Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-03-30
IOWA Man rs HARD Task
Judge Rawson the First to
Bring Order, Out of Chaos
In Klondike
TWELVE OR MORE CASES a DAY
Tales of Remarkable Transactions Told
By the First judicial officer at
Nome-chairman cownie of the
State Board Trying to Buy Horses
for State Institutions.

1 l)eS MolneS, March 50.--lt was an
Iowa man who was first to bring order
cut of chaos in the klondike country
who sought to make fortune out of
the extraordinary conditions prevailing
in the northern country. This Iowan is
now visiting in Des Moines at his old
home. Judge AlonZo R..wson was sent
to Alaska as a judge of the United
| States courts just as information was
coming as to the gold discoveries. He
was the first judicial officer at Nome,
and when he set up his court in that
| city it was in chaos. The gold seek
ers were flocking there by the hundreds
and claims of immense value were be-
| ing staked out on every hand. The lit
| tie mining camp was SO far removed
| from civilization that no ordinary laws
would reach and for some time it was
| d pure democracy, with every man de-
| pendent on himself alone for protec-
| zion to himself and his property. When
Judge Rawson set up his court in Nome
| it was a question whether his court
would receive recognition; but an as
sociation of the best business men was
formed and this association pledged it.
self to uphold the court and to sustain
| it in every way. Then commenced the
rush. Judge Rawson can tell stories of
remarkable transactions in court that
would astonish even the frontiersmen.
He would often dispose of a dozen or
more cases in a day, giving each one
full trial. Men would come to him with
cases and demand immediate adjudica-
ton. He could not give it. But they
would insist and he would impanel u
jury in haste, get the evidence in a few
minutes and have a verdict. What the
miners wanted was settlement of
their aases and a. quick settlement:
| they did not much care how. OF course
litigants were not always suited, but
the court tried to be fair, and IL had the
confidence of the people. Sometimes
opposing claimants to rich gravel bed
would come before him without any
case being brought in regular form.
What they wanted was a settlement.
He would make them stand up and
swear to abide by arbitration on his
part and in an hour after hearing both
sides, would render a decision. In not
a single instance did the litigants re-
fuse to abide by his decisions. He would
dispose of claims supposed to be worth
millions in an hour or two. 1t was
chapter in Alaska mining about which
little has ever been written, and few
know how conspicuous a part an Iowa
man had in the game.
Judge Rawson also tells thrilling
story of what happened afterwards
when corruption crept into the court.
He was succeeded by Judge Noyes, and
it was at this time that Alexander Mac
kcnzie went to the same place and to-
gether they commenced the operations
which finally disgraced both. Noyes
set up his court and pursued an oppo-
site policy from Rawson. He delayed
settlements. Cases were brought and
the trials put off indefinitely. There
would be rich claim and some one
would set up demand for it, and al
tho the dispute had no real merit Judge
Noyes would appoint a receiver. In
every case Mackenzie was made the
receiver. AS long as the claim could be
kept in the hands of the receiver it
could be worked by him, and he would
make such accounting to the court as
he wished. Perhaps all was accounted
for and perhaps not. Men who had
some claims were compelled to stand by
and see them looted in this manner In
the meantime Rawson had turned to
law practice as soon as he was out OF
office and was able to make more than
a bare living. He and others made a
q 1,n o,-hi itrnr 11oat
the Noyes court. But there was no APP
peal. no other court within thousand
miles, no way of encompassing the de-
feat of the corrupt scheme; until one
day a lawyer slipped down to Califor-
ria and got an order of court on an ap-
peal and when this was served Noyes
refused to obey it. That brought on the
crisis and Moves and Mackenzie were
exposed in their scheme of getting rich
quick. And Judge Rawson says that If
they had not been exposed there is no
knowing to what lengths the indignant
people of Nome would soon have gone
to put an end to what was much worse
than chaos for them.
During the past week efforts nave
been made by Chairman Cownie. OF the
state DOafQ or COntIOI, " Pui'a's'9S S'
number of horses for the state institu-
tions The great increase in farms made
by reason of the appropriations of the
last legislature has nacessltated the
purchase of a number OF farm animals
Horses. it is found. are almost as hard
to get as good land in Iowa; and the
prices at which they a1e offered TO the
state are somewhat stiff. The state
will enter upon it's new ana enlarged
farming operations at he state lnsti-
tutions with everything favorable. ihe
best machinery will! bs had, the best
animals. and the labor viii be skilled IN
special lines.
A peculiar argument IS that advanced
by the county auditor of Clayton county
to the state board of review in the mat
ter of land values and their comparison
with assessments The Clayton county
people appear to have become worked
up into a frenzy because the state off,
GERS, in their effort to secure some data :