The Nenana daily news. (Nenana, Alaska) 1918-1921, 1918-05-20
KENA|'S BAD MAN
GETS BUMPED OFF
BY Merry CITIZEN


of Alexander Ryan by c. L. McGill,
Kenai's official bad man." at the
school election April s, and the
shooting and killing of the murderer
while he was resisting arrest, were
made public at Anchorage recently,
upon the return of C. H. Packard
from Seldovia, where he gathered
his information from United States
Commissioner Ralph V. Anderson
and Deputy United States Marshal
C. w. Harrington, who went to
Kenaiby special boat to conduct an
investigation. The story of the
tragedy which was published in the
Anchorage Times, is as follows:
"The term official bad man as
applied to McGill is very appropriate
as shown by the testimony of the
25 witnesses examined at the two
inquests, for, besides being a brutal
bully and notorious gunman. McGill
was United States commissioner,
deputy postmaster, superintendent Of
schools and boss of the town. hav-
ing inaugurated a reign IF error
soon after his arrival from V9' ez
about thre years ago, when ne was
appointed commissioner.
when Ryan called at the school
house about 3 80 o'clock to vote, he
was informed by McGill, self ap-
pointed boss of the election, thai
he could no do so because the polls
are closed although the official
notice stated that the polls would
remain open until $50; also that
Ryan was not citizen, consequently
had no right to vote. During the
brief argument that followed. Ryan
called McGill a liar. Saying he
didn't care whether he voted or hot.
Ryan started for the door, when
without further provocation, McGih
drew revolver, fired one shot into
the ceiling and one into the body of
Ryan, who died in few minutes
THE seventeen persons present at
the polling place in the school house
started stampede for the door hut
were stopped by McGill's threats to
shoot them also if they didn't keep
quiet.
The ballot box was renewed to
another part of the room. McGill
covered the body of Ryan with a
sheet and the election proceeded.
Although McGill had previously and
Officially declared the polls closed,
several more persons voted before
the last ballot was cast about SIS.
McGill on various pretexts denied
several other legal voters the right
to vote, yet insisted that the local
priest be permitted to vote, notwith-
priest was not a citizen.
Citizens Arm Themselves
by the time the polls closed
about every adult male in the place
had armed himself with the inten-
ton of bombarding McGill from a
safe distance. Chas Coach, who
it seems to have been about the
| only cool-headed man in town, adj
vised against any hasty CT mob ac-
ton, and volunteered 10 arrest
McGill. :=. 49,. -.... $751;. ..::.:. #
| 1.-TWO hours after the murder Of
Ryan, while McGill was in the rear
room of the Dawson store threaten
ing one of the proprietors and re
peating the warning not to discuss
the killing of Ryan with anyone,
Coach entered the storeroom. AS
| Dawson and McGill returned from
the rear room, Coach ordered McGill
to throw up his hands. The town
terror complied by raising his hands
only to the height of his shoulders,
then suddenly reached for one of
guns which was lin a holster under
| his left arm and coat. Before ne
could get this gun into action,
| Coach's first shot struck him in the
shoulder.
Don't shoot any more, you've
got me, Charley McGill exclaimed.
But as McGill didn't put up his gun
hand again, Coach concluded not to
take any chances on failing to finish
the job he had undertaken, and he
IL L