Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1906-01-18

other distinguished public men in con.
gress. l wish 60 say that am sur
prised on my return to this state I.
lind On attempt being made to dis
credit the men from North Dakota or
account Of these magazine stories. and
can only compare the attack to the
barkings of . small canine at the heels
OF masti6 tO big and generous to
nsttcs Il. While In Washington |
had IN opportunity to learn u great
deal about the object and intentions
u the North Dakota men who became
intereoted In the Nome gold-nelds
wien the discovery vas tirst made
And I wish to say that At no time was
there any indication or evidence OF
any kind that would lead to the belief
that Mr.. Mckenzie or his as>oci ates
int nded to enxase in any enterprise
In Nome except the perfectly legiti-
mate one Of dredging the sands on the
shore 1t Nome. The magazine tales
attempt 70 show that Mckenzie aud
his trends went to Alaska f,r the sole
purpose uf defraudlng miners out OF
their claims through the aid of u
friendly court. THIS IL absolutely
false, as every scrap Of evidence has
shIwn.
Il know pelDnnaliy that Mr.. Nc.
Kenzie and HE friends investeda a large
sum Ut money In ths manufacture OF
certain dredging machinery which
Was taken to Nome md which was not
success fpr the purpose intended
rhey lt,st mot,ey on the venture, bui
the plan was ail right, and since then
other dredging machines have bee,
tmprnved and are Wsfking successfully
with large capital invested in tn.
business.
"rhe magazine stories are mostly
pure dctiUn ~ far - they relate t.,
acts Of the North Dakota men aftel
they reached Nome. TIE gold excite
nent started early 10 1893 and became
general In 1900. When the North Da
k"ta meO got 70 the Geld, and long b..
fore they STATED q Nose, there was
trouble In the camp from conflicting
claims IT nineEA juL ping and rejump
ing each others property, and the
whole camp was 10 IN uproar uf dis.
putes. There was certainly need of a
settlement IT such dispute and the
mtnes were eagerly awaiting the ar.
rival Of cUurt aullhnrized to legally
settle conflicting claims and allow the
work II miitnx t0go on. The Sa,
Francisco element dominated, AND
many OF the claims had been purpose
y junped ard wo.x stopped BY I'll,
California crowd which has always
run the Affairs Of Alaska, and does to
.iay.
1T has been charged by some, AMI
intimated by Others, that MIR. Mcken-
1ie WAS party tO persecution and rob
berry Of miners through the receiver.
ship Ut certain conflicting claims
which receivership he reluctantly ac.
cepted. 1t was tirst offered to Others
aud I know that lie at first declined
the same, and only Oh the urgent re-
quest IT influential claiin-owners who
~anted the protection of tile couri
6"ally agreed to take it, 1t has been
dive years since the trouble there, aud
not oi,e cent Of money belonging to
any one wh,xe interests lie had in
charge for short time has ever been
traced to him, and the government Of
dcials have had five years to search
f,r Il. And any one who knows of the
success Of the government sleu,hl
knows that little can escape the offi-
cials 0f the department of justice.
know that Mr.. Mckenzie protected
interests in his charge, and that, had II
not heen for the action of the court in
Alaska, the California crowd would
have had Il all ttleir own way from
Li.e 6rst, and there is no telling what
amuunt IT rubbing and fraud would
would have resulted.
1.-THE district judge at Nome and
the acts uf his court we're the first
legal obstacles thai the San Francisco
gAlg had ever met with IN their high
way career in the Nome fields. 1t was
i battle r,,yal. and when Mr.. Mcken-
zie refused +, obey the orders OF the
Frisco judge, ON the advice OF Attor.
.,ey Geary-the author Of the Chines
exclusion bill-it was natural that
proceedings for contempt should fol
Inv, and the receiver aud attorney,
Involved In the refusal punished for
contempt.
ut can be stated that the only one
not punished by the Frisco gang was
the same attorney OH whose advice
Mckenzie acted In tile matter OF the
receiversilip.
II want " again say hat no miner
dust WAS ever traced to Mckenzie S
ha.lds Or to th.Se OF his friends. In
siead, he proved himself the friend nl
the cOmmOn miner and stuod for his
rights agAis.st the orders OF a federal
curt 1t high authority aud was pun
ished l,f IL most unjustly, as Attorney
Genesai Knox stated t. me, after a
thorough investigation Of tile case
He said that the &C Ion against Nc
Kenzie vas the must high.landed and
unwxrrsmted proceeding have eveI
met 10 my experience as lawyer, and