The daily morning Alaskan., 1901-08-21
BOTH SIDES or THE STORY.
Two Views of the Sinking of the Islander By Rev. F.
 Oliver, Who Interviewed Passengers and Officers

tlcenD' but the barkeeper told me that he was awake at the time of the accl- dent. and that the captain and ten or twelve passengers were down in the hall of Bacchus. or in plan words-the whiskey shop-hnving midnight banquet asked Che bnrkeeper: Was Che captain drunk?" "I win not say that he was, or was not; am a member Of the crew, he replied.
 The mcss-boy. who took the pilots order for dinner. between eight and nine oclock. said that the pilot was not sober. but he know what hc was doing.
 The most substontlan charge made wna that made hy Mir I.. 8. Robe, Of Dawson, who was saved by his friend Dr. McFor- land. Of Dawson. ] met both gentlemen. and found Mr. Robe very conservative man. with level head and calm tongue. Uc said. "I have hardly dlgested this horrible affair as yet; ! can scarcely re- alizo that it has occurred. never req llzod how worthless money is untill we went Into the water; a man may think hc can brave and weather any kind of disaster. but he win nnd something hc is unprcpnrcd for in such a cataciysm Of danger"
 Mir Robe they tcll me that thc pilot was drunk when hc went on at Skagway. and that Capt Foot was drinking sil Che evening; | want to know what you have Co say about this" ! asked him.
 "I nm willing Co say that tho charge is true; it is a fact" he answered
 Mr. Robes escape was very miraculous. ITc was hanging Co a llfc-raft. which was being overturned by people who crowded double lts capacity onto it every momcn, 10 wos right side up. He said: " We an wont or again. and decided Co stay on. when finally ! seized a jack-splr. and soon Stewart Simpson caught it. and We were kept up with it untn lost con- sclousucss. and when revived. my friend Dr. Mcfarland. of Dawson. was work Ing with me. and. Chis voice qulveTne with cmotlonl. ! owe my presence here at this moment Co the doctor" Just then Dr. Mcfarland stepped up. and Mir Robe gmspcd his hand and held it Ike Q child would hold a mothers hand-and his eyes hued with tears of gratitude. which were more eloquent than Che pcro- ration of Dcmosthcncs.
 Mrs. O. Mclaughlin. of Skagway. told of pleading with six Of thc crew that were pushing or from Che Islander. Co save her and her baby boy but they paid no ne tcntion Co her cries. and os fortune would have it others came Co Che rescue. tos- sing Che baby boy head first into 70 life- boat she said that thc pilot was so drunk when hc got on at skagway that hc could scarcely walk the gang-plauk.
 When thc evidence ls all in. and the people see that this is another voluntary offering Go thc blood-red columns of ta- gcdy and poignant sorrow by that in- formal octopus of hcll-the whiskcy traf- dc-perhaps the Canadian Pacific com- p1uy. when forced to pay in damages no inconsiderablc sum. win see thc value of sober men in charge of such precious cargo as human lives in n dangerous body of water And Co see some of the crew who were plucl,ed from the jaws Of death. staggering down Juncau's streets. filled with liquid damnatlon, goes Co show that "thcy have eyes Co see. and see not they have ears Co hear. and hear not and thc mercics of God orc dispIscd and roc icctcd of men,"
 FRENCH EARL OLIVER