Tanana
One Dollar Per Month.
TANANA, ALASKA, THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 1910.
Two Bits Per Copy
A. B. SMOKER
AFFORDS FUN
The lodgeronm of Cnmp C.iblw
No. 25, A B was cro-.' tied 1 st
Monday night with members and
invited friend' who assembled t<
enjoy a smoker, anil everyone cer
iainlv bad a splendid time Sev
eral card tables were kept busy by
lovers of w hist and m>1o, and good
singers and enteitaiuers were it
fine vnii-e and humor. Shortly
after the fun commenced it
was discovered that there were
several fine step dancers in the
party, and they were g’ven loud ap
p’ause. Plenty of lunch was served,
accompanied by a bounteous sup
ply of liquid refreshments.
The camp will give a social ball
at the hall n xt Wf-dne-day night
COMMISSIONER
GETS JACKING UP
According to the Fairbanks News
Minor of Dec. 2S, District Attorney
< rosslev has written a letter to United
States Commissioner Fred Bruhn a!
Kichmoud, in the Iditarod country,
criticising him for releasing Felix
jJoucher, who last November killed
< ius’.afson 03 Willow creek. Mr. Cross
ley tells Brnlin that he should not have
aelea-ed Boucher: that it is not within
the province of a commissioner to de
cide in a case of this kind as to the
guilt or innocence of the accused. This
was a question for the grand jury, Mr.
Cros'lty wrote, and in future cases the
cotnruUsioner should hold a man over
to tiiw grand jury where the evidence
is sufficient, as was clearly so in the
Boucher case.
Jt would appear that Mr. Crossley's
jacking up might be somewhat per
plexing to an official in Bruhn’s posi
tion. Should he, in the exercise of h s
duties as coroner, after summoning a
jury and investigating a case, find an
accused person not biameable, still,
as magistrate, under instructions from
the district attorney, he would be
required to disregard his own action
as coroner. Thus Coroner Bruhn and
Commissioner Bruhn might get at log
gcrlmads one with the other. If they
shoukl get excited and conclude to
‘‘shoot it out,” how would the district
attorney decide which killed the other?
Would he call it suicide or homicide?
At all events, it does not appear that
Boucher’s discharge will result in any
thing more serious than the saving of
a lot of expense to the government and
of bother and loss to a few witnesses.
He went through Tanana recently on a
self-imposed journey to Fairbanks,
there to await such action as may be
taken against him. It is said the dis
trict attorney will present the matter
to the next grand jury.
RESIGNATION
OF CLERK MACK
Fairbanks. Dec. 30.—The resignation
of District Clerk E. H. Mack, while
effective Jan. 1 primarily, cites “or
until tnv successor shall have quali
fied," and in view of this it is possible
that Judge Overfield, regularly ap
|K>inted to this division, may not name
a successor until some time later in
the month. It is unsettled just when
Judge Overfield will come to Fair
banks, and from advices received by
Judge Lyons it may be late in the
ooming spring.
Bob Boebao Not li Yet
Dp to noon today Bob Buchan, the
old reliable mail musher between
Tanana and the Koyukuk, had not ar
rived. He is generally in port by the
12th of the month. If the weather
for the past two weeks can be taken as
a pointer it is pretty certain that he is
having a strenuous trip.
Bath*—luxurious—Wednesdays and
Saturday*—Williams’ new barber shop
HOTEL ARRIVAL8
Kentucky Restaurant — J. C
Murphy, A. H. Hanson, Fair
banks; H. A. Stockman, city; Will
McMullen; G. P. Sproule, steamer
White Seal.
The Leader is on sale at the Tanana
foatofflee lobby.
Washington, Jan. 10.--President Taft and the admin
istration are working strenuously for the immediate repeal
of the Sherman Jaw, to anticipate the action of the United
States supreme court in the case of the Standard Oil Com
pany. The President fears that the dissolution of the
Standard Oil Company, which will probably be ordered by
the court, will hurt business throughout the United States,
and he seeks the Sherman law’s repeal to beat the courts
to it. .
In the matter of branding liquors, President Taft has
reversed the policy of ex-President Roosevelt in that regard'
President Taft, because the drinking of liquor in
creases his avoirdupois, which is now entirely sufficient,
drinks no wines or liquors. Being on the water wagon, all
booze looks alike to him, and he has ordered that all whis
key must be so branded that the people who throw it into
them for purposes, of future disturbances shall know just
what kind of trouble-breeding stuff they are drinking—
that whiskey is whiskey, whether it be called Peruna or
Old Crow.
©@neiav® of interior A- B. Camps!
Fairbanks, Jan. 12.—The grand conclave of the Taiy
ana Valley and Upper Yukon Arctic Brotherhood camps
will be held in Fairbanks in the early part of March.
As had been expected the Arctic Brotherhood at its
last meeting unanimously adopted the plan for the conven
tion which was recommended by the special committee, ap
pointed for the purpose by Arctic Chief Parkin. 'The com
mittee-consisting of Joseph R. Mathews, George W. Pen
nington and Edgar Wiekersliam—recommended that the
conclave be held here iir-March for the purpose of taking
some definite stand on the question of whether grand camps
should be held in the future below fifty-four-forty, and also
on several other important questions on which there is at
present a difference of opinion.
It is the intention at this convention to have a three
days'session, one day to be devoted to business matters,
the second to a ladies’ night, and the third to a smoker for]
the Arctic Brothers.
The plan fora convention was suggested by the Cleary
[camp. The Cleary camp will work in conjunction with the
special committee to arrange the details of the convention.
In all, nine camps, it is expected, will participate in the
conclave. They are Fairbanks, Chena, Cleary, Vault, Fort
Gibbon, Dome, Circle, Hampart and Hot Springs.
Territorial diiife Rapidly Growing
At Valdez an organization known as the Alaska Territorial
Club has been formed, the objects of which are to advance the
interests of Alaska and particularly to indorse and aid our delegate
to congress in his efforts toward securing a territorial form • »
government for Alaska. Two days’canvass resulted in the placing
of 400 names on the roll.
The originators of the movement propose to enlist the services
of active workers in other towns of Alaska and to organize a cam
paign as wide as the territory. The pian is to secure publicity for
the demand for territorial government through the press and by
personal appeals to members of congress. Charles G- Ganty, the
secretary, writes that the membership of the club is growing every
day. “It seems only necessary to state our objects and practically
every man approached is willing to join,” he says. “Every mem
ber signs his name under our statement of purposes, in duplicate.
One set of signatures we forward 1o Judge Wickersham, thus ena
blingr him to show the people in Washington how many there
really are in Alaska who desire home rule. We are also writing
individual letters and sending various forms of literature to differ
ent senators and congressmen. We are giving all possible pub
licity to the movement, both through the press of Alaska and that
of the States. We are sending a representative of the movement
to Washington, that he may personally interview as many of our
legislators as possible and help and assist Judge Wickersham to
the best of his ability, and, in fact, to do everything he can towards
bringing to light the true sentiment of Alaska on the question or
territorial government and fhe many reasons why we should
have it.”
There are no rules formulated for the conduct of the various
branches of the organization, except that they have the same ob
jects in view and stand ready to act with the parent body as a
unit upon matters calling for a general declaration.
FRANK MANLEY’S TEXAS TROUBLES WILL SOON BE ENDED
The grand jury of Schleicher county, Texas, has been dis
charged without returning an indictment against Frank G. Manley,
the magnate of Hot Springs and Fairbanks, in connection with the
alleged killing of a Mexican there some years ago, according to a
letter received in Fairbanks, says a Fairbanks paper. No explana
tion is given as tc why the grand jury failed to take action more
immediately after the killing was supposed to have occurred.
There is understood to be a ease now on trial against Mr.
Manley wherein he stands indicted for perjury in connection with
the killing of a donkey by a railroad train, the allegation being
that the defunct donkey was represented to be a valuable imported
jack in a claim for damages against the road. The information is
that the evidence in this case is so flimsy that there is every prob
ability of an acquittal.
DISTRICT ATTORNEY MAY BE GRANTED SEVERAL ASSISTANTS
There is a prospect that there will yet be favorable action on
the recommendation by District Attorney J. J. Cross ley, first made
to the department of justice last summer, that additional assistant
attorneys be provided for tnis judicial division. Mr. Crossley has
asked for three additional assistants—one for Fairbanks, one for
Tanana, and one for the Iditarod country. He has received word
from Attorney General Wickersbam that an appropriation will be
asked for to provide salaries for the assistants, but until the ap
propriation is favorably acted upon by congress nothing can be
done in the matter.
This judicial division is the largest in Alaska and has the
greatest number of criminal cases, yet there is but one assistant
| district attorney in tho division. The division in which Valdez is
j included has two as istants. in the Nome division three and in the
| Juneau division there are two. In 1906 there were fcur assistants
! attached to the Fairbanks district, while there is now but one.
JAP WADA BELIEVES THE STORY OF THE LOST CABIN MINE
(From the Cordova Alaskcn, Dec. 3.)
A short chunk of a man, with a clear olive skin, rather dark
Oriental eyes, a good-sized head and jet black hair, walked into
the North Star office yesterday. He was Jujiro Wada, the famous
musher of the Northland, on his way to the Iditarod via Seward.
Wada estimates that he has mushed 26,000 miles in Alaska
and the Canadian Yukon. He has been in unknown corners of the
Northland where likely no human beiug ever set foot.
He expects to secure a dog team and outfit at Seward. He is
not employed by the Seward Commercial Club, but the trail being
new and much shorter, he desires to go that way and may arrange
to mark it for the Seward people. If the trail is as good a route
as represented, he will return at once to Seward. Otherwise he
will remain inside.
Close questioning brought out the fact that Jap Wada has a
ruling passion. He believes the story of the lost cabin mine. He
has made four trips to the Mackenzie and Firth rivers in search of
it, and he says the map drawn by the dying man in Chicago who
had $2n,000 said to be taken from the North, showed the owner
familiar with that section of the Northland.
Robertson, who headed a large party for the legendavy mine,
died three years ago in Fairbanks.. Mrs. Robertson, his widow, is
still there, and VVada says she has spent all of her fortune looking
for the mine. She has one copy of the map and there is another
at Fort Gibbon. He says he does not talk much about the matter,
for people seem skeptical when maps, lost mines, etc., are men
tioned; but he believes that the mine exists and is fully as rich as
reported. He said it would require about $10,000 or $12,000 to
look for it right, with any hope of success, and that sum, of course,
is not easy to secure, especially for lost mines up in the great
Northland. Every time he gets enough means ahead for a grub
stake he makes a dash in that direction, but he admits that only a
blind chance will give him success, for more than one season is
needed to carry on the search. x
VVada was born in southern Japan. He has visited all parts
of the world while serving on vessels- He was with whalers in the
Arctic as cabin boy and, and mushed to Dawson over the White
pass during the first gold excitement. He is 35 years old.
HEARING NEXT
WEDNESDAY
The preliminary hearing of Mr.
and Mrs. Tom Rockwell, charged
with complicity in the murder of
Charles J. Smith and the shooting
of diaries Chanquist, has been
postponed to December 19 in order
that they may secure the attendance
of counsel from Fairbanks. Leroy
Tozier, the well known attorney of
that city, is expected to start for
Tanat.a today and to arrive hereon
the mail stage next Tuesday. It
lias been thought probable that
either District Attorney J. J. Cross
ley or his assistant, Cecil H. Clegg,
would come down to represent the
government at the hearing, hut up
to last night no notification of such
intention on the part of either of
them had been received here.
HANSON TOOK
WITNESS CRAIG
Deputy Marshal A. H. Hanson
left for Fairbanks on the mail stage
last Saturday, having in charge
Fred Craig, the witness who had
skipped from Fairbanks and hit the
trail for the Iditarod. It is said
that Mr. Craig claimed he had
been entrusted with a very impor
tant business commission in the
Iditarod, and, as lie had been de
tained for a long time in Fairbanks
on his own expense, he concluded
to depart and take chances on
being apprehended and carried
back, fl»wing that in such case
the government would be obliged
to pay for iiis keep till lie was given
his liberty.
Home Rule for Haines
Skagvyay Alaskan, Dec. 6: The
action of Judge Cushman in grant
ing Haines the right to vote on in
corporation will meet with the com
mendation of all Alaskans, and it
now remains for Haines to demon
stratr that Ala-kans are capable of
self-government as far as their town
is concerned.
Wherever municipal government
has been applied in Alaska it bas
worked out to the very best advan
tage and while dissension has oc
curred there has never been charges
of graft against those bolding office.
Haines has abundant resources
and enterprising citizens, and with
the power to handle their own af
fairs will soon take a prpminent
part in the development of this
great empire.
Fine New Fixtures
Acting under the impulse of
the moment, Jack Cavanaugh,
on Friday last, removed the old
bar and backbar from the Gibbon
saloon, placed them in storage,
purchased fine Outside lumber,
and now has “John the Boat
Builder” constructing new fix
tures that will be beautiful and
serviceable. “Old Hoss G'avy”
is determined to keep right up
with bandwagon when it comes
to making improvements.
Died at Mission
Silver, a well-known native,
died at the Mission hospital last
Sunday morning of pneumonia,
after an illness lasting but four
days.
He was one of the most robust
natives in this part of the terri
tory. He leaves a wife and two
children.
CLEAN AND REFRESHING
BATHS
All Hours Wednesdays and Saturdays
—AT—
Williams' New Barter Shop
Front St., Tanana.