Valdez WEEKLY
^°l# ^ Valdez, Alaska, November 12,
Prospector
NATIVES IN FEAR
OE ACTIVE PEAK
Steam Arises From Mouni
St Augustine And From
Mount llliamna
MUCH WOE TO WESTWARI1
Officers Of Survey Boat McArthur
Tell Seattle Newspaper Tale
Of Summer Terror
Mountain poaks, from which steam
and aslios spouted havo during the
past summer kept tho natives to tlic
westward in a state of terror if the
tale told in Seattle by ollieers of the
government survey boat McArtliui
can be bolioved. Concerning the
conditions the Seattlo Times says*
"After a long summer's work in
the Cook Inlet district, and bringing
word of unusual activity among the
volcanoos of that section, the geodetic
survoy ship McArthur, Capt. II. W.
Rhodes, arrived in port early yester
day morning and is lying at Pier 8.
The native and white settlers in the
Cook Inlet country havo been in a
state of alarm this summer over the
steam which has beon rising from
Mount St, Augustine and Mount
Illiamna.
"In September ashes were to be
soon on the top of the last named
mountain, of which the people stand
in great fear. About forty yoars ago
Illiamna liad an oruption and a tidal
wave swept away the houses and
most of the inhabitants of Port Gra
ham, about twelve miles from Solcto
via. About eight or ten years ago
another eruption of the same volcano
' covered tho surrounding country witli
a thick blanket of ashes.
"Leaving Seattle April 8, tho Mc
Arthur went by the inside passage to
Junoau, where she coaled and pro
ceeded to Soldovia. Tho last of the
trip was rough with raging snow
storms and hoavy gales. At Seldovin
sho found three feet of snow at the
wator lino, some of which 011 tho tops
of mountains 2,-100 foot high lasted
thorughout the summer. Prevented
by tho snow from doing much out
side work, tho men installed an auto
matic tido gaugo at Soldovia and did
preliminary work for about a month.
Then tho triangulation of Cook Inlet
from Mount Augustine to the Fore
lands over 100 tnilos distant, was
startod. Thoro were three or four
parties at work most of tho summer,
tho men on tho boat doing prelimin
ary hydrographic work over tho
same territory.
"Tho McArthur comploted this
triangulation and also the topographic
and hydrographic surveys of Soldo■
via harbor and Port Graham, ox
perioneing good weather until last
month. Sho loft for Seattle Ootobor
11 and had smooth weather down tho
insido. Kasllof cannery 011 Cook In
let had a vory suecesslul season. I11
spite of starting thvee weeks late
about 0,000 cases over tho usual puck
woro put up."
STANDARD OIL IS
VICTORIOUS AGAIN
Chicago, Nov. 11—Once again has
the Standard Oil Company gained a
victory from the federal government
In tho logal battle concerning the le
gality of tho $20,000,000 fine HHSOBHed
tho company by Judge Kencaaw
Mountain Landia. In a (IccIhIoii
handed down thin morning tho Uni
ted Statoa court of appoala confirm*
the opinion of Judge Oroaacup In
which ho rovoraod tho tnllngof Judge
Landia. Judgea Oroaacup, Maker and
Seaman rendered tho opinion, whloli
eomoH an tho roault of a re-hearing ol
tho ca«o decided laat aummor by
Judge Oroaaonp.
Tho govornmo.it had hoped that
tho re-hoaring would reault in lie fa
vor and la disappointed that it did
pyt. Tho governments only ro>
ftonrao ia an appeal to tho Unltot
Statoa Supreme court. Diatrlet At
tornoy Slma baa telegraphed Waah
ington for advice.
MRS. SKAVORZOFF.
; TO GO TO ASYLUM
Murder Case Jury Returns
Verdict Of Not Guilty By
Reason Of Insanity
WO MA N GIVES TESTIMONY
Demeanor Of The Defendant While
On The Stand Is That Of
Four-Year-Old Child
Mrs. Macrena Skavorzoff will bo
sont to tho asylum for the criminal
insane. Such is the punishment car
ried iu the verdict of the jury, returned
last night after being out loss than
an hour. The vordict is "not guilty
by reason of insanity," and under the
law the court must sentence to the
asylum for tho criminal insane the
person against whom such a vordict
is returned. The order to this effect
was directed by Judge ' Roid this
morning.
District Attorney J. J. Crossley and
Assistant District Attorney L. V.
Ray based tho prosecution on tho
conviction of George Postriakoff, and
tho confession of the woman that she
had asked Pestriakoff to murder Peter
Skavorzoff. For the defense, Attor
ney Fred M. Brown argued that the
woman is not responsible mentally,
although bo did not attempt to
prove her insane, as the term is gen
erally understood.
Probably the demeanor of tho wom
an while she was on t.lio stand in her
own behalf bad as much as anything
else to do with influencing tho jury's
verdict. The woman speaks English
as a child just learning to walk would
speak it, her understanding and her
vocabulary being limited to words of
one syllable. Her ability to reason is
restricaed to tho same limitations,
and her whole attitude while testify
ing was that of a four»yoar-old child
being corrected for some fault that
tho parents felt rather proud of its
ability to commit.
Mrs. Skavorzoff testified that she
had boon afraid of her husband, to
whom she had been married at her
father's dictate, and that tho hus
band had threatened her. She tired
of the old man and suggested to her
lover, George Postriakoff, that he
make away - with Skavorzoff. This
was done, and later on after her ar
rest, the woman willingly signed a
typewritten statement purporting to
be her confession of guilt.
The child-wonmn la'iiKhod as she
mentioned tho name of her lovor, and
she smiled at two women prisoners,
called to testify that tho defondant
had to them talked of tho killing of
Skavorzoff. Drs. Boyle, Hopkins and
Dalton testified that the defendant is
a moral degenerate, that she has .110
proeoption of the legal or moral in
iquity of her connection with tho mur
der, although sho is not insane from
a medical view point.
Mrs. Macrona Skavorzoff's husband
was to her a nuisance, and a source
of fear, and so, even as sho would
have done done had her husband been
a dumb animal, or had sho herself
boon only a beast of tho wild, she en
compassed his death. For his share
in this elimination of the undosirable,
Georgo Postriakoff, the woman's lover
and hor dupo, must spond tho remain
der of his days in tho penitentiary.
HARVEY WAHERSON
PLUNGES 10 DEAIH
Now York, Nov. 12- Harvey Wat
torHon, Hon of Henry Watterflon mil
tor of the Louisville Courier, foil to
IiIh death tliiw morning from the
nineteenth story of a building on Wall
Street. The distance la 110 feet,
WfttterHon landing on a roof.
The aeoident oconred whllo Wattor
hoii was trying to oloso a window of
Ids ofllco. In comn manner ho lout
his balance and plunged out of the
window, his descent to tho roof be
ing unbroken.
Daggett and Robert#, dentists, next
to Heattlo hotel, ValdeS, Alaska.
ROOT IS ACCUSED
OF TAKING BRIBE
Conduct Of Washington Su
preme Court Justice Is
Under Investigation
SPOKANE MAN MAKES CHARGE
M. I. Gordon, Short )C50,OOO,
Says That Money Went To In
fluence Judicial Opinion
Olympin, Nov. 12—Judge Milo A.
Root, justice of the supreme court of
Washington, is under suspicion of
having accepted bribes, and Chief
Justice Hadley has appointed a com
mittee from the state bar association
to investigate the affair. The direct
charge against Justice Root, comes
from M. I. Gordon of Spokane, for
merly an attorney for the Groat
Northern Railroad, and they are un
equivocal.
Recently Gordon has been found
short in his accounts, the amount of
his shortage being §50,000. Gordon
declares that the money was used to
influence the judiciary, and says that
he transacted his business with Jus
tice Root.
CHARGE AGAINST ROOT
CAUSES A SENSATION
Seattle, Nov. 12—Publicity of the
charge that Supreme Court Justice
Milo A. Root is guilty of accepting
bribes has caused a sensation in this
city, the home of the accused justice.
Justice Root has always occupied
a high position in church circles,
and 1ms, to the majority of the
residents of the city, boon considered
an i.pright man.
To many of the lawyers of Seattle
the expose concerning Justice Root ,
while it comes unexpectedly, is not
the cause of great surprise, for the
reputation of the justice has not boon
above suspicion. Particularly has
criticism been directed toward Jus
tice Root as the result of the contest
for the $1,000,000 estate left by John
Sullivan, the supreme court deciding
in favor of the heirs represented by
Senator l'iles and the other members
of his law firm.
LEADERS OF LABOR
SNUB ROOSEVELI
Washington, Nov. i2—High officials
of organized labor have declined to
attend a dinner to which thoy were
invited by President Roosevelt. The
dinner is scheduled for Tuesday, and
it In asserted, waH primarily intended
as a love feast at which organized
labor was to be placated.
It is furthor assorted that the rea
son the labor loaders declined the in
vitation is because no invitations were
issued to President Gompors, Vice
I'rcsidont O'Connol and Socrotary
Morrison, all of the American Feder
ation of Labor.
President Roosevelt declines to dis
cuss his reason for not inviting the
labor officials named, and he says
that the dinner was not official.
Court Striken At Poolrooms
Olympia, Nov. 12—In a decision
handed down yesterday afternoon
the supromo court strikes a blow at
the pool room interests by riding that
tho persons who conduct thoso rooms
may bo prosecuted undor tho state
criminal law against maintaining a
nuisance. The Immodlate result of
the court's ruling is the arrest of
Dave Argyloxand nine bookmakers
gathered In during to raid of tho
Georgetown poolroom opened yostor
day by Argylo. In each case ball has
boon flxod at $100.
8even Are Htitl in Collision
I/os Angeios, Nov| 0—Heven persons
were injured IwrJ this morning as
tho result of a colVdon between street
cars. ■
WOMAN LYNCHER
SEVERELY INJURED
Sheriff's Posse Prevents
Hanging Of Montana Man
Suspected Of Arson
FIRE TWICE DESTROYS TOWN
Attempt On Life Of Alleged In
ccndinry Results In Death Of
James Banters
Taft, Mont., Nov. 12—In a pitched
battle between a shoriff's posse on
0110 side and a mob of infuriated citi
zens on the other, James Banters was
this morning shot dead, and Elsie Le
rondean was severely injured. The
trouble arose as the result of an at
tempt to lynch J. Green, suspected
of being the incendiary who has twice
set the lire that burned t he town to
the ground.
Before the ashes of their homes
were yet cool, a mob of angry men
and women sought out Green and
were about to hang him when the
hastily assembled sheriff's posse ap
peared in on the scene. It was dur
ing the tight that ended in the sheriff
rescuing Green that the man was
killed and the woman injured.
BLACKMAILER SAYS
SHE IS HYPNOTIZED
Denver, Nov. 11—Refusing to give
her name, and insisting that she is
acting under hypnotic influence, a
beautiful woman, about 30 years old,
is under 'irrest in the matron's depart
ment of the city prison. All attempts
to ascertain the identity of t he woman
have been unsuccessful.
For two days the woman had been
hanging about the residence of Mrs.
Chandler Phipps, divorced wife of
Millionaire Phipps, and lias hcen
threatening to kill Mrs. Phipps unless
paid $20,000. This morning Mrs.
Phipps complained to the police and
two detectives were sent to the
Phipps residence. While they waited
in front of the house the woman came
and as she started to mount the steps
one of the detectives loft the auto
mobile in which he had been sitting
and approached the woman.
Evidently realizing that she had
been foiled in her intentions, the
woman drew from her cloak a stick of
dynamito which she hurled at the
oflicer. By chance the oxplosivo
landed harmlessly upon the soft cush
ions of the automobile, and a second
later the woman was in custody. It
is believed that it was her purpose to
try and kill Mrs. Phipps.
The woman says that the influence
which has hypnotised her compelled
the attempt at blackmail.
POSTAL DEFICIT IS
NEAR $17,000,000
Washington, Nov. 12—Sixtoon mil
lion, nino hundred thousand dollars
roprosonts the deficit in tho postal
dopartmont for tho present fiscal
yoar. This doflclt is the greatest in
tho history of tho dopartmont, and
tho officials of tho administration aro
ahgast at tho showing that stares
thorn In tho faco.
Aside from admitting that tho con
ditions In tho postal dopartmont do
mand soino change that will improvo
tho financial situation so far as tho
department is concerned, the admin
istration declines to publicly discuss
the subject. Congress will ho asked
to make snfllciont appropriation to
euro for tho financial phase of the
situation as It now exists.
Hooh Der Knitter; He Fllett Balloon
Berlin, Nov. 11—Throe hundred
thousand persons yesterday afternoon
watehod tho Kmpcror of Germany
make a flight In Coimt. Zepplln's
halloou Tho kaiser acted as navlga
i tor of the air craft, and the flight was
sueoessfnl.
WOMAN UNMOVED
By FIGHT FOR LIFE
Murder Case Against Mac
rena Skavorzoff Drawing
Toward Its Close
CONFESSION IS VERY DAMNING
Accessory To Death Of Her Husb
and Admits Guilt During Hear
ing Before Commissioner
Unmoved by the knowledge that
the proceedings, which perforce alio
must attend, have her life at stake,
Mrs. Macrena Skavorzoff, young and
for a native woman, of attractive ap
pearance, today sat through tho long
hours while lawyers labored, one that
she may go free, and two that justice
demanded by the law may bo en
forced. This is the second day that
the woman lias spefit sitting before a
table iu the court room patiently
waiting the hour when the legal ma
chinery ceases its grind and she is
permitted to seek the less restricted
confinement of her cell.
It required the examination of 102
men before a jury was obtained.
Macrena Skavorzoll, lias to the
commissioner of Kodiak precinct con
fessed that she induced her lover,
Cieorge Pestriakotl, to kill her hus
band, Peter Skavorzoff. She has said
that she did this because she was tired
of the old man, whose presence inter
fered with her complete and unres
trained enjoyment of t he company of
George Pestriakotl. This morning
the woman's lawyer, FredM. Brown,
tried to keep this confession from
going to the jury but, after nearly an
hour spent in citing authorities, Judge
Iteid held the confession to be admis
sable.
Drs. lioyle, Hopkins and Dalton
have by the defense been summoned
to testify as to the mentality of the
woman, and will probably be placed
on the stand this afternoon. The
woman is also to testify in her own
behalf and will go 011 the stand either
late this afternoon or early tomorrow
morning.
ENGLISH KIDNAPPER
IS NOW A CAPTIVE
Seattle, Nov. 12—Half starved, his
clothing torn to shreds and a physi
cal wroek as a result of the hard
ships he has undergono; Leo Bezemer,
the man who attempted to kidnap
and hold for ransom J. English, a
wealthy timberman of Mount Vernon,
was captured t his morning by a posso
led by bloodhounds. Ever since his
desperate attempt of two weeks ago
Bozemor has been a fugitive, closely
pursued and afraid to venture far
from the almost inaecessable recess
of the forest. Now that the chase is
a t hing of the past and he is a cap
tive, he expresses himself as glad of
it, for ho says that a few more days
of the life lie has been leading would
have resulted in his death or in the
loss of his rerson.
Bezemer's crime consists in forcing
English to permit himself to bo
chained to a treo in the forest near
his mill, and to then give Bezemer a
letter instructing Mrs. English to pay
the bearer $.r>,000. VVhilo Bezemer
was on his way to collect the money,
English freed himsolf and hurried to
a tclophone by means of which ho
apprised his wife of what had hap
pened. and told her not to pay tho
money.
Hezemor took alarm at tho demean
or of Mrs. English, when she refused
to comply with tho request made in
the note, and he fled.
The grand jury has returned a "no
true hill" against O. L. OrlmeH, the
Afognak school teacher accused of
rape* The case Is one growing out of j
personal animosity, The complaining
witness being Ben Orauers, who al
leged that some three years previous
ly Urlmes assaulted the woman who
Is now Mrs. Urauorn. Commissioner
Silverman held Urlmes to appear be
foro the grand Jury.
MARTIN DISCOVERS
2 GRUEL RUMORS
Assistant District Attorney
Says Someone Starts
Story Of Trouble
GRAND JURY TO THE RESCUE
Resolution Declares I hat Prosecu
*
tor Is Great Help In Hrinu
iiiK Indictments
Cruel, cruel rumors to the effect
that Mr. Harrison B. Martin. Ytot
long since appointed assistant prose
cuting attorney with headquarters in
Valdez, is in bad repute with the
grand jury, have boon in circulation.
At least so affirms Mr. Harrison B.
Martin, although so far as the Pros
pector can learn the only person who
lias givon publicity to the fact that
rumors arc floating about is Mr. Har
rison 3. Martin himseif.
It was reported that Mr. Harrison
B. Martin cabled to the attorney
general asking to be relieved, said
report being born into the world
of Valdezabout (J:30 Tuesday evening.
Later on Mr. Harrison B. Martin was
observed struggling along McKinley
street under the burden of two suit
eases and it was taken for granted
that he was to be a passenger on the
Bertha.
This morning, however, Mr. Harri
son B. Martin was yet in town, and •
he conversed with a representative
of the Prospector, the subject of the
conversation being the cruel, cruel
rumor concerning Mr. Harrison B.
Martin. It was not until Mr. Har
rison B. Martin mentioned the subject
that the Prospector representative
was aware that the rumor of, trouble
with the grand jury had been born.
Further than to deny the truth of
the cruel, cruel rumor, Mr. Harrison
B. Martin at first refused to discuss
the subject, saying that he did not
care to discuss office affairs with the
newspapers. Later lie said that he
has cabled for thirty days leave of
absence, because of personal business,
and illnesf) in his family. This, per
haps, accounts for the report that Mr.
Harrison B. Martin had tendered his
resignation, but it does not explain
the cruel, cruel rumor of trouble with
the grand jury.
in ni8 conversation with the Pros
pcctor representative Mr. Harrison
B. Martin (Inclined to state whether
or not he intended to depart immedi
ately for the outside, and the subject
was banished. During yesterday af
ternoon, however, Mr. Milo Pay Den
nison, foreman of the grand jury
came to the 1'rospector armed with
a set of resolutions. Mr. Milo Fay
Dennison did not appear to ba greatly
excited, but he did express a desire
to place Mr. Harrison B.Martin right
with the public of Valdez. It is be
cause the Prospector desires to please
Mr. Milo Fay Dennison that the reso
lution is published; hero it is:
"At a meeting of the Grand Jury
for the October 1H0H term, tlie follow
ing resolution was unanimously passed
and ordered published in the Valdez
Dally Prospector:
"Whereas: The illness of Assistant
District Attorney Martin's father has
called him to Hoattlo, thus depriving
the grand jury of his services it is
therefore:
"Resolved: That wo, the (Irand
Jury wish to express our regrot that
Mr. Martin has been summarily called
away, before the completion of our
labors, and to cxpross our high ap
preciation of his ability as a prose
cuting oflloor and the fearless and
honorable way in which he carries
out the duties of his office.
"Dated at Valdez, Alaska. Nov. 11,
UK)K.
Fortune Comes On Btngc
The Orr Company stage arriving
last night brought 1,880 pounds of
gold dust and bullion, consigned to
various banks in Heattle. The value
of the shipment is close to $270,000.
Kauffman Heats Mntttnlnc
Los Angles, Nov. 11—A1 Kauffman
last, night knocked out Terry Maun
talne in the fourteenth round of what
was scheduled for a t went y-live round
K<».