The daily Alaskan., 1911-11-04
SERVICES
 OVER PINCHOT
soYs SLIP ONE OVER ON SYMTHE, FRIEND AND
 BOOSTER OF PINcHoT.

Among the passengers enUoute south on the steamer Northwestern
 was W. E. Symthe. the newspaper correspondent. a friend and booster of Clifford Pinchot. who. at that
 time. was on the way to Matanuska coal fields. Some congenial spirits, always prepared to job somebody,
 were fellow passengers. and they put
 their heads together to put one over on the PinChot man. As the big steamer was pulling out from Ketchj- kan. a small boy ran down the dock, yelling at the top of his voice "A cablegram for Smythe, Symhe heard the cry. and yelled to the cap
 tain to stop the ship. But the skip Der failed to give ear Co the ap- peal The small boy succeeded in getting the precious missive to Smythe. however. and in the pres euce of the assembled crowd of pas ! sencers the newspaper mans eye hastily scanned the contents. My God, They have asSasSinated Pin. l chot," he cried. and read. in effect as follows:
 Seward September IS-After ad. dressing an angry mob of miners and
 n7ospectors at Glacier creek last
 night Clifford Piuchot went out for a
 walk. He had not returned this
 morning. and it is believed he has
 met with foul play, or wandered away and is lost or was Killed by a brown bear. People here give cTedenoe to the belief that he has been assas- siuated.
 But four of the passengers were in on the Joke. The rest took it ! seriously. and gave expression to ] their views according to their sent-
 ments. Smythe hastened to the
 wireless operators room and sent
 messages to his papers and sought ] further information from Seward. No news was forthcoming. A day pass ed by. and the fate Of Pinchot was
 the chief subject of conversation. That night one Of the jobbes sought Symthe. who passed the greater part Of his time iu the wireless mans room. and told him that the passen- gers had decided to have in the social hall. something in the nature ot a memorial service over Pinchot and suggested that he give the ! principal address "Is this a joke2'
 aueried Smythe Certainly not. pc said the jobber. Knowing you to have been a warm personal friend
 os the departed. I naturally came to ask you to speak few words in his memory Smythe consented and repaired to the social hall where all of the passengers had assembled.
 The newspaper man is a fine public speaker. In glowing terms. he prais-
 ed the high qualities Of the deceas- ed. reciting his disinterested efforts in the peoples behalf Before he had completed his euloEy. nearly all of his auditors were in tears. One of the jobbers was asked to speak. The passengers were shocked at the diatribe Of abuse which he heaped upon the head Of the supposed mar tyr. He said he heartily endorsed the action of the hardy miners and prospectors of Glacier creek, who had undoubtedly done away with the former chief forester. but said they had erred in not first treating him to a dose of tar and feathers.
 Smythe was thunder struck at the language. That's a sample of your AlaSkans," he said to fellow pas senger. after the jobber had finish ed.
 The next day Symthe received a wireless message denying the report.
 n, than ras3ized that ba had baan