The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-01
CONSCIENCE
 KILLED HIM |,IaScOtt Dies in KlOndikc
 Cabin. HISTORIC SMELL TRAGEDY 'sFinis' Written in Black
 Land of Alaska. Story of Philip Robertsen'. Finding sf the Long Sought Murderer
 and His confession and
 Immediate Death.
HISTORIC SMELL TRAGEDY

Chicago, May 3i.---A special to The News from Victoria, B. C.. says:
 If the voluntary declaration Of a dy- ing man is to be believed, "Finis' has been written to the historic Shell trag- edy of fifteen years ago and Tascotts the long sought murderer. seif-identt- fled, has paid the penalty of his crime with penitence and now fills an un- marked grave in the heart Of the Alaskan wilderness, whither he had fled for the effacement of his indiyid- uality.
 Philip Robertson. strictly reliable man. prospector and miner, received the dying mans confession. and tells the story simply and dramatically. Robertson left the Kiondfke capital, he says. late last fall in small boat bound for the new placer grounds at Fairbanks. He reached a point near Dahl river, in a particularly desoiate and forbldding region when the for- lorn wai1inR of dog reached his ears. He found the dog a half starved shep- herd. seemingly in much distress.
 Following this animal Robertson was brought to seemingly deserted cabin.
 The Finding of Tascott.
 T ventured to the door of the shack and knocked" says Robertson. "and there was feeble come in. All was darkness inside and there was no sign of a fire I caught sight of a bit of candle, which I lighted, and then ad- vanced to where a man lay.
 with a feeble effort he turned and stared at me for q fun minute. then said: Are you an officerg
 'sThe question amazed me a bit.
 "No; I said. I am miner and if there Is anything I can do for you want to do it.
 T soon had fire going and again approached the bed The mans hair was white as snow. Ills face had a. ifvfd color in it that looked like death and he wore the most terrified and hopeless expression I have ever seen in Q human being.
 "Partner. he said, finally rolling over on his side and little more than whispering. I'm leaving a world that did not appreciate. I'm going to where I belong,
 He lapsed into silence again and what thought was a sleep came over him. Two hours passed and he sud- denly wakened with a shriek and then sank back in bed.
 Tn a few minutes he gave another wild scream and strengthened up tn bed. Then. in a voice you would think came from a good. strong man. he said:
 The TOrturing Conscience.
 See here, boys; my name is Tas- cotti I'm Tascott. Do you understand. I'm Tascott that they've been hunting like a wolf for years. cannot run any more. I'm getting paid for what did. I know I'm dying, and know where I'll go. Tell the boys when they come back that am Tascott and you can tell the world, too. for the world has hunted me a long time
 About o'clock in the morning heard a voice like man expelling all the air from the lungs. rushed over to the bed and felt the mans pulse and heart. He was dead.
 The next day his partners got back, and I told them what happened. They were the strangest fellows I've ever met in the north. They did not say who they were They did not even thank me for staying with their dead. They did not even ask me to join them at their meal, but they buried the man. and. rolling up their things In a blanket pack, they started across the country in the direction of the Ko- yukuk.
 me abruptly. See here he said, you've seen and heard what you've heard. You can't make anything by talking about 1t. He's dead, and that's all there Is to it.
 Before could ask him anything he had struck the trail and that was the last saw of him. have never told about this until now. but that dead man asked me to make his story pub lie, and so I do so. I solemnly believe that he was tortured to death by think ing of his own life and. the belief that he was always the object of pursuit and I assuredly believe that he told the truth in saying he was Tascott. It's too"