Miners & Merchants Bank
IDITAROD, ALASKA
Capital, $50,000.00
General Banking Business Transacted Gold Dust Bought and Assayed
Drafts Issued on Any Part of the World
SEATTLE CORRESPONDENT: SCANDINAVIAN AMERICAN BAN!
OFFICERS:
CHAS. ROSS. President
JOHN HOLMES, Cashier
R. C. BUTTON, Asst. Cashier
MERCHANTS CAFE
Caters to Large and Small Parties
PRIVATE DINING ROOMS
Popular Prices Everything First Class
CHAS. E. MILLER, PROP.
...A
SPEAKER CHAMP CLARK
OFFERS AFFRONT TO BRYAN
Missouri Still Bitter Toward Man Who Made
H/s Nomination by Democratic
Convention Impossible
• Wasghington, Jan. 20.—Speaker Champ
Clark caused a stir in Democratic circles to
day when he declined an invitation to a
dinner because Secretary Bryan had accept
ed a similar invitation! Clark made no ef
fort to conceal his reason for not attending,
but declined promptly and positively when
informed that the secretary of state would
be there.
SOUNDS FAMILIAR
Judge Charles Kthelbert Claypool writes
to an “unknown but unsuspected friend"
as follows:
“I appreciate very much your kindly
comments in ‘Seattle Day by Day’ of this
date. It is certainly a pleasure to me to
have anyone remember the reports of what
Silver Dick Warner called the “allied f >rces
of reform.’ ‘Them was the happy days.’ I
came to Puget sound in 1SS7. Frank
Cushman did not arrive until 1891. He
came almost directly to my office, and the
firm was Claypool A Haight, my partner
being Hon. James A. Haight, now of Seat
tle. He worked for us six months and was
then taken into the firm. When Mr. Haight
became assistant attorney general under
W. C. Jones, his place in our firm was
taken by Edward E. Cushman, now federal
judge, and the firm was Claypool, Cushman
A Cushman. This continued until Frank
Cushman went to congress and I became
assistant United States attorney. Also you
have lost sight of my late sobriety, as the
letterhead here will indicate. Since ‘coming
to the silk’ I have not been seen to smile,
xcept privately and among old friends.” -
Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Follow the people.
Where ?
To Wellville.
What system will I take?
Why, the Crosby system.
The light is fine for dog team photos.
See Clemons A Koon for all kinds of por
trait and view work.
Job Printing at Pioneer office.
BLAME FOR COPPER STRIKE
IS PLACED ON OPERATORS
Official Report of Department of Labor
Says That Demands of the Miners
Are Reasonable and Just
Washington, Jan. 10. The burden of
responsibility for the disorders which have
taken place in the Michigan copper belt
since the commencement of the strike in
that region has been placed upon th shoul
ders of the mine owners in an official re
port which was given to the public today
by the department of labor.
The report, which was compiled by rep
resentatives of the labor department after
a thorough investigation of conditions in
the strike region, declares that the demand
of the copper miners for an increase in
wages is entirely justified and that the op
erators are well able to meet the demand,
inasmuch as the mines are paying large
profits.
Regarding the importation of strike-break
ers, the report says that they were secured
through misrepresentation, and that some
of them, after learning the truth and re
fusing to go to work, were forced into the
mines at the points of revolvers in the
hands of hired thugs of the companies.
The mine guards are also blamed for
starting most- of the disturbances with the
strikers.
NO AID FROM CONGRESS
TO STAiGHTEN MUDDLE
Alaska Must Provide Means for Collection
of Taxes Without Aid of Federal
Officials
Washington. Jan. 12. -Chairman Houston
of the house committee on territories has
announced that it is very unlikely that con
gress will pass any legislaton to assist
Alaska in collecting her taxes. Congress
man Houston said that the opinion of At
torney Gneeral McRevnolds had been sought
on the subject, and that he believed that
the Alaska legislature had exceeded its au
thority in prescribing rules for federal offi
cers or in attempting to use them for col
lecting territorial taxes, and that the terri
tory would have to find other means for
collection of her taxes.
We love to make baby pictures.
Clemons & Koon.
HO WDY, PAP !
The Loyal Order of Moose is now in all the principal camps of Alaska and \ ukon
territories, and Iditarod is to enjoy the same distinction shortly.
The Moose is acknowledged to be the fastest-growing and most popular order in
the world—700,000 members in over 1,500 lodges scattered from Nome to Panama and
from Berlin to Manila—and only 25 years old.
All the members enjoy all the privileges of every Moose club house anywhere, and
the International Home University, where indigent Moose widows and orphans are cared
for, and Moose children given a college education absolutely free.
The lodge provides free medical attention for each member and his family, weekly
lick benefits when unable to work, funeral benefit in case of death, etc.
Charter initiation fee is 810, and covers all coat of joining. Dues are only 813 a
year, and no assessments
All interested should send their names and addresses to Basil Clemons, district
director Loyal Order of Moose, at Clemons A Koon's studio, corner Wickersham and Front
street®, Flat City. , .
Basil Clemons, the deputy organizer for this district, is daily expecting the arrival
of Mr. Johnson, the regular organizer, from Seward peninsula, where he has been very
successful in ogranizing and instituting lodges of the popular order.
Mr. Clemons experienced little difficulty in securing far more than the requisite
number of charter members, and it is almost a certainty that the new lodge of Moose
to be organized in this district will be one of the largest in the North.
■ ■ B Gold St., Flat City
I IIP C-5 J-58 V|| Mrs. Swanson, Prop.
I IIO I Cwl I Wi Dining Room Now Open
Nicely Furnished Rooms Barn for Horses and Dogs Baths in Connection
Optimo, Lovera - Joan do Fuca
NEW SUPPLY OF BUDWEISER BEER
GRAND JURY REPORT
REJECTED BY COURT
Judge Fuller Creates Sensation at Fairbanks by Action Said to Be
Without Precedent—Discharged Jurors Send Communi
cation to Attorney General McReynolds—District
Attorney Crossley Cause of Rumpus
(Fairbanks Times, Jan. 23)
Although many people expected that the
final report of the grand jury would contain
many startling recommendations and find
ings, almost no one, unless it were the mem
bers of the jury themselves or the court
officials, expected to see what took place
when Judge F. E. Fuller rejected the report
offered yesterday and dismissed the grand
jury from further service. Yesterday morn
ing, during the trial of the case of the
United States vs. Harry Jordan, the grand
jurors were allowed to interrupt the pro
ceedings while they offered their final re
port.
Before the report was read or presented
to the court, District Attorney Crossley re
quested Judge Fuller to order the grand
jury to strike out certain parts of the re
port relating to matters over which, he
claimed, the body had no jurisdiction. In
his statement to the court he said that the
report reflected upon the integrity of cer
tain officers of the court, was unworthy
of this or any other grand jury, and fur
thermore, that part of it was an absolute
untruth.
Judge Fuller thereupon excused the grand
jury until 1 o’clock, so that he might have
a chance to read over the report before
passing upon the question of its admissi
bility to the record. When court convened
at the afternoon session the court stated
'that he was of the opinion that the grand
jury had gone beyond its powers in cer
tain matters. He ordered the members to
turn to their chamber then and expunge ,
certain parts of the report which were noted
by the court, and rejxjrt again at 5 o ’clock.
At 5 o’clock the grand jury returned i
into court again with the objectionable sec- !
tions marked out with ink, but with a j
preface to the document stating that the or- !
der was complied with under protest. Dis -
trict Attorney Crossley arose and stated that
he would like to be heard on the subject,
and asked the court to order the clerk to
cut out the objectionable parts with a scis
sors. or to dismiss the grand jury without
accepting any report whatever.
During the time that the district attorney I
was talking the court indicated that he did
not care to hear the prosecutor upon the !
subject, and, without further comment, re j
turned the report to the investigators with
an order discharging them from further
service.
The action of the court in dismissing the
grand jurors without receiving their report
is the only case of the kind on record in
Alaska. A similar case occurred in San
Francisco, however, when a jury criticized
the head of the department of justice for
his attitude in certain cases.
During the time the local jurors were
deliberating over the instructions of the
court yesterday afternoon they adopted a
resolution instructing one of their number
to apprise the attorney general of the en
tire proceedings and to provide a copy of
the communication for the use of the news
papers of Fairbanks. The communication i
was mailed last night, and the copy referred
to for the use of the press is as follows:
Copy of Communication
“Fairbanks, Alaska, Jan. 22, 1014.
“The Honorable the Attorney General of
the United States:
“By resolution adopted by the grand jury
of the Fourth division of the Territory of
Alaska I have been instructed to forward
to you for your information a copy of the
report of the grand jury' which was pre
sented to the district court January' 22,
1914, and which the court, upon motion
of District Attorney Crossley, refused to
receive.
“The inclosed, without any marks or
erasures, was the report originally present
ed at 11 a. m. January 22. At that time,
before the report could be read, Mr. Cross
ley, the district attorney, appeared and
moved that certain portions of the report
which he said were untrue and reflected
on certain officers of the court, be stricken
out.
“The court took the same under advise
ment and instructed the grand jury to re
turn to the court at 1 p. m. for further
instructions.
"At 1 o’clock the jury appeared in court
and the court gave the jury the instruc
tions which are inclosed herewith and
marked 'Exhibit A.’
“The grand jury was then instructed to
retire and further consider their report, and
.to report again at 5 p. m.
“The grand jury then retired and, in ac
cordance with the directions of the court,
crossed out those portions of the report
which were marbed by the court, and
prefaceed the same with the following state
ment, to w'it:
“ ‘We submit under protest the following
report, as ordered by the judge of this
court, with pen lines drawn through the
sections as indicated by his honor’s marginal
notes.’
‘The report thus amended was returned
into court at 5 p. m, Mr, Crossley there
upon again moved that if the report had
not been corrected as the court had or
dered. it should not be received.
“The court examined the report submit
ted, refused to receive and fde the same, re
turned it to the foreman of the grand jury
and discharged the grand jury.
“The copy herewith inclosed is one of
the copies signed by the whole grand jury
except the foreman, who, it is understood,
was appointed as such at the instance ol
Mr. Crossley.
“Very respectfully yours,
“THOMAS E. WINECOFF,
“Chairman of Committee on Final Report.”
The sections in brackets are those which
were objected to by the court:
The Report
“We, the grand jury for the November,
1913, term of the district court, duly con
vened at Fairbanks, Alaska, on the 17th
day of November, 1913, beg to submit the
following report:
“We have investigated 54 cases and pre
sentments, have examined 379 witnesses,
have found 21 true bills against 14 persons,
and 17 not true bills.
“We particularly deplore the fact that
some of the commissioners send up so many
petty or doubtful cases to the grand jury,
not only adding immensely to unnecessary
expenses of the district court, but in many
cases on such charges, in proportion to the
scanty evidence, that a conviction is impos
sible, and the offender, even when in real
ity guilty, goes entirely unwhipped of jus
tice; whereas a trial on a lesser charge be
fore the commissioner himself, and in the
locality where the offense occurred, w'ould
have resulted in a conviction and a nearer
approach to justice. We recommend to the
commissioners and to the district attorney
that, whenever possible, the charge be re
duced, so as to bring it within the juris
diction of a commissioner’s court, and be
tried in the locality where the crime is al
leged to have been committed.
“IThe simple fact that one witness was
called before this grand jury, at an ex
pense sufficient to meet the entire expenses
of this whole grand jury for 11 days, and
then proved to know nothing whatever
bearing on the case, and to have so in
formed the commissioner at the preliminary
hearing, is sufficient commentary on the
present management of such cases; as also
the fact that witnesses’ fees and deputies’
traveling expenses in two other cases heard
by the last grand jury at Ruby, Alaska,
amounted to more than .$18,000, while it
took the trial jury 11 minutes to bring in
a verdict of not guilty in one case and seven
minutes for a verdict of not guilty in the
other case. Five cases, in no one of which
there was a possibility of conviction, cost
for witnesses' fees and deputies’ traveling
expenses alone nearly $32.000; while an
other case, involving the accidental death
of two Indian dogs, valued at $25 each, cost
$1,300.]
“A set salary for every commissioner,
such as to be worth the consideration of a
competent man, instead of the present fee
system, might seem at first sight a great
added expense; but would result not only
in securing more competent men and a
more efficient administration of justice, but
would also, beyond all doubt, bring a net
saving amounting to tens of thousands of
dollars a year in this division.
“[With all proper respect, but with all
possible emphasis, we recommend to his
honor, the judge of this Fourth division,
that he remove the commissioners at Hot
Springs, Fort Yukon and Chandlar.]
“We recommend, after investigation of
the district attorney's office, an extra as
sistant, in order to allow more thorough
examination of reports and cases coming
before this office. [During the present term
of the district court a large number of
witnesses have been subpoenaed and ap
peared before the grand jury, many of
whom have known nothing or little of im
portance concerning the things about which
they were called to testify. Large sums of
money have been thus uselessly expended,
which expenditures would have been obvi
ated had the district attorney’s office been
properly informed concerning the merits of
'the cases presented to the grand jury. Fur
thermore, the practice of calling witnesses
indiscriminately, without knowing whether
they have knowledge of any of the facts
in the case in which they are called, has
wmrked great and needless hardships upon
witnesses who have been subpoenaed from
long distances, involving them and the gov
ernment in needless financial loss, without
being of the slightest assistance to the gov
ernment in the prosecution of the cases in
which they were called. The practice of
instituting criminal investigations or prose
cutions upon the report of persons who
seek to hide their identity and to avoid the
responsibility of a witness, and the inclina
tion of the district attorney to encourage
such procedures, in our opinion, in no w'ay
comports with the proper administration of
justice nor the economical administration of
the business of the court. An able and ef
ficient administration of the district attor
Ball Band K,ubber Boots and Pacs |||| N. C. Co. Sole Agents for Alaska
I BIG g
- REDUCTIONS »
5 ix a
1 Prices | I
J ORANGES [
i $8.00 CASE \
Ball Band Rubber Boots and Pacs |||| N. C. Co. Sole Agents for Alaska ||1|
ney’s office would obviate the conditions to
which we have called attention, and pro
mote the administration of justice in this
division. ]
“We have examined the marshal’s office
and the jail and found them conducted in
! a satisfactory manner.
“We recommend to the office of the clerk
! of the court the prompt collection of all
license money, and it is the judgment of
this body that there has been a discrimina
1 tion in the collection of hotel and lodging
house licenses, and that the matter should
receive immediate attention, so that no mis
takes will occur in the future.
“[We have examined into the condi
tion and management of the various munici
pal offices of the town of Fairbanks, and find
that they are conducted in an efficient and
satisfactory manner. The public schools are
conducted in an efficient manner by the
present principal and staff of teachers, and
we recommend that the present standard
of efficiency be maintained. Also we find
that the Graehl school needs a new heating
apparatus.]
“We agree with the former grand jury
that a meat inspector should be appointed,
and also we recommend the appointment of
a veterinary surgeon.
“The grand jury, after careful investiga
tion, respectfully recommends that the gov
ernment acquire a suitable site and build a
permanent, modern, fireproof federal build
ing thereon, with ample accommodations
for all federal officials, also accommodations
for the postoffice. This recommendation is
made after a careful investigation of the
present court house and jail.
“This grand jury, upon investigation, has
found that the Fairbanks court house was
erected in 1906, directly after the fire that
destroyed the town, and the building was
one of the ‘rush buildings’ erected at that
time. Proper foundations w'ere never laid,
the foundation timbers being laid directly
on the ground, and have rotted away.
“If the present building is not replaced
by a new one, the entire foundation will
have to be replaced immediately. Consid
erable expense will be necessary to place the
roof in proper condition; also a new sky
light will be required for the district at
torney's office.
“There is not sufficient room for toilets
in the building.
“The federal jail is even worse than the
court house. The foundations and the floor,
being laid directly on the ground, are prac
tically rotted out.
“Upon careful examination of the dis
trict attorney’s, clerk of court’s, marshal’s,
commissioner’s, and the land office, in this
federal building, we find them all cramped
for room to transact their business in a
proper manner and safely. Insufficient
vault room for safekeeping of records and
important papers and books. They are con
sequently in danger of destruction by fire.
The wooden building is considered a fire
trap and a menace to the town of Fair
banks. There is no room in the building
where a grand jury can transact its busi
ness with the privacy necessary to its de
liberations. It becomes a matter of prime
importance to the government to consider
immediately the construction of a new fed
eral building for the economical and effi
cient transaction of federal business in the
town of Fairbanks, Alaska.
“We recommend that a certified copy of
this report be sent to the chairmen of the
committees on territories of the senate and
house of representatives, and to the chair
men of the public buildings committee, all
in Washington, D. C.
“We respectfully submit the above.
“Dated at Fairbanks, Alaska, on the 22d
day of February, 1914.”
The report is signed by Harry T. Mac
Lean, secretary; C. T. Hinckley, E. W. Grif
fin, Thomas E. Winecoff, G. E. Holmes, F.
B. Bailey, Bernard Friss, 0. D. Fisher,
Thomas G. King, H. A. Mudge, E. A. Suter,
Mark Manson, 0. J. Soreboe, Ralph T. Ku
bon, J. W. Raymond, ’Gene Huckins, D.
Fairburn and A. J. Godske.
JOHN HOLMES IN SEATTLE
“We are looking for a big season in the
Iditarod next year,” said John Holmes,
manager of the Miners and Merchants' Bank
of Iditarod, at the Frye yesterday. “We
will have two dredges in operation in that
district in the spring, instead of one, as
4n the past,” he said. “Last season was
very bad throughout the district owing to
the unusually dry weather, but we hope
to make up for lost time next year.” Mr.
Holmes is out for the winter, and will spend
■the greater part of his time in Seattle.—
Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
“SAILOR” TOM SHARKEY
FINALLY COUNTED OUT
Famous Fighter and Sporting Character
Meets Death From the Effects of
a Blow on the Head
Santa Rosa, Cal., Jan. 18.—Sailor Shar
key, saloonproprietor of New York city,
and again trying to establish the fact that
in spite of his years he could contest for
ring honors with the younger generation of
fighters, died here today following a 20
round bout in a sporting club. Sharkey
received a blow on the head at the end of
the twentieth round wherein, according to
patrons of the place, he showed much of his
old steam and stayng power, and staggering
to the floor, he became unconscious, and
remained so until death came.
Physicians were immediately called and
declared that the man was suffering from
compression of the brain. He was taken
to the hospital for treatment, but he sank
so rapidly that it was impossible to operate,
as the surgeons intended to do. It is stated
that the blow inflicted on Sharkey burst a
blood vessel on the brain, which, pressing
down, caused paralysis and unconsciousness.
It is reported that warrants have been is
sued for all the principals of the contest.
Sharkey was formerly in the United States
navy. He was born in County Louth, Ire
land, and had a series of notable triumphs
in the ring, the majority of which were
owing far more to his savage endurance and
stamina than to any real fistic skill or ac
tivity of foot wrork. His fight with Jef
fries practically closed his career, for al
though the much bigger and weightier
champion failed to knock him out, he pun
ished Sharkey so terribly that he was never
the same man afterward. It is said Sharkey
had one ambition, and that was to meet
Jack Johnson before he died, which notion
he persisted in, in spite of the ridicule of
his friends.
HANK SOMERS. OLD PIONEER.
GOES TO GREAT BEYOND
Man Well Known in North, One of the
Stampeders to the Klondike,
Dies at Whitehorse
(Dawson News, December 2)
A telegram received today by the Yukon
Order of Pioneers announces the death in
Whitehorse of Hank Somers, one of the
old-time Yukoners. Hany was member No.
159 on the roll of the Pioneers. Instructions
were sent by the officers of the lodge today
to have the remains buried at Whitehorse
with due honors.
Hank Somers came into the Yukon in
the days when Klondike was unknown, and
was at Fortvmile, Circle and elsewhere
along the river. He joined the stampede to
Dawson, nad got in on Eldorado.
Leaving Dawson with a fortune, he had
bad luck Outside, and returned North. Two
years ago he went to the Kluane. Recently
he visited the coast again, and a few days
ago was in Whitehorse preparing to go to
the Chisana via Kluane.
Mutton, slightly damaged—good dog
feed—10c pound. Iditarod Meat Co
Location Notices at Pioneer office.
“Ruby looks pretty good to me. and 1
am going to stay for some time,” said Dan
McCarty, returning stampeder from the
Marshall diggings. McCarty and Harry
Stockman stampeded from Fairbanks to the
lower river “discovery” over the first ice
last fall, they having just come out from the
Chisana strike. McCarty now believes that
in the Ruby district is to be found as good
a chance as in any part of Alaska. Every
place in which he stopped or passed through
during his travels is quiet, and Ruby has
the advantage of being a new and more
promising camp.
“Well, at any rate, I am here to stay for
some time to come,” said Dan, who started
for Long creek early Thursday morning.
* * ■*
Harry Stockman pulled into town last
night from the lower river “find,” and wall
now settle down among his old tillicums in
Ruby, after a season of mushing. He states
that people are leaving the Marshall dig
gings as fast as they can, as nothing has
been found up to date.
“Every outfit operating near the head of
Trail creek is working in money." is the
report George Apple brings in from there
Mr. Apple spent several days on Trail creek,
returning home the first of the week, and
says as far as he could see the boys working
on Trail are all well satisfied with their
holdings and are hoisting or preparing to
hoist pay dirt.
From a letter received here from Oliver
Anderson the information is gleaned that
Charley Wordn is on Poorman creek, look
ing the situation over. He and his partner
had been prospecting near Takotna before
coming to Poorman creek.
tt*
Commissioner E. Coke Hill left Friday
afternoon for a dying business trip to Fair
banks. Coke says he will burn the trail
when he gets under way with his flyers.
Oh, why be sick when it is 60 easy to
get well?
All you have to do is to step down to
the Crosby Massage and Bath Parlors and
take the Crosby system to Wellville.
THE FINEST
WINES AND LIQUORS
SERVED AT
BACOY’S SALOON
DISCOVERY, OTTER
Best of Everything
ALL THE TIME AT THE
Stanley Cafe
FLAX CITY
Open Day and Night
CLEMONS & KOON
Portrait and View
Photographers
| FLAT CITY_
GRAND BAR N0THINfi BBT TBE BEST
-t ^,tv The Place to Meet
FLAT LI IT __ _ . .
Nels Clantz. Prop._VOUT FtiendS_
NICELY FURNISHED ROOMS BY DAY OR WEEK
Warm, Clean Well Ventilated
OPEN DAY AND NIGHT
tup nonoov Massase and
I Hi UnUuD I Bath Parlors
MEDICATED, MINERAL VAPOR, STEAM, BFfr_
TUB, SALT AND FRESH WATER Dg&LllO
Caribou St., Bet, Black and Willow Sts., on Waterfront
Electric and Faradic Massage Treatments by Expert Attendants
Lighted by Gas Heated by Steam