Seward daily gateway., 1924-05-09
CHARACTER IN EARLY HISTORY OF ALASKA
 DEAD IN DOUGLAS
Juneau Empire


 Dick Morgan, who died at Douglas last week and was buried Sunday, was a historical character of Alaska. The following information is supplied by Rev. A. P. Kashevaroff:
 Up to September, 1879, the head chiefs of the Chilkoot and Chilkat prohibited the white men from enter ing their territory thereby preventing the white men from crossing the pass es into the Yukon.
 Just about that time there was a big fight between Kochwontahns and the Ganaxadi in which Klotzkutch, the chief of the former was wounded and a number of natives on both sides were killed. There were a number of Chilkats at Sitka at the time and among them Dick Richards, (Morgan) as he called himself later. Dick was employed as an Indian policeman by the Naval authorities.
 Dick with Sitka Jake and Stickeesh and 30 Indians were sent to the Chil- kat country, with a message from Capt. l.. A. Beerdslee, informing Klotzkutch that this party was sent there to help keep order among the natives and that in return he expected him to always use his influence in se- curing good treatment to any white man who should come into his coun- try to trade, and that he would be pleased if he would let white miners go into the interior to prospect the country for precious metals, which, if found, would enrich the Indians.
 This privilege had never been ac-
 corded by the Chilkat Indians fearing
 that the white men would interfere : with the trade with the Stick Indians, who lived in the Interior and whose : trade the coast Indians monopolized.
 On February 12, 1880, Dick Rich ards, (Morgan) and most of the h. dians returned. They brought an in- vitation from Klotz Kutch for the white miners to come and promised ] welcome and thanks to Captain Beard slee.
 This invitation was extended to the l miners of whom there was a large number wintering at Sitka, gathered from Cassiar and other places. These men were ready to undertake such ar E expedition and after a mass meeting an expedition to Chilkat country was s organized. Several boats were built
 On the 11th of May, 1880, a public Q meeting was held and full understand l ing between Captain Beardslee anc g the miners arrived at. Captain Beard
 slee furnished an escort of marines r Lieut.. E P. Mcclellan was assigned d to the duty as an escort. He was pro. . vided with letters to Chief Klotz Kutz s and Elquesah. On the 20th of May the l expedition sailed, consisting of five : boats, carrying 26 miners and thei1 e help with the navy launch, started. Here are the names of the first min ,. CTS to cross the divide:
 e Pres. Cloudman, Tom Lynham, R l Dugan, Denny Dougherty, Tom Ker n nan, John Leddy, Mike Hayes, Jin | Fallen, Antone Marks, D. A. Peter l. son, Jim McCluskey, Jack Lennon, o t Reddy, E. Bean, Sol Matthews, Pa ! McClinchy, N. Warren Bill Zoble, c - Harkrader, Caribou Steel, Jim Rose
 wall, Russ Paul, Hit, Donnelly, Johl e Mckenzie and Jim Vim.
 e The launch returned to Sitka o1
 June 9th, and the report of Lieut.. Me n Clellan indicated that the result wa e a success and the Chilkat country wa
 now fairly open to the white miners
 Dick Morgan, as a policeman, serv
 ed the U. s. for five years. In Sitk; r from his perfectly neat appearanc, r and from the care he took to wear l. clean collar and have his shoes polish e ed, he was known as "Dck, the Dude. l. His final discharge from the Nav,
 was dated April 18th, 1883 with a yer,
 fine recommendation from Captail r. Merriam.