OLD PROSPECTOR
TAKES OWN LIFE
“I Know It’s Wrong for a Man to Take his
Life, but I Take this Step to End Dis
tress,” Says Fred Mattfeldt.
HIS FAREWELL LETTER
Tanana, Alaska, December 16, 1910.
£irs—As 1 am sick and have been ever since last June and am not able to
work any longer, I have therefore taken this step to end my distress.
I know it is not right for a man to take his own life as lie will be consid
ered insane, but in my case the true conditions are as I have stated above.
I had some money borrowed but have paid all my debts which leaves me
now in poor circumstances. Some money will be found in my clothes and I
have a little coming to me for what wood I cut for Mr. J. Dehn. Yes, and I
am sorry that I cant cut some more.
Now will you, kind sirs, please use your influence with the citizens of
Tanana and see that this poor unfortunate prospector is buried, as I have
never done anything great you can believe me I have never done no man a )
wilful harm. Wishing all a Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year. >
T. 11. MATTFELDT, Tanana.
Driven to desperation by long suffer
ing from illness, T. H. Mattfeldt, a well
known miner and prospector, sent a
bullet through his brain, on Second ave.,
Friday afternoon last week.
Placing the muzzle of the revolver
against his right temple lie fired, the
steel-jacketed missile piercing the brain
and coming out near his left ear.
Death was instantaneous, and when
C. H. Shade and Mrs. Hattie Gilmore,
who were near, rushed to where he lay,
Mattfeldt was stretched on his back. In
his right hand he held a .44 automatic
Colt’s revolver, while his left still clutch
ed his briarwood pipe, Ilis hat lay
nearby.
Mr. Shade immediately ran to notify
Judge Gallaher, while Mrs. Gilmore,
hearing a gurgling sound in the man’s
throat, lingered near expecting him to
speak.
When notified, Judge Gallaher direct
ed the post physicians be summoned, so
Shade telephoned from the Northern.
I)*-. Wertenbaker responded, and as. the
man was beyond human aid, the body
was taken on a sleigh to Vachon’s ware
house.
Investigation revealed that Mattfeldt’s
deed was deliberate.
Always neat in his habits, he placed
everything in order in his cabin on the
third island where he was chopping
wood for Joe Dehn. Shaving brush,
razor, soap, everything was in its place.
Even kindling, sufficient for a week, was
piled neatly behind the stove. As a fin
ishing touch he must have burned all
his personal papers, for none could be
found.
Coming to town, Mattfeldt secured a
revolver from the cabin of T. F. Mur
phy, and going to the Senate saloon
bought a drink for himself and a friend
who happened in.
Leaving the Senate he cut over to
Second avenue and walked up town.
Just as he was at the rear of the old Pi
oneer saloon he halted, pulled out the
revolver and shot himself.
While at the Senate nothing unusual
had been noticed about Mattfedt’s ac
tions, although Buck thought he seemed
in a hurry.
ILL SINCE LAST JUNE.
“Fred” had been ill since June when
he was operated on for hydrocele.
Recently he consulted Dr. Harris with
a view lo a second operation, and was
| told it would be unnecessary—that he
I would fully recover in time. Mattfeldt,
however, brooded over his illness, finally
deciding to end all.
j The inquest was held last Saturday
afternon before Judge Gallaher. Assis
tant District Attorney Clegg—on his way
to the Iditarod—conducted the hearing.
The jury consisted of Geo. Laughlin, W.
| S. Rockwell, \V. A. Lunn, J. W, Brown,
j J. M. Gallaher and A. G. Stamm.
C. 11. Shade, Mrs. Gilmore, T. F. Mur
phy and Dr. Wertenbaker were tailed
to the stand.
Mrs. Gilmore told of hearing the shot
as she was hitching up her dogs, and
also of chasing a dog away who had
grabbed at the body.
.uurpny, an oia mend oi Alattfeldt’s,
said Fred came to his workshop shortly
before tlie shooting, and seemed greatly
depressed, contrary to his usual frame
of mind. Murphy tried to cheer him up
and invited him to come back for sup
per. Fred told Murphy not to wait on
him for supper, and then he went over
j to the latter’s cabin close by. Murphy
j had loaned him money and Mattfeldt
; had insisted on leaving his revolver at
the time as security. Murphy thought
nothing of him entering the cabin until
he heard of the shooting; then he look
ed for the revolver and found it gone.
After the hearing the jury and others
proceeded to the warehouse where the
body lay.
Deputy Marshal Robinson searched
the remains and found $51.25 in cur
rency and silver, a bunch of keys and
in the coatpocket a wallet which con
tained an old 10-cent bill, dated 18(33,
and three letters enclosed in stamped
envelopes.
One of the letters was addressed to Joe
Delin, the second to Carl Johnson, a
woodchopper, and the third to the citi
zens of Tanana, which the marshal op
ened and read.
DRAMATIC SCENE.
The scene was dramatic. Bending
over to catch the full rays of the two
lanterns, Marshal Robinson, in a clear
voice, read the farewell words of the un
fortunate prospector.
In hushed silence the men listened to
the message from the dead; and when
the words, “I have never done anything
great, you can believe me I have never
done no man a wilful harm” were re
peated, a thrill passed through the au
ditors; a feeling of sympathy and res
pect for the unassuming prospector who
through life had performed his duty
like a man, but who, believing himself
unable to longer fight the battle, asked
that his fellow man judge him not harsh
for the deed which he knew was wrong.
After the reading of the letter the
jury returned to the commissioner’s of
fice and rendered its verdict.
The other two letters were delivered
to whom they were addressed. Matt
feldt left the $26 he had coming for
wood sawed t?nd his personal effects to
Joe Dehn.
In the letter to Johnson, Mattfeldt
merely said farewell, wishing him the
happy returns of the season.
Little is known of the deceased’s past
lifff us he was very reticent. He was in
middle life. Born in Germany he early
came to California with hir parents.
He had been in Alaska many years,
mining at Glen gulch, Rampart, Fair
banks, in the Chandlar, Novikaket, and
took in many stampedes. lie leaves a
small estate.
At one time a brick mason in San
Francisco, Mattfeldt was an Odd Fellow
in good standing, and, it is thought, a
Mason.
The funeral was held Tuesday after
noon under the auspices of the Tanana
Odd Fellows, among whom are Messrs.
Uehn, Gallalier, Thoreson and Burnycat.
The burial took place at the Mission
ary road cemetery.
A MIDNIGHT
HIGH MASS
Special Christmas Services Will be
Held at the Catholic Church.
Christmas day will be observed by the
Catholiv, church, with special music and
high mass, beginning at midnight Sat
urday.
Father II. Ferron will deliver a ser
mon appropriate for the occasion.
Special sacred music will be sung by
a choir consisting of Mrs. Vautier, Mrs.
Vachon, Mrs. Langford, Mrs. Kokrines,
and Messrs. McGinnis, Riley, Tobin,
Saga and others. Mrs. Riley will ac
company at the organ.
Low mass will be held Sunday morn
ing, Christmas day, beginning at 10:110,
followed by the benediction of the bless
ed sacrament.
No services will be held Sunday even
ing.
Fight Called Off.
Oklahoma City, Dec. 22.—The Attel
Jeff O’Connell tight was called off in the
fifth round by the promotors, the fight
ers being detected in “stalling.” All
bets were also called off.
X’MAS DINNERS
IN TANANA
Restaurants Have Prepared Special
Bills of Fare for the Day.
You bachelors and others who have
not been invited out for Christinas din
ner, and want to celebrate the day in a
fitting manner, should enjoy the feasts
which the restaurants will have for you
Christinas day.
Both the Tanana and Golden North
have prepared special menus, and that a
treat is in store for you goes without
saying.
Lee Wing is busy arranging the de
tails for a feast which will be long re
membered by those who are fortunate
I enough to celebrate Christmas at the
Tanana restaurant; while Ed Y. Lee is
preparing the festive turkey and wild
| game for the lonesome bachelors.
—
New Blacksmith.
J 8. Barnes has opened up a first-class
| blacksmith and horseshoeing shop in
l Charley Smith’s old place back of the
i Yukon saloon.
Barnes recently came here from Fair
j banks with F. J. Porter who is hauling
wood for Yaclion. lie is a veteran at
his trade, was formerly in Dawson where
he was known as a “cracker-jack” at
the business. 11 is specialty is liorse
i shoeing.
( EVERYTHING THAT IS
{ WANTED IN A DRUG STORE
<, ANY QUANTITY-PRICES RIGHT
McIntosh & kubon
PRESCRIPTION DRUGGISTS
fAIRBANKS, ALASKA
PHONE I 3 3
o -
KNOWN THROUGHOUT ALASKA i
prwwir&w7roinroif7mr^inj-'5
THE SOCIAL CENTER
of the City is the
Tanana Bar
They All Go There
MICKY WOODS, Host
IJULOJLOJLOJL2JL2JLO.
WOOD $6 GOOD
In 16-ft. Lengths of
Five-Cord Lots.
$6.50 in lesser lots
We also have sawed wood of any length, birch or spruce
We are the largest wood dealers in Tanana.
Therefore we can demand the best the market
affords. You reap the benefit of our buying.
Leave Orders at Blacksmith Shop.
BURNYEAT & DEHN