The Nome nugget., 1902-06-18
Charges Made Against St. Michael Post Commander.
ARBITRARY ARREST
Attorney ]. W. Bell Ordered to Leave St. Michael Because lie Was Look. ing After the Interests of q Client of His Firm at That Place.

A story of military interference with the rights of citizens comes from St. Michael island which, if true, would seem to demand an investigation.
 Among the statements made are some to the effect that one citizen has been arrested by order of the officer commanding at St. Michael, detained for eight days in the guard house at that place. fed on bread and water, and incarcerated in the depth of winter in 8 guard room without fire or bedding.
 Another citizen, who went to St. Michael in behalf of client, was ordered to leave the island under the threat that he would also be arrested.
 The facts in the case. as told by At torney James w. Bell, are as follows: Mir. Bell was employed by the law firm of Sullivan. X Fink to go to St. Michael in the interests of one of their clients, harmed Chs Brown, who had been arrested on a charge of selling illegally intoxicating liquors on St. Michael island. On June 5, Brown was convicted in the United States com missioner's court at St. Michael and sentenced to pay fine of S200 and costs, and in default of payment he was committed to jail. MT. Bell upon his arrival secured an appeal, bail was procured, and Brown was released on June II.
 The offense for which Brown was convicted was committed on April 20, but upon April l2 Brown applied for and received license from the district court to retail liquors on the waters of St. Michael bay. 25O feet from shore.
 After Bell secured the release oi Brown he made an appointment to meet him that same night, but in the interval Brown had again been arrested by order of Captain Howell, command- ing at Fort St. Michael, and locked ur. Bell immediately secured writ oi habeas corpus, but before the writ could be served Brown had been put upon government launch and taken to the opposite shore, 10 miles from St. Michael. Brown secured a row boat and returned the same night to St.. Michael and went to his place of busi- ness on the water front. : Next morning Captain Howell sent for Bell and ordered him to transact any business that he night have in the burg. and then to immediately leave the island of St. Michael. If found, he was told, after d reasonable time in which to perform any duties that might be incumbent upon him, he would 'be put of the same as any other tramp ....... .,...
 Bell was not at all intimidated by the threat, and, expecting that Brown would be again arrested, he took his time and awaited developments; he was not disturbed. Bell then returned to Nome.
 Brown states that last winter he was arrested by order of Captain Howell and kept in room without fire and bedding for eight days; then he was placed upon a dog sled and conveyed for g miles to desolate point, where | there was no habitation of any kind, and left to shift for himself. As soon : as Brown had been deported. Captain Howell ordered his cabin to be burned, and the order was carried out. Brown, however, made his way back to St. Michael, after enduring considerable hardship.
 Brown, during the summer of 1901, was engineer of the launch used by the military authorities at St. Michael.
 Mir. Bell will return in few days to | further look into the case. .,e