MAN WHO RESCUED ADA BLACKJACK
TELLS OF TRIP TO WRANGELL ISLAND
Captain Hans E. Olson, master of the Donaldson at the time
it was chartered by the Steffenssen Arctic Relief expedition, to res
cue the survivors of the ill-fated exploration party from Wrangell
Island, arrived in Seward Saturday on the steam tug Meteor from
St. Michael, from which place he piloted the boat to Seward. Mr.
Olson gave a representative of the Gateway a story of the rescue,
which does not substantiate in any way the account given out to
New York parties by Harold Noice, in charge of the expedition.
Mr. Olson also denied into the Noice story that Ada Blackjack
had allowed Knight, whose body was found on the island to starve,
•while she ate the scanty food sup
ply.
Story About Husband Fake
Captain Olson said that the story
that Ada’s husband had died of a
broken heart because she had let' j
him to go to the States is a lake.
The Captain declared that Ada Black
jack had divorced her husband white
man fashion some time before leav
ing for Wrangell Island, on account
of domestic infidelity, and that Black
jack, an untutored Eskimo who could
scracely talk English, had married
the dusky lady of his choice and lat
er died of consumption, from which
he suffered many years. Ada re
turned to Nome last spring and at
the present time is living there with
her young son, whom she is educat
ing in white man’s ways.
Olson Tells of Trip.
Capt. Olson said the rescue party
in charge of Herbert Noice left Nome
on the 3rd day of August, 1923, ar
riving at Cape Prince of Wales the
next uay, and taking on board an Es
kimo family of seven peopv, 22
dogs, and about $1200 worth of sup
plies, mostly flour and sugar. The
natives were going to Wrangell Isl
and on a trapping expedition. The
vessel then proceeded to Point Hope,
where another Eskimo family was
taken aboard, together with a white
man named Chas. White, who had
been living with the Eskimos lor
some time. The dogs were taken
along in case the party had to make
a tiip over the ice to Wrange’l lsl-i
and, about 330 miles distant from Ft.
Hope.
At 12 o’clock midnight, a few days
later after arriving at Point Hope,
the party sailed for Herald Island,
about 35 miles northeast of Wrangell
Island. The sun was shining brightly
and the weather was perfect. After
reaching the vicinity of Herald Island
the party encountered heavy floe
ice, and entering a lead were badly
jammed. The ice was dynamited and
a basin made for the little vessel,
which spent ten days locked among i
the floes. A hole was smashed in
the bow and the party was forced |
to kill a walrus, using the skin and,
tallow as a collision mat to keep out ■
the water. After getting out of the j
ice the vessel proceeded to Rogers J
Harbor on Wrangell Island, but found
no sign of the expedition. About ten
miles farther west a bottle was found |
with the names of the members of'
the expedition and a document tak-;
ing possession of the island in the j
name of King George.
It is reported that both Noice and
Steiansson declared the island had
been taken possession of in the name,
of the United States, but Capt. Olson
says this is not true, as he says the j
document and there is no mistake j
that the English flag was raised over!
the island. As no sign of life was;
found here, the Donaldson slowly
steamed up the coast to Doubtful
Harbor, sailing close to the beach
and blowing the whistle at short in
tervals. A big dinner was prepared
by the cook in anticipation of the
rescued party being short of pro
visions and in a famished condition,
as it was known their supplies would
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Ada Blackjack Only Survivor.
As the vessel approached Doubtful
Harbor a woman was seen walking
on the beach. Capt. Olson and six
Eskimos went ashore in a skin boat,
and as they approached the woman
who seemed in a dazed condition,
she started to run. Capt. Olson
caught her and she said:
“Have I a dream or not?”
“Ada, you have no dream, we are
here to take you away,” Olson re
plied.
She recognized Capt. Olson then,
and said, “Is that you, Hans?”
The woman was taken aboard the
Donaldson and given a good feed.
She was in fair physical condition
but showed signs of nervous strain.
Upon being questioned she said that
Knight, one of the members of the
expedition wras lying dead in his tent
on the shores of Doubtful Harbor,
and that the remaining members of
the expedition had left the island
about two week before Christmas
and had not returned. She stated
they had gone over the ice toward
North Cape, and that she had watch
ed them for half a day picking their
way along the leads and over the
ice floes. As the days were very
short and the weather bad, they had
undoubtedly perished. Knight had
also left camp with a companion in
an endeavor to reach the Russian
coast, but had returned in an ex
hausted condition, miserable and ill.
Crawford was in command of the
party leaving the island, and they
had seven dogs, but little food.
Knight Given Burial.
Capt. Olson and a companion went
to the tent where the body of Knight
was found in an emaciated condi
tion. A coffin was made and the
body given burial. Captain Olson
said when he took the body from
it sleeping bag it was fairly clean
and indications pointed to the fact
that the man had been well taken
care of by the woman. A diary kept
up to 21 days before his death, show
ed Knight had highly praised the
woman for the care taken of the
party. Noice claimed that the diary
showed evidences of weakness as
the days progressed, but Olson claims
that the writing was done with a
typewriter and that there was no
way of telling the physical condition
of the man. He also accuses Noice
of destroying portions of the diary
praising Ada Blackjack. There were
no erasures as claimed by Noice,
and the manuscript was in good
shape. Noice appeared very much
prejudiced against the woman, and
repeatedly expressed his conviction
that she had not taken care of
Knight. He also is said by Olson to
have expressed the hope that she
was not in a family way from living
in company with the men. Olson
claims he told Noice that it was cus
tomary for trading and exploring ex
peditions to take Eskimo* women
with them for the purpose of mak
ing fur garments, in which art they
excel, and that they were indispen
sible for this purpose. He also de
clared that Ada was “a good wo
man,” and well respected in Nome.
Noice’s remarks disgusted the mem
bers of the crew who had known
Ada for years, and he was several
times rebuked.
Eskimo Families Landed.
The vessel sailed back to Rogers
Harbor after collecting the notes and
property of the expedition, where
they landed part of the cargo of pro
visions and a number of Eskimo,
then returned to Doubtful Bay and
landed the other Eskimo family and
Chas. White, who remained for trap
ping purposes. The vessel then head
ed for Cape North, and bucked ice
for three days. As the vessel emerg
ed from the ice pack a plume of
smoke was sighted, and the approach
ing vessel was found to fly the Rus
sian flag. The Donaldson ran for the
ice pack and succeeded in escaping
he rpursuer, landing at Nome five or
six days later. Upon arrival at Nome
the Donaldson was boarded by Capt.
Tom Ross, of the coast guard pa
trol, who told Capt. Olson to allow
no one aboard or to go ashore until
he laid alongside the revenue cutter
Bear, then in the harbor. Tying up
to the Bear the party went aboard
and were severely censured by Capt.
Cochrane for taking the Eskimos to
Wrangell Island, which Capt. Coch
rane declared was Russian territory.
Americans Taken Off.
In Octorber, Capt. Olson said he
made a trip to East Cape with N. F.
Hoyer, a missionary, and landing at
Emmatown, a Chuksee village of Si
berian Eskimos, secured a dog-sled
and took the missionary to Whaling,
where the governor resides. The
governor told them a boat would be
dispatched to Wrangell Island and
the American party taken off. That
the island was Russian territory and
parties found there would be summar
ily dealt with. He is said to also
have expressed the hope of catch
ing Mr. Noice on the island. The
party was later taken to Petroplav
sky.
Ada Blackpack In Nome.
When Mrs. Blackjack returned to
Nome she was given a warm wel
come by the whites, who were very
indignant at the story told by Noice.
She is said to have declared that
she tried to keep the party on the
island warning them of the danger
of leaving at that time of year. She
also declared them incapable ol liv
ing off the country, nd had they
been able to live “Eskimo style,” they
would have been saved. Knight, she
declared could not stomach the Es
kimo food offered him and died of
starvation where the Eskimo lived
in plenty.
Capt. Olson says the island is bleak
and absolutely bare of vegetation
of any kind, and with but few fur
animals upon it. The story given
to the Gateway is to contradict the
stories by Noice, whom Olson claims
manufactured the greater part of it.
POLICE ARREST 400
MEN IN EFFORT TO
CLEAN UP CHICAGO
CHICAGO, Nov. 19.—Police yester
day arrested four hundred men as a
result of Mayor Dever’s orders to rid
the city of gangsters and gunmen, and
other criminals . The prisoners were
held while about two hundred men and
women looked them over in an endea
vor to identify robbers and other crim
inals.
UNGA GIVES HOWARD
A LARGE MAJORITY
The election returns from Unga
were received yesterday on the
steamer Meteor, which called in at
that port on her way from St. Mi
chael to Seward. The vote shows
that Howard jumped way in the
lead of Council for Territorial sen
ator, and all other candidates on
the Republican ticket received sub
stantial majorities. The vote is as
follows:
For Governor—Cash Cole 38, Bone
3 and Gilmore 1.
For Delegate—Frank Boyle 4, Dan
A. Sutherland 45.
For Attorney General—Henry Ro
den 5, John Rustgard 43.
For Senator—Dr. Council 6, Bart
ley Howard 44.
For Representative—W. J. Bogard
7, John J. Bugge 28, Ben A. Grier
34, Joe Murray 35, A. E. Rucker 8,
Wrn. A. Sherman 15, J. L. Waller 29,
Chas. H. Wilcox 18.
Total votes cast, 52.
MRS. REED ON WAY HOME
Mrs. Frank I. Reed, wife of the
proprietor of the Anchorage Hotel,
who has been visiting in Ohio, Oak
land, Los Angeles and other cities,
has started home and will be a pas
senger north on the steamship Yu
kon it is stated.
The steamship Norhtwestern took
on board a full cargo of halibut at
the San Juan wharf yesterday af
ternoon before sailing, and a large
quantity is still on hand.
FAIRBANKS COUPLE WED
Miss Iris Felicia Bell Hinckley and
Don Maurice Adler were united in
marriage in Fairbanks recently. The
bride is a Fairbanks girl and was edu
cated at the inland metropolis. The
groom is prominent in musical circles
and is also a linotype operator at the
News Miner.
METEOR LEAVES FOR SEATTLE
The steamship Meteor which is
used in towing at St. Michael, arriv
ed in port late Saturday afternoon,
leaving today for Seattle, where she
will have diesel engines installed in
stead of steam, returning to St. Mi
chael in the spring. The Meteor
called in at Uuga on the way down
bringing the election returns.
WOMAN’S CLUB WILL
ENTERTAIN NOTED ARTIST
On Thursday, Nov. 20, from 2:30
to 5 o’clock the Woman’s Club will
hold a public reception at the home
of Mr. and Mrs. Alvah Eames to in
troduce Mr. Von Emple, a distinguish
ed artist, who is visiting in Seward.
Mi-. Von Emple will exhibit several of
his paintings. Tea will be served.
The Woman’s Club wishes to extend
a special invitation to the men of
Seward to meet Mr. Von Emple, who
may locate here with his studio.
GOV’T WILL PLAN
RESERVE CORPS FOR
WOMEN OF COUNTRY
_ i
WASHINGTON, D. C., Nov. 19.—
The War Department has begun the
preliminary study of a plan which
would give American women a place
in all branches of the military service
in case of a future emergency involv
ing a maximum effort. It is believed
the idea may ultimately result in the
creation of a reserve women’s army
corps, formed through voluntary en
listment, as a district branch of the
military service .
REPARATIONS PAYMENTS
MADE BY GERMANY
REACH LARGE TOTAL
BERLIN, Nov. 19.—Germany’s rep
arations payments of goods in kind
during September and October, totall
ed approximately 170,000,000 marks,
according to a report issued by the
Agent General for reparation pay
ments.
AMERICAN LEGION WILL
LAUNCH CAMPAIGN FOR
BENEFIT OF ORPHANS
WASHINGTON, D. C., Nov. 19.—
The American Legion will shortly
launch a campaign t# raise $5,000,000
endowment fund to care for orphan
children of world war veterans and
helpless disabled ex-service men.
STANDARD OIL BUILDS
THIRD DEISEL BOAT
It was learned that following the
satisfactory performance of the two
diesel electric tankers now in oper
ation for the Standard Oil Co. on
the Alaskan service, another vessel
almost identical in size and dimen
sions is being constructed for opera
tion in the coastwise and Hawaiian
Island service of the company. The
new craft is to be called the Ha
waiian Standard, it is said and is
now being constructed at. the Union
Iron Works in San Francisco.
The General Electric Co. of Schen
ectady, New York, has the con
tract for the electrical equipment of
the new vessel which will operate
electrically in all departments pos
sible. Power will be generated by
two 245-kilowat't generators driven
by diesel engines, the make of wrhich
has not yet been announced. The
propelling unit will be a 600-horse
power motor and all winches, pumps,
and other auxiliary machinery will
be electrically powdered.
Practically the only structural dif
ference. between the Hawaiian
Standard and her progenitors in the
service will be the fact that the
propelling unit will be installed in
the extreme after portion of the
hull while the engine room will be
located amidships instead of aft as
in the Standard Service and the
Alaska Standard.
The new addition to the tanker
fleet is expected to be ready for op
eration sometime early next year.
Her carrying capacity is to be al
most identical with that of the two
vessels named above.
REDONDO SAILS WEST
The steamship Redondo sailed last
night for lower inlet points, with a
good load of freight and W. E. Per
ry for Seldovia, and E. Nielson for
Kodiak. The Redondo has given
the residents to the west a good boat
service this season, making a trip each
week, which coupled with the Starr
and Watson placed the westward in
rapid transportation class.
DAN CALLAHAN DEFEATED
Dan Callahan, a member of the last
legislature, was defeated in the
Fourth division this election. Mr.
Callahan was against the literacy
test and many other progressive bills
proposed.
VIOLATES DRY LAW
David Laurence and Ed Lee of Tal
keetna were fined $100 each for vio
lation of the dry law. Lee was given
a suspended sentence of 90 days.
WILL VOTE ON FRANCHISE
The voters of Anchorage will cast
their ballots at the regular election
called for April, for or against a pro
posed franchise to be given a newly
organized light company.
GETS SIX MONTHS
Clarence Peterson, who was ar
rested at Anchorage on a charge of
burglary, plead gulity to having li
quor in his possession and was given
six months in jail. The charge of
burglary was dismissed.
SELDOVIA MAN STARTS DAIRY
Dr. Jensen, of Seldovia, has start
ed a dairy. The big whale which has
been bothering the herring fishermen
for some time has been tamed and
is now furnishing the milk supply
for the town.
I
WIDE BAY OIL MAGNATE
AN ARRIVAL IN SEWARD
Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Lee, of Wide
Bay, one of the original locators in
the oil district, was an arrival on
one of the last boats. Mr. Lee is
heavily interested in oil properties
at Wide Bay and one of the Standard
rigs is now drilling on his property
16 miles out of Kanatak. Mr. Lee
disposed of a one-quarter interest of
this claim recently to Oscar Ander
son, proprietor of several large in
dustries in Anchorage and vicinity,
for a consideration- of $30,000.
Mr. Lee located this claim on the
Pearl Creek Dome in 1920, and filed
upon it in the same year, receiving
his permit from the Land Office in
1921. In August, 1922, the claim was
assigned to the Standard Oil Com
pany, who placed a rig on the ground,
and are now down around 3,000 feet.
The Associated Oil Company is drill
ing on an adjoining claim and indi
cations are that oil will be struck
in commercial quantities. Mr. Lee
has been located on Wide Bay for
some time where he has a number
of horses used in packing in supplies
and used in his private enterprises.
He has great confidence in the dis
trict, and believes that if oil is struck
it must go to the coast by way of
Wide Bay.
Mr. and Mrs. Lee are registered
at the Van Gilder, and will leave on
the Starr for Wide Bay.
EIDER IN PORT
The Bureau of Fisheries boat Eider,
Capt. Andy Beck, a welP known old
timer in command, arrived in Seward
today, and took on fuel and lubricat
ing oil at the Standard dock.
CITY COUNCIL HOLDS MEETING
At the meeting of the city council
last night, Martin Lanning, fire chief,
was given temporary police powers.
A resolution was adopted appoint
ing J. P. Hannon an agent of the city
under Chap. 97, Sec. 45, Ses. Laws of
1923.
No bills were ^passed.
VALUABLE LEAD FOUND
E. J. McCarty, who has been do
ing some prospecting at the head of
Fairbanks creek, during the last few
months, has traced his lead some
distance. A trial assay w*as made
and the gold values were 14.76
ounces of gold; 493.50 silver. Mc
Carty is well pleased with the show
ing and intends to continue the work
during the winter and next spring,
prospect it thoroughly.
RAMPART MAN DIES
Mr. Thomas Evans of Rampart,
died on October 10, according to
word received here from the inte
rior on the last train. He leaves a
wife and nine children. Mr. Evans
had been in Alaska nearly 35 years.
JERSEY FIRE DESTROYS
ERIE RAILROAD DOCKS
JERSEY CITY, Nov. 19.—In the
second large fire within three days the
Erie Railroad piers and much valu
able freight was destroyed at an esti
mated value of $1,500,000.
TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH
FOR MURDER OF WIDOW
MEXICO CITY, Nov. 19.—Two per
sons have been sentenced to death for
the murder of Mrs. Rosalie Evans, the
American-born widow of a British
subject, who was killed last August
near her hiacienda, in the state of
Pueblo.
GERMAN PLANES AND WAR
SUPPLIES SHIPPED AFRICA
LISBON, Nov. 19.—Portuguese gov
ernment officials have found that a
great number of German arms and
ammunition, also airplanes, have been
filtering through the customs lines in
to West Africa and authorities are
guarding against a possible revolu
tionary outbreak.
MAKING EFFORTS TO
BREAK RUM FLEET
ADMINISTRATION BELIEVES IT
CAN END THIS NATIONAL
DISGRACE.
WASHINGTON, D. C., Nov. 18.—
The administration is making every
effort, with the means at its com
mand, to break up the rum fleet off
American shores, and believes it can
end this “national disgrace,” the sec
retary of the treasury declared in
a formal statement embodying the
report of the coast guard covering
operations for the month of October.
The statement announced an in
crease in the number of seizures o£
rum boats had been made.
STUNT AVIATOR KILLED
TULSA, Nov. 19.—Clyde Hordhem,
stunt aviator, was killed when his air
plane crashed from an altitude of one
thousand feet.
CAN FISH FOR HERRING
UNTIL DECEMBER FIRST
An order promulgated by the De
partment of Commerce on \5ctohfr
13, copies which were received here
on th elast boat, adds 30 days to the
herring fishing in Prince William
Sound. Under the regulations issued
last June, herring fishing in the
Prince William Sound area was pro
hibited between January 1 and June
24, and between November 1 and De
cember 31.
The recent order (permits operations
from November 1 to November 30,
thus deferring the beginning of the
closed period until December 1. No
change wras made in the regulations
season beginning November 1 and
lasting until June 24, next year,
order closing the salmon fisheries
The department also modified its
order closing the salmon fisheries in
the Aleutian Islands area in which
salmon fishing was prohibited from
August 26, this year for th< jt-emain
der of the season. Fishing for cohoe
salmon was opened on October 13 for
the rest of the season, the depart
ment announces.
OLDTIMER GOES BLIND
According to word received from
the 12-mile roadhouse, on the Chat
anika-Circle trail, Steve Grady, a
trapper, has gone totally blind. He
will come to Chatanika on the next
mail stage and will probably go Out
side to secure medical treatment. Mr.
Grady was In the States some time
ago, and was told that a cataract
was forming on each eye. However,
it was too early to operate at that
time, and Mr. Grady was told to come
back later.
for the Cook Inlet area, the
JUNEAU HAS HIGH WINDS
A wind storm with a velocity of
64 miles per hour was experienced
at Juneau last week. Windows were
smashed, roofs damaged, fences
blown down and hundreds of dollars
worth of plate-glass destroyed. The
building owned by the Juneau Motoi
Co. was shifted on its foundation anr
two men were injured by flying glass
and shingles.
SITKA MAN IS DROWNED
WHILE SKATING ON LAKE
I
—
Roy Nelson, employed in the \\. T
Mills store at Sitka, was drownet
last week while skating on a smal
lake near that town. Nelson wa
alone at the time, and parties hear
ing his calls for help rushed to th
lake. A man named Beaucham
reached him and was pulled int
' the water, Nelson taking a death gri
j pulling Beauchamp under watei
! When Beauchamp was practically er
hausted, Nelson suddenly release
his hold and sank. Beauchamp read
ed the ice and securing a long pci
brought Nelson’s body to the surfac
where all attempts to resuscitate hit
were futile.
HOWARD LEADING FOR
SENATOR BY HUNDREi
Returns received today from Ung
together with the tabulated vote fro:
the clerk’s office at Valdez sho
that Bartley Howard has gone int
office as Territorial senator by ov<
100 majority, which will undoubte
ly be increased as Westward retun
come in. Mr. Howard is undoubte
ly elected, as the precincts '|pnm
in are so small that the vote wi
make little material change in tl
ballot.
Despite the desperate efforts of tl
Democrats to trade part of their tic
et with the Republicans, Howard h;
won out. It is reported that Mi
ray, Jas. Galen and a number of R
publicans around Cordova support*
Dr .Council, a well known oldtim
for the office.
REPRESENTATIVE SHELDON
IN TOWN FROM FAIRBANF
__m
Robert E. Sheldon, representativ
elect from the Fourth division a
manager of the Richardson Highw
Transportation Company, passed th
Seward yesterday on his way to C(
dova to attend the annual meeting
the Highway company and to ma
plans for next season’s operatioi
Mr. Sheldon reports a very succe:
ful season just passed and states th
all indications point to an increas
tourist travel next year.
Mr. Sheldon states that much act
iity is pianifest in the Fairbanks d
trict considerable ground having be
staked during the past few mont
The Hammon and other interests i
planning extensive mining operatic
next year, and from all indications
wwill be the best yet enjoyed by 1
camp.
---~.£
STEEL RAIL BROUGHT
Thirteen carloads of steel rails
rived no the steamship Northwest*
and were transferred to cars h>
yesterday. The rails were of 1
75-pound type if is said.