The Alaska citizen., 1916-10-02
ED. MATTHEWS DEATH RECALLS
 EARLY TRAGEDY
FORMER FAIRBANKSAN WAS AN EARLY PIONEER OF THE
 NlZlNA COUNTRY.

The recent death of Ed (. Mat thews. also known 10 many Alas kans as Ed (. Russell, brings to mind an early day tragedy of the Nizina country. of which Russell was d pioneer. Russell, as he was best known. was an early day resident of Valdez. where he worked as d musician in the dance halls, Later he came to Fairbanks, where ne played piano for a number of years, leaving here about 1911
 Russell it was who was given an interest in the Niggerhead associa- ton claim at the mouth of Dome creek in exchange for an old coat and place to sleep in a cabin for a few nights, the story having come out several years ago in litigation over the Niggerhead claims, which later became valuable. IL was after that that Russell went Outside and became interested in Georgia lands, returning here as the agent of the Georgia Florida Land company and establishing an office. There are numerous Fairbanksans who will re- member him well for that reason alone His death also recalls that story.
 A year or so after going Outside Russell went insane. He Was con fined in sanitarium near San Diego, California, where he died a short time ago. IL is stated, however, in q communication received by a Val deg man, according to the COrdoya Times, that Russell became perfectly sane just prior to his demise.
 The following story of one of Rus sells experiences in the Nizina river country is told in the Cordoya Times:
 Russell, C. A. Widener and his son, Charles Berry, August Rieschl, Miss Lou Wheeler and l.. J. Perry, with two dogs and about HOO pounds of freight, started for Chititu creek in a boat about June Is of 1903, bound for the Copper river and thence to Valdez. The party was about three days going down below Young creek.
 Two men were at the oars of the unwieldy craft and d third was steer ing As they approached a bend in the river they saw rock in the stream, for which the boat was headed All efforts to turn the craft were rendered futile by the terrific current of the stream, and Russell who was in the bow of the craft seized the bow line and jumped for what he supposed was shallow spot, intending to swing the boat aside. He landed in deep water and was dragged along by the boat Perry and Berry jumped to his as sistance, but their efforts were also in vain, for the boat struck the rock with terrific force, smashing it to pieces and precipitating everybody lnlO lut water.
 Russell and Berry succeeded in reaching the shore not far below the scene of the accident. When Perry came up to the surface he was near the middle of the river. He seized upon sack of clothing that was floating down the stream cd Cj Q ra a distance before he finally succeeded in reaching shore Ahead of him he saw the girl, still afloat, when he made landing.
 Utterly exhausted by his struggle in the water, Perry rested a few minutes, believing himself the only survivor, but in short time Berry came along down the bank, and the two set off down the river in search of Miss Wheeler, or any of the others who might possibly have escaped. They proceeded down the stream for some distance, but did not find any one, so they returned to the scene of the accident, where they found Rus sell, who had injured his back se- verely They rested up for a few hours and then went back up the river to the camp. then known as Sourdough City, where they related the story of the tragedy.
 A short time later two men ar. rived in camp and reported having seen Miss Wheeler on bar in the middle of the river several miles below the spot where the boat was wrecked These parties stated that they had shouted to the girl and that she had waved her hand to them, indicating that she had heard their shouts. As the river was very swift and deep at this point they could not reach her, but had shout ed that they were going for help. relief party was at once made up and started down the river in boat. Arriving at the bar where the girl was last seen, nothing was found but her shoes and stockings lying on a small log, which she had discarded to rid herself of any sur