Iditarod pioneer., 1914-02-28
Thrilling Story Told to Seattle Newspaper of Doings in
 This District
REX BEACH HEROES OUTDONE
Another Instance of Going Away From Home to Hear the News" Is Brought to Light in Post. st.InteIigencer-
 New Edition of Spoilers"

| The Seattle Post -Intelligencer of January | s contained the following interesting story, which was printed on its first page and adorned with "scare" headlines:
 Claw and Guns Figure in Fight for Gold Claim-Corporation Armed Guards Drive Miners from Chicago Bench on Flat Creek Men Hailed to Court on Trespass Charge Discharged, They Return and Are Routed in Battle with Yukon Gold Company's Posse With Dog Team One of the Partners Trav- els 600 Miles, Coming to Engage Counsel
 "The story of fight for sl,OOO,OOo gold claim between two miners and great corporation in which armed guards, gun fights long trails travelled by dog team and alleged false arrests figure in manner rem iniscent of "The Spoilers" by Rex Beach, has reached Seattle from the Far North. The contenders in the legal and physical battle being waged for possession of the forty y-acre area of ground on Flat creek, in the ldlta-
 
 Knox and Samuel Adams, two well known Alaska miners on one side, and on the other the Yukon Gold Company of New York, owners of the great Dawson dredges, which have eliminated the pick and shovel miner from the golden Mecca of 1898, and in which the Guggenhems are heavy share holders.
 Travels 500 Miles by Dog Team
 Adams arrived in Seattle on January n the steamer Northwestern from Valdez, after 6OO-mile trip from Iditarod City to Seward, making the journey to consult legal talent here and plan for the coming legal battle in the North. He has retained Will liam A. Gilmore, the former mayor of Nome who is spending the winter Tn this city, as his chief attorney, Mir. Adams is now in Spokane.
 According to friends of Mir Adams the following is a brief skeleton of the story;
 "The Chicago Bench claim, on the right limit of Flat creek, is one of the richest un- worked claims in Alaska, to judge from development already done. Last fall Adams and Knox relocated this claim, alleging for feiture in 1911 by Tom Aitken, the original owner. through his failure to do the an- nual assessment work. In the meantime Atken and his associates had leased the ground to the Yukon Gold Company.
 Repused by Armed Guards
 ''On October l4 of last year Adams and all his men then at work on the rich claim were arrested at the behest of officers of the corporation and haled into court at Idtarod on 8 charge of trespass. After trial, during which feeling ran high and physical violence was imminent, Adams and his associates were acquitted.
 "Jubilant over their legal victory, they returned to the claim on Flat creek to re- sume work, only to find the property sur rounded by armed guards of the Yukon Gold Company. There was pitched battle in which Adams and his men were routed. Adams returned to Iditarod City and on December 31 last filed suit in the district court there to oust the Yukon Gold Com pany from possession of the claim.
 "In November Adams started from ldlta- rod City by dog team and travelled 600 miles over the snow to Seward to catch steamer for Seattle Word was received in the city by his friends yesterday that suit had been filed for him and his associates by lawyers in Iditarod City for $l0O,000 damages for false arrest.
 Mine Under Armed Guard
 "The legal battle for the possession of the | mine will be contested in Iditarod City next July.
 Attorney Gilmore will return to Nome on the first steamer up and go at once from there to Idtarod to take personal charge of the case
 "At present the mine is in possession of the Yukon Gold Company, which maintains an armed patrol there.'
 ORIENTAL EGGS TO BE USED