Omaha daily bee., 1909-04-04
ALONE. HE DEFENDED ISLAND
PASSING OF Hero who Fought Indians
SinEIe-Handed ana Kept
Flag FIyinR. y

John Travers. a man who many years
ago defended the American flag against a
horde Of Indians on n lonely little island
off Alaska, died at Mt. Hope Retreat. In
Baltimore. where he had been about twenty
years. Tic was 20 years old. The cause
Of his death was congestion OF the lungs.
Travers had a meteoric reputation, for u
seems that no longer had he been brought
to the asylum hound in chains. than no
was forgotten. and no one ever thought
to recall his deeds or patriotism.
II is probable that the only person who
remembered him all those years at the
asylum was DIT. Charles q. Hill. who has
been physician and surgeon-ln-chief at the
institution during the entire period.
Born in Massachusetts, Travers at an
early age enlisted in the navy and fought
on one Of the federal vessels during the
civil war. It seems no found marine life
distasteful, for on tho expiration of his
enlistment he Joined the army and was
sent to the far west. Eventually he was
stationed at Seattle, Wash, which was
then little more than n trading post, whore
the Indians of the north and the rougher
element of the south came in oomnunica-
ton, the one to dispose OF their furS ana
the other to give in return whisky and
Valuless trinkets.
This kind Of life, II seems. appealed to
Travers. and instead Of ~re-enlisting he
espoused the cause OF Pluto instead OF that
of Mars. and soon he was nip and tuck
with the Indians of Canada and Alaska,
driving bargains for skins. There was
profit in the business at that time. as the
latter day trusts had not come into the
field, and Travers' rivals had little more,
II as much. capital as himself.
The thick-coated minks. badgers and
other animals of the northwest dutifully
sacrificed their furs and skins and Travers
grew prosperous. Unlike most of tho post
traders, he boarded up his money. diokered
with the Indians, and, like Alexander Sell
kirk, he bought a little island and was soon
monarch Of all he surveyed.
His money, fine clothes and other lux
uries soon excited tho jealousy OF the In
dams. who were greer with envy when they
saw they could not go to church on Sunday
in the same style as their white neighbor.
Moreover, their white faced friend could
always go to his larder and produce a
storehouse Of Spirits" while they almost
sold their souls for a drink OF the 'fire-
water"
Nv " ilAaA Nhao0 Va hFHNA o"INt
was an American flag which this Yankee
hoisted on a pole In front Of his log house.
A council OF war was held by the Indians
and they resolved to tear 1t down. Mr..
John Travers had not lived in the north
west in vain, consequently he had a full
chest Of ammunition and a dozen or SO
muskets. He heard the rumors of an at
tack. and thought that while he lived on
his island the American flag should float
there. He barricaded the place primed his
guns and greeted his savage foes with a
shot. They reiterated, vowing vengeance.
Travers managed to get word to Seattle
and a gunboat was dispatched TO keep the
flag afloat. Travers, meanwhile kept his
courage to the sticking point and the flag
still waved. 1t was with joyful heart that
Travers. a day or so afterward. saw the
little gunboat steam into the harbor and
train it's guns on the thickets, where skunk
the Observation-Disclosures Sun.