The Washington times., 1911-06-25
ALASKAN PROBE
Is SUICIDE ECHO
Self-lnhcted Death of D. H. Jarvis Guggenhem Agent,
: Expected to Bring About Investigation of
Far North Affairs
By JUDsoN C. wELLIvER.

The bullet that ended the life OF Capt
David H. Jarvis, Alaska pioneer. in the
Seattle Athletic Club on Friday, may
prove to have blown the lid OF the
whole Alaska situation.
Captain. Jarvis took his own life less
than fortY-eight hours after the dele
gate from Alaska, Judge Wickersham,
had introduced resolutions in Congress
which looked to an inquiry into the
Governments failure to prosecute Jar
Wis on variety Of counts.
Jarvis was the commander of Guggen-
helm forces in Alaska during the years
when the great fight for Alaska's con-
troll was fought and practically won by
the Guggenheims He was the man who
armed a gang of thugs and gave the
orders under which they fought a
pitched battle for control of the right
of-way now occupied by the Copper
River and Northwestern railroad at n
critical point in its line.
In that battle one man was instantly
killed, another was mortally wounded
and died soon afterward, and third
was brought to deaths door.
1t was the battle that clinched Gug-
genheim control of the railroad situation
around southeast Alaska, in the great
copper and coal regions.
For the murders committed in that
fight for Guggenheim control determined
efforts were made to secure indictments,
but none was obtained. 1t has been
charged with the greatest detail and
circumstance, including authenticated
documents. that large sums OF money
were used in corrupting Federal grand
juries in order to prevent indictments,
and that this money was provided from
the Guggenheim interest and paid On
order Of their agents.
Nothing Done. ....
OF all these and many collateral
charges investigation has been sought,
hut nothing has ever come OF 1t.
Two days before Captain Jarvis sui
eide at Seattle, Delegate Wickersharl
started a new effort TO get to the bot
to mof the whole distasteful AFFAIR. He
introduced resolutions calling on the
Secretary of War and the Attorney
General for information about an ell
legged fraud by which Jarvis and john
n. Bullock were charged with beating
the Government out of $4,000 In great
coal contract. These resolutions are
almost certain to pass the House. The
facts will then become public.
The Introduction OF these resolutions
was promptly published in the Seattle
Jarvis, making headquar-
Iers there. read of the new turn In the
fight against him.
Two days later he died by his OWE
hand.
Jarvis was widely known wherever
Alaska interests have been at the front
in recent ycars-in Alaska, IN New
York, In Washington, in San Francisco,
n Seattle, and all over the far North
west He- Is credited with first enlist
ng the Guggenhsims in TIE. Alaska
proposition that later developed into
heir Alaska syndicate and brought to
crisis the whole question of owner
'hip of the great Northwestern em-
Jire.
In his operations Jarvis was bold
beyond the possible realization of peo-
,le who do not know Alaska. Whether
I was In lobbying legislation through
Congress, in seizing a railroad right-of-
way by power of Winchesters and
Ituffed clubs, in fighting the powers OF
in fixing juries or playing
corrupt politics, Jarvis was of the ut |
most boldness and resource.
The battle between the construction
orces Of the Guggenheim railroad and