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The Cordova Daily Times
VOLUME TWO. NUMBER 371. • CORDOVA, ALASKA, THURSDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 24, 191(3. PRICE TEN CENTS.
NUSHAGAK SCHOOL TEACHER’S FIENDISH CRIME
IODINE PARTY
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SEWARD, Feb. 23. — The launch
Mattie, carrying a wedding party from
Afognak to Kodiak island, foundered
in a heavy storm which has been
sweeping this section, and caused the
loss of the entire party of four, who
were on hoard. The dead are John
Pajomen. Jesse Robins. Sarah Larson
and Mrs. Orloff. Exact details of the
tragedy cannot be secured, but it is
thought to have occurred in the same
storm which drove the steamer Pav
loff on tlie rocks.
The gasboat Mate was owned by
f'has. Pajoman. a merchant of Afog
nak. who also has the contract for
carrying the mail between Kodiak and
Afognak. She was a small boat, and
it is believed that she must have been
caught in a sudden storm, as Pajoman
r had spent years at Afognak, and was
considered a careful navigator.
Jess Robins, one of the persons who
lost their lives, was in the employ of
the federal government, and had been
in charge of the hatchery near Afog
nak.
The body of Pajoman has been
found on the beach and a search is
being made for the others. Mill bay
I a limit f5 vp milpsi from ICrwIinlc
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CHICAGO, Feb. 23. — The federal
grand jury, now in session here, is
investigating the alleged attempt to
bribe the jury in the Alaska coal land
fraud cases, tried in 1313, when all of
the defendants were acquitted. The
property in controversy is alleged to
have a value of $10,000,000. The
charge of bribery was made to Federal
Attorney Clyde by Archibald Fitzger
ald, who said that be paid $5,000 to a
juror in the trial of Albert Frost and
four other defendants, in connection
with the Matanuska coal fields.
, ADMIRAL WATSON
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SEATTLE, Feb. 23. — The Admiral
Watson, of the P. A. N. line, has been
fully repaired and has resumed her
service on the Alaska run, going as
far west as Seward and Kodiak. The
boat will make her first sailing trip
Friday, with Captain Jensen in com
mand, Thomas Kehoe as purser, P. L.
Plunkett as chief engineer and W. A. i
Leonard as chief steward.
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rThe Northwestern and Evans are
due here late tomorrow night.
Special to the Daily Times.
Nl'SIlAGAK, Jan. 21. — Alexander
13. McLean, territorial school teacher
at this place, murdered his wife in a
barbarous manner at their home here
yesterday morning. The testimony of
McLean’s children and the condition
of the dead woman’s body show that
her death was one of slow torture and
fiendish cruelty, lasting throughout
Wednesday night and part of Thurs
day morning, until death came to her
relief.
Trouble arose in the McLean borne
early Wednesday evening, when Mrs.
McLean was preparing to attend a
wedding. McLean, who is high-tem
pered and vindictive in disposition,
suddenly hurled the lighted lamp at
the woman. The lamp was smashed
when it struck her, spraying oil over
her, which instantly burst Into flames.
Fearing that the house would be set
on fire, McLean threw a blanket over
her and smothered out the fire, after
her dress had partly burned off. Then
knocking the woman down he kneeled
upon her hips, and with her face
downward, tie grasped her by tlie hair
and churned her face and breast upon
the floor until he was tired. Then
calling their little son. Hector, lie or
dered tiini to bring him his tobacco,
and while seated on the woman's neck
and shoulders he coolly rolled a cigar
ette and smoked it. That done, he
again began churning the woman's
breast and head against the floor.
While doing this a messenger was
sent to tlie McLean home from the
hall where the wedding was being
celebrated to get some song hooks
i:i the custody of McLean. In answer
to the repeated knocking. McLean fin
ally came to the door, and getting the
becks, handed them to the messen
ger am’ then renewed his assault upon
hii wife, who was lying insensible on
the iloor.
The McLeans have four children,
three of whom — two boys and a lit
tle girl — were In the house in a state
of hysterical fear and terror. The
oldest of these, a boy of ten. says
that ills father rested from time to
time and then renewed his assaults
upon his wife. The woman Is sup
posed to have died sometime yester
day morning. In the afternoon Mr
Lean sent a message to Rev. ft. I’.
Kasaevaroff, priest of the (ireek
church at ibis place, who is the uncle
of tlie dead woman, notifyng him that
Mrs. McLean was dead. Later Mc
Lean admitted to Rev. Kassevaroff
that he had killed the woman, but at
the in quest held here this morning,
he declared that his wife was killed
in a runaway of his dog team, the
sled overturning, he asserted, and
dragging her body for hundreds of
yards. The jury brought in a verdict
that she came to her death from
bruises inflicted by McLean. McLean
was arrested by United States Deputy
Marshal It. J. Paulsen, and is now' in
the Dillingham jail.
Mrs. McLean w’ns the daughter of
Rev. Father Kashevaroff, priest of the
f.reek church at Kodiak, Alaska. She
and McLean have been married about
twelve years. She was known here
as an excellent housekeeper and a
good mother.
McLean is a native of Australia, and
has had a checkered career. When
thirteen years of age he ran away
from home, coming to San Francisco.
From that place he came to the Dris
tol bay region, marrying here. In 191(1
he was one of the census enumerators,
covering the IliRinna lake region. He
was of a quarrelsome disposition, and
has had numerous fights.
Six weeks ago he came near mur
•lering O. Larsen, a Norwegian, of
Wood river, who came to the Nusha
pak river region from San Francisco
a year ago. In a dispute over a poker
game McLean struck Larsen with a
! heer bottle such a blow on the head!
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.that Larsen lay unconscious fourteen i
.days. He is now recovering. For this
McLean was fined $100 by Commis
sioner L. If. French. Had it not have
| been for the fact that he was a ter- j
iritorial school teacher, he would have j
I been given a jail sentence in addi- ,
J lion.
He was also known as a w ife beater. |
and last summer served a jail sen
j fence, in addition to paying a fine, }
for heating his wife. At that time
,he came near murdering Mrs. McLean. (
J Three weeks ago in a fight with C. ,
W. Larsen, of Dillingham, McLean |
was knocked down and beaten. ,
The McLean children have been (
taken in charge by their uncle, Rev. ,
If. F. Kashevaroff. The body of the -
dead woman is now being kept in a ,
frozen condition until a post mortem ,
examination of her injuries can be ,
made by Dr. 1,. II. French. All the ,
bones of her face are broken in and (
also the frontal cranial bones, as well |
ns the i ones of her chest.
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GERMAN BATTALIONS SUFFER BIG LOSSES!
Special by \ socialed Press.
PETROGRAD, Feb. 23. — The Rus
sians are advancing along the whole
Turkish front on the Black sea coast.
They have already driven the Turks
twenty miles west of Vizseu, and the
occupation of Trebizond is imminent.
The Turks are not only retreating, but
practically making no effort to hold
the endangered position. The Rus
sians captured Mushand Achelt, and
are now proceeding towards Bitlis.
With this objective obtained. Rake
Van will rest securely in Russian
hands.
PARIS, Feb. 23. — The Germans
delivered a strong attack against the
French positions in the forest of Gi
venchy, east of Souchez, and pene
trated the first lines of the French j
trenches eight hundred meters. The
Germans then occupied some Frenc
communication m nclies, hut Frenc
counter attacks drove them from a
but a few of these positions Seve
German battalions were engaged I
this conflict and lost heavily in mei
LONDON, Feb. 23. The war Offic
announced officially today that tli
British forces in Africa were prc
feeding fast with their task of sul
iugatiug the German African coioniei
The figures announced show that 73
square miles of German African ter
ritory has already been conquered, an
it Is thought to he but a matter c
i short time before all Teuton resist
ince on this continent will be ender
I'KTROGRAD. Feb. 23. — Forme
Minister Sazonoff told the Duma tha
he imperial government remained un
hi shaken In the northern battle, and
h would continue the war, which con
djstituted the greatest crime that of
" high treason against humanity. The
n j Czar advised tlie Duma of the victory
i-1at Erzerutn, and there was much re
joicing over the official announcement
e made.
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LONDON, Feb. 23. — Lord Robert
- Cecil has been appointed minister of
i. the blockade which the English fleet
9 has inaugurated.
1 RERUN, Feb. 23. — The American
f Association of Commerce will open a
- new auxiliary kitchen for persons itn
. poverished by the war.
r BERLIN, Feh. 23. — It Is officially
t announced that in upper Alsace the
-[Cermans captured a position seven
c
hundred yards w ide nnd four hundred
yards deep. The Germans also pen
etrated the allied lines in the northern I
section of Woevre, during which en
gagement the allies lost over 3,000 \
prisoners and a great quantity of ma
terial.
HARIS, Feb. 23. — An official com
munique issued, reports that fighting
of great violence is progressing front
the right bank of the Meuse to a point
southeast of here, and in the forest
north of Verdan. Infantry actions oc
curred on the front for ten miles east
of Seppois. The French troops did
some heroic fighting, and by counter f,
attacks retook a great portion of the ^
forest north of Beaumont. While the
French have evacuated Beaumont.
they still hold the approach to the
village. tJ
FIMIS AMBASSADOR TO
RUSSIA
WASHINGTON, Feb. 21!.— Kx-Gov
ernor Francis, of Missouri, lias ac
cepted the ambassadorship to Russia,
tendered him by President Wilson.
On Saturday evening there will be
a meeting of the Republican Club at
the City Hall, is the announcement
made by Secretary Thos. Scott.
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Ben Silverman, of Valdez, was an
outgoing passenger on the Admiral
Farragut yesterday for Seattle, where
he will arrange for the extensive de
velopment of a copper property in
which be is interested otx Knight's
island. A shipment of ore recently
made from the mine to the Tacoma
smelter gave good returns, and Mr.
Silverman believes that it is sure to
become a big producer when fully de
veloped.
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You can rely on the news being cor
rect^«%cn you see It in the Times.
01 (HOOTS OF
Special by Associated Press.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 23. — Presi
dent Wilson is unchanged in his op
position to have Congress pass any
resolution warning Americans to keep
off armed merchantmen of Europe.
The President has made known his
positive position in this matter to the
belligerent leaders of the House.
CHAMBER MEETS TONIGHT.
There will be a meeting of the Cor
dova Chamber of Commerce tonight,
anti all members are requested to be
present, as several matters of vital
interest to the town will be consid
ered.
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Special by Associated Press.
COLUMBUS, Feb. 23. — Kx Senator '
.Theodore Burton has filed his formal
announcement as a candidate for the!
Republican nomination for president,;
and he is the first to head the list of1’
those who intend to enter the race for *
this high office. 1
The Daily Times is indebted to Mail
Clerk Dempsey, of the Alameda, for
an excellent photograph of the wrecked s
steamer Pavaloff, near Kodiak.
J, \\\ Balzimer, familiarly known
as the “Russian Kid," arrived from I
Anchorage last night, and will shortly o
leave for the Tolovana. ^ It
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ROAD COMMISSION ARRANGES B
FOR SUMMER WORK.
Martin Ellington, of the Alaska road j
ommission, came over from Valdez I
•esterday, and will leave on this | I
norning’s train for Chitina, where he I I
;oes to arrange for the transportation j
if supplies for the commission's oper J
lions during the coming summer at |
ifferent points in the interior. i
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"My Official Wife" will be the at-j
raction at the Empress Theatre on
'riday and Saturday nights.
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('apt. Rob*. Nolan, who will be in!
barge of the government cable for
liis division, is on his way from Se- sl
ttle to Valdez, being a passenger on '*
lie Northwestern.
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!te
Rilly Devine, of Seward, is a pas
anger on the Alameda for a visit of
ilrty days at Pacific coast cities.
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William O’Connor and Julius Mil-!
>r have been acquitted of the charge
f murdering Mrs. Rowe, at Fairbanks, sh
ist July. ith
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« DECLARE
THEY LOYAL
WASHINGTON, Keb. 23. — A com
nittee of prominent naturalized citi
ens of the United States, whose
drth place had been in Hungary,
ailed on President Wilson today and
ssured him of their allegiance to the
ountry of their adoption, explaining
hat the Hungarians of the country,
thorn they represented, had taken to
icart the questions that had arisen in
he public press and in the minds of
nany American citizens, concerning
heir loyalty to the Stars and Stripes,
'he committee told the President that
here were no more faithful body of
itlzens in the whole country than the
uass of tlie naturalized Hungarians,
i ho. familiar with the despotic con
itiotis prevailing in the land of their
drth. only the more readily apprecl
ted the liberties and freedom gained
.hen they emigrated to this great
ountry. Wilson replied at length to
In* committee, and told them that he
ever doubted for an instant the alle
fame to the United States of tho
rent proportion of foreign born Am
rican citizens. The chief executive
aid that lie recognized them as as
>yal and faithful citizens of this re
ubllc as any American who owed
is allegiance to this country, as the
ountry of his birth.
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STILL POUNDING
AH AGAINST
WASHINGTON, Feb. 23. — New
mi sensational charges were today
led with the sub-committee in its
ivestigation of Louis Brandeis, who
as nominated for the supreme court
'itch. They allege the employment
Brandeis by E. H. Harriman to ob
:in proxies in the fight for control
ihe Illinois Central railroad, and
randeis’ relations with Equitable
if*» InKimtnnn ('nninnnv
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WASHINGTON. Feb. 23. — liepre
ntative McKellnr. of Tennessee, in
bmitting to the House a favorable
port on the bill to establish mili
rv training schools in various states,
id: “The military affairs commit
e is of the belief that (he United
ates does not need a large stand
g army, but we need always a largo
dv of young men well trained and
ucated.”
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It is reported that there is nc real
orlage of foodstuffs at Anchorage
is winter.