Seattle
and Skagway and that it expected to be
assisted by men from Circle City and
Eagle City.
Grehl was known by member of the
mounted police as having been in the gro
cery business in Butte, Mont.
Nothing more was heard of the plot
until November 4, when Comptroller Fred
Whyte received the telegram from Super
intenoent Woods in Dawson, declaring
that there was a conspiracy of great df-
mensions to seize Canadian territory.
Facts Known in Ottawa.
OTTAWA. Nov. 22-The story of the
Yukon plot, based upon official reports to
the Minister Of the Interior, follows:
About three weeks ago the police a
Dawson, under the direction of Superin-
tendent Woods, shadOwed a man whom
they. believed TO be a suspicious character.
The police got into this mans confidence
end he finally disclosed q plot which he
said had been formed by people in Skag-
uay and Seattle. The idea was to rush
the posts in the lower part of the Yukon
Ihe conSpiratorS reckoned upon the
American citizens in the Yukon not as
sisting the Canadian authorities. so that
the raid. in their opinion. would be com
paratvely an easy matter.
News Of the plot was quickly sent
from Dawson to White Horse. and the
police there soon had under surveillance
al suspicious persons. The Headquarters
OF the conspiracy was located in Skaguay
and II was ascertained who the men asso-
ciated with it were and where the papers
was nothing. however. to show any overt
act OF treason to the United States or
Nanaoa; consequently the authorities
could not take any proceedings. Canadian
oncers went down to Skaguay. neverthe-
less, ana consulted with United States
of1cers, and concerted action was agreed
upon In case Of necessity. In the mean
time the persons connected with the plot
are closely watched"