Waterbury Democrat., 1901-06-05
INDIANS OF ALASKA.
They Kill Their Aged as Soon as They
 Become Helpless.

=
 Become Helpless. That there are in the United States men who kill their own fathers is the report brought back from Cape Nome ! by lfrs. John H. McKeeyer from the frozen north. X Mrs. McKeeyer, an ethnologist of repute, is the wife of the contractor who built up the new army post, Fort Davis, in the Klondike. To New York World reporter Mrs. McKeever said: There have been many di5. visions made of the natives of Alaska. but like to think of them as threet races Eskimo, Indian and Laplander.l
 The Eskimos are small people, dark complexioned-the name Eski-l mo means 'fish-eaters' or fesh-eat~l ers.' Their food is principally fish, When they cannot secure fresh fish. they subsist on dried ones and upon seal and walrus. In summer they live in huts and tents, but the winters drive them into snow houses and holes dug in the ground.
 These natives are friendly with strangers. They never learn to count above five. Anything more than that number is simply great qaantity.i They are very superstitious. They be- ieve in witches and wizards, but the practice of witchery is kept a secret,I as the government officials forbid it.l
 "The Indians, or Innuits, are larg-lIl .r than the Eskimo, dress more like  sreme cold climate. They like to nave their pictures taken. They all live an indolent life and work only when necessity drives them. They will pick up decaved fish and eat it in preference to going out in boat for live ones.
 Consumption is the prevailing dis- ease, perhaps because of the unclean manner of living, breathing foul air for nine months of the year and eat- ing unclean food Another cause of this fatal disease is perhaps that these people nearly always keep their mouths open.
 ssThe Laplanders are more civilized than either of the other two peoplesa They dress in D gaudy manner and
 
 blue being their favorites. They dress in woven garments and use furs only in winter. They also are very superstitiots and fear the camera more than the rife. The Laplander is an expert with rife.
 .'All the natives are fond of whisky and tobacco and would give away their last poss ession for small por- ton of either.
 "A peculiar custom practiced by the natives is that when person be- comes old, crippled or diseased, his nearest relative is designated to kill him. This is done publicly and with great ceremony. The condemned is either shot through the heart or q thong is placed around the neck and the executioner places stick through this and twists the stick un- til the person is choked to.death.
 Everyone seems to take great pleasure in this hideous ceremony. Even the person who is.to die shows no signs of fear. or melancholy, but stoically approaches the place of his execution. Then q great feast and jubilee follow
 'sThe natives will never want for fuel, as the ground is covered with an almost inexhaustible supply Of wood. From 10 to go feet below the surface this deposit may be found and also skeletons of mastodons, showing that the climate was once warmer.
 Another peculiar custom is their system of disposing of the dead. They build an open sepulcher of logs and place the remains of their friends in it.. They wrap the corpse in blanket or fur robe and place all his belongings near him. There he is left expdsed to decay or to be de- voured by wild animals"