The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1901-10-25
GEO DEANS TERRIBLE DEATH d
OF STARVATION IN ALASKA
Full Story of the Canton PrOSpeCtOr's Tragic End
& His Companions Prepared to Make Feast
His Flesh--Letter Written to His Wife.

On 5th of last August the News-Dem-
ocrat published a telegram from Port
Townsend, Washington, telling Of the
death of George Dean, Canton mar
who had left this city about year
before to seek his fortune In the Klon-
dixie. The telegram stated further that
Dean had come to his death by star
vation and that his two famished COM
panions were about to make meal on
of his flesh when succor arrived. Dean
started for Alaska with a party of
Pittsburgers in August 1900. The boat
carrying the party was wrecked off the
coast of Nome, but he reached Nome
In safety and wrote his wife, who lives
at 1000 Lafayette street in Canton
that he was going to push on into the
interior. This was the last letter she
received from him during his life.
A copy of the Teller News. a little
newspaper published at Teller, Alaska,
containing full story of Deans hor-
.rible death, has jast been received at
this Office. Dean and his two compap.
ions, Jack Houston and JosephC. Thiery
had been prospecting in the province
of Good Hope and, after an unsucesS-
full month, started on June 7th back to
Nome by way of the Agiapuk river.
The newspaper story takes up the
thread of the narrative at this point
1t is as follows
For twenty-five days three men
without food except such as they find
along the Agiapuk river, eking out an
existence on roots, snails, wild goose
eggs containing half-formed birds, and
gradually reaching that stage where
the thought of eating human flesh Is
filled with anticipation of sumptuous
repast. This was the condition of th3
two surviving members of party pro-
videntially found at 8 o'clock last Sat-
urday morning by Louis Reich and
George Woods. about ten miles up the
Agiapuk river near the old Esquimo
village.
George Dean, Jack Huston and Jo:eph
c. Thiery originally comprised the par
ty but six hours before the rescuers
arrived Dean had breathed his last
and the starving men recognizing in
their dead comrade a means Of deliy-
erance from their awful condition, cut
from his thigh six inches of flesh to
bone and when discovered we're pre-
pairing a stew in the eglow, which hal
been their home for about two weeks.
The opportune arrival of their res
cuers alone prevented the starving men
from eating human flesh for the meal
was almost ready to serve.
Was it chance or was it divine pre-
vidence which prompted Riech and
Woods to stop their boat upon, that par
ticular sand bar and discover in the dis
tance a peculiar looking boat, proceed
TO examine and finally to catch the
sound of faint whistle and hear the
feeble cry of For Gods sake don't
leave us, we are starving!" Who can
say?
To empty the boiling pot of its
gruesome contents and prepare cruel
for the surviving men was but the
work of moment. Given such
nourishment as was deemed best, the
two living skeletons were tenderiy
placed in the canoe and by night they
reached Teller and Immediately willing
hands attended their every want.
A SAD LETTER.
The following letter which was dated
July 10th showed evidence of having
been carried some time in a pocket
book, for the folded corners were worn
off, and the red stains appearing upon
If from the leather showed very plain
ly that the book had been In contact
with water. This portion of the letter
Is written with purple indelible pen
Gil:
July 20, 1901
Finder will recognize by this paper
the body of George Dean, of Canton,
Ohio, U. s. A., who with his two com
panions, Jack Huston, of Nome ami
Joseph c. Thiery, of Davenport, Iowa
left their camp on Clara creek tri-
butary to Quartz creek in the Good
Hope district with the intention OF
returning to Nome for new supplies
Being without sufficient food and not
able to find anybody nor could we cross
the river we were compelled to starve
We are at present % days away from
camp.
Georg Dean is Free Mason and his
sincere wish Is to have his death re
ported to the lodge at Nome. Proof
of his being member can be found
at the Hiram Lodge No. 26. Canton,
Ohio. Also like to have my family to
be notified of my death and proof sent
home of my being deceased.
Address of my wife,
Anna Louise Dean,
1000 Lafayette street,
Canton, Ohio.
| also wish the Masons to take
n