The Alaska sourdough. [volume] (Douglas, Alaska) 1911-1911, 1911-10-31
THE GUPTIL CASE

way correspondent, the general opin-
ion prevailing in Skagway is that the
arrest of Bergman in connection with
the assault on Guptil, was simply
sad mistake by an old man. This cor
respondent says:
The circumstances of the assault on
Guptil are as follows: Guptil slept
alone in room directly back Of his
office; back of this bed room is a va
cant room and still further back
room used as wood shed. All the
lights in the office are kept burning all
night and the safe is in full view from
the street Guptil had been to the
show with his girl on Wednesday night
and was seen to enter his office about
midnight. The next morning, Berri-
man, the clerk, in the office, got there
about eight O'Clock, opened the office
and went through to the rear room
for wood. Here he discovered Guptil
lying on the floor with his feet to-
wards the rear door, which was partly
open, and his face, hands and upper
clothing covered with blood. His
head and face were badly battered and
cut, his eyes swollen shut and his face
50 swollen and covered with dried
blood that it was impossible to recog
nize him. He was fully dressed with
the exception Of his hat, which was
on the floor near him. In the vacant
room between the bed room and the
wood shed where he was lying and
near the door opening into the wood
shed was large pool of blood some
three feet in diameter and it appears
that this is where he had first fallen,
doubtless being hit as he passed
through the door into the wood shed,
and from the quantity Of blood in this
place the doctor thinks he must have
been in this spot for some hours.
There was very little blood on the
floor where he was lying when found
but there was a smear of blood from
the large pool in the other room to
the place where he was lying as
though he had been dragged by the
feet across the floor some hours after
he had been struck down and after
the blood had stopped flowing. A
small two pound axe belonging in the
wood shed was found there with blood
4Io bo+
lying near him and had large dent
in it corresponding to one of the
wounds on his head. The keys to the
safe were found in his pocket and
nothing in the office seems to have
been disturbed Later it was discov-
cred that the combination of the safe
was not turned far enough to throw
it clear off, being turned only few
points The contents of the safe were
intact. On examination the doctor
found that he had been hit about six
times. One blow, probably the first,
was on the right side Of the top Of the
head depressing but not penetrating
the skull One on the bridge Of the
nose, breaking it. One on the right
cheek. One, behind the right ear, and
one on the back Of the head making
small cut from which the cerebro
spinal fluid was flowing when he was
found
At first 1t was thought he could not
live but he is still alive this, Tuesday,
afternoon and seems to be stronger
though he has not recovered conscious
ness It is i. thought he will pull
through and they will operate only as
q last resort. .-as#
Later in the day an old man, eighty
years old, who does. janitors work in
the Pacific Coast Office. said he was
passing. the Alaska Steamship office At
A. "A. and. saw q man.. who looked
like Berriman, at the safe; that when
he heard his passing this fellow left
the safe and went into the rear rooms.
Berriman was arrested on the, strength