Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-06-01
THE SYNDICATED STEALING OF
ALASKA.

The Baltimore Sun is not one of
the papers inclined to minimize or
condone the actions of Secretary Bal
Hnger. It rather believes that he has
been guilty of assuming an official
position favorable to the plans of the
interests intent on acquiring for them
selves the rich mineral deposits of
Alaska, of becoming lords of that
princely domain and for a mere pit
lance depriving the great American
public, to which it belongs, of the vast
deposits of coal and iron and the
power that lies in the waterways of a
territory whose area is equal to that
of a European empire.
The summary that the Sun publishes
in its editorial columns is so concise,
and puts the facts recently brought
out so strongly, that it is well worthy
of a careful reading by all wdo are
interested in keeping track Of the de-
velopments in this national admins
tration scandal The Sun says:
The charges against John Rustard,
recently appointed district attorney,
and H. l.. Faulkner, United States
marshal for the juneau district of
Alaska, tell a story of so monstrous
a nature as to be almost Incredible
The whole story, as told yesterday in
the Washington correspondence of
The Sun, is more sensational than
anything of political character which
has appeared in recent years. The
charges preferred before the Judiciary
Committee of the United States SEN
ate by James Wickersham, the Alas
kan delegate in congress, former Dis
trict Attorney John j. Bryce and Dam
iel A. Switzerland, who was formerly
United States marshal in Alaska. The
substance of the charges is that the
IGuggenheim syndicate by the Cunning
ham claims project and numerous
other devices, has been preparing to
seize the vast mineral and timber
wealth of Alaska; that in carrying out
its purposes it's agents have resorted
to perjury, bribery and even murder:
that it has maintained a powerful lob
by in Washington and has gained such
influence with the administration as
enabled it to remove from office every
faithful public official in Alaska who
did his duty in protecting the public
domain from seizure and appoint its
own agents to the places. Rustgard,
who has been appointed district at
torney by the alleged influence of the
Guggenheim syndicate, would have
charge Of all litigations arising out
of the Cunningham coal claims and
other coal frauds in which the syndi-
cate is implicated and interested, and
Faulkner would select the jurors. The
appointment of these two men, if con-
firmed by the senate, will give to the
accused syndicate complete control
of the court before which it's cases
will be tried.
1t seems that some time back the
Home River Railroad Company was a
claimant for the right of way through
keystone Canyon which had been
abandoned by the syndicate. 1t is
charged that in pursuance to orders
by agents of the syndicate, one Hasey,
employed by the syndicate, shot into
gang of workmen employed by the
Home River Company and killed one
OF them. Hasey was indicted and the
syndicate undertook his defense. Many
OF the charges which have Just been
made grew out of the trial of this
case. These charges are that in the
defense of Hasey no less than $70, 900
was spent by the syndicate in fixing"
the jury, in entertaining and bribing
jurors, and in the subornation of per-
jury. One of the lawyers employed
by the syndicate to defend Hasey is
now the district judge.
All of these removals and appoint
ments must be considered in connee-