Story of Firsi
at
Valdez
According to the old files ox the
Valdez Miner it was 38 years Jan.2.
when “Doc” Tarner furnished the
subject for hanging to a cottonwood
tree on the old sle.lt i ail a mile east
of town. The story of events look
ing to the hanging has been told
again and aga: :, but it might 1 >
oopropos to print t, us it was the
camp’s first and only hanging.
A party cf Boston men, en . cute
to Alaska, fell in with Tanner. a
Montana cowboy, a passenger or>. a
train for Stattle. In the party uf
Bostonians were Hair:, s, Pierce Leo,
am Cali, a wealthy Minnesotan, with
whom the Boston men had become
aco1uainted on the train.
Tanner talked so much of his ex
perience in mining sir kes, and his
ability to rough it. that the party
thought he might be a good man
along to show them the ropes, and
after some talk Tanner agreed to ac
company the men to Alaska if they
would furnish the outfit and pay hi;
expenses. He also agreed to help
the men in anyway he could be use
ful.
When they reached Orca the met:
began quarrelling among themselves
with the result that by the time the
party arrived in Valdez, only Call,
Haines, Pierce, Lee and Tanner re~
mained of the original party. At
Swanport they were joined by a
gambler named “Cockney Jim.”
They pitched camp a mile east of
Valdez where they decided to build
a cabin.
Tanner had done all the heavy
and menial work and was getting
heartily tired of it. He finally re
belled when he found that the others
were not doing their share in carry
ing mud for the roof of the cabin,
and that they would not cook while
he worked.
That ewnin.g after a violent quar
e ■ e: \*ho was to cook supper the
' ston men agreed to give Tanner
ns share of the outfit and put him
o r as the;; could not get along with
V-ii. Gome ray bh.y intended turn
er - v.t with “nit any outfit,
' .t e/ii.nce at the miner's m cling
howed thi3 io be untrue. j
Tanrrr, who was outside the tent, J
c itting wood, overheard the ccnver-1
. .'--j , ad grabbing his gun and
h. tent Gap, ho fired sev
ai .'hots, ki’itng Cali and Lee ir.s
t r.t y. He then stepped back from
tie e it ilap and called fer Haines
and ioree to come out, but they!
\d unutr the rear of the tent ;
and fled for tall timber.
I the meantime, “Cockney Jim,”!
: l ing the shots where he was at
' k in the timber, ran to the “big
re,' where ten men were playing
The men armed themselves and
pio:_cdcd to the scene of the shoot
in.r, where Tanner was still waiting.
He gave himself up without resil
ience and while the others held a
conference in a nearby tent, Dan
Croenig stood guard over the alleged
murderer.
Tanner showed no regret over his
act, but told Greenig that they had
“given him the worst of it,” and he,
was sorry that he did not get the
others. He added that they had
made a packhorse out of him, and
when they became too lazy to build
themselves a shelter and cursed him
for not workng harder, he resolved
to “cook their bacon.”
Justice was speedy in those days.
That right a miner’s meeting was
held, in which all the men of the
camp, 39 of them, were present.
Judge King, an attorney now resid
ing at Waco, Texas, f he still lives,
presided, and Jim Finch acted as
fanner’s' attorney. Many arguments
were advanced on both sides, and a
vote was taken as to what to do with
the accused. Some wanted to deliver
him over to the authorities at Sitka,
while others favored shootng, with
the majority voting death by hang
ing.
At three o’clock in the- morning,
after considerable argping, some
drinking, end much verbage wasted,
it was agreed to hang him.
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AND BAKERY
Best of Meals and Beds.
Everyone Welcome.
Good Dog Barns.
Mrs. John Kieck : Prop.
TAKOTNAS PIONEER SHOP
i
Robert E. Lowrie
Prop.
Blacksmith, Machine and all kinds of Sheet
Metal work. Stoves, Safetys, Tanks.
Drills and Boilers and all kinds of Prospect
ing Equipment.
4 h. p. Gasoline Drills
AUTOMATIC HAND DRILLS
Light in weight and Hercules in strength. Can be
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. ■aMNMMI
At 7.30 o'clock that morning, a
cold and windy day, Doc Tanner was
led to a cottonwood tree, and the
rope placed about his neck. He was
defiant to the last and met his death
without a quiver.
“How are you goii g to hang me,”
he asked, “are you going to jerk m
-p and (town or hang me straight?”
“We’ll do the best job vfe .■ with
tr limited experience,” his captors
replied.
When asked whether he had any
••■‘murks to make before he died,
a r iter replied:
“C nts, you're hanging :he Inst
:.i>-slu oi r rr. n in Alaska. Let *er
iiv.il ' He raid he had no friends or
■ ! alive a and they could do as the r
-- r eased with his few effect.. .
I he r ouse was then thrown about
n’s neck and a gunny sack placed
>.r his head. At the word 37 men
all i on the rope which jerked
amrr into eternity. Two refused
out of principle.
Tanner died within a few minutes
•nd his body was buried near the
trail where it probably still remain.,.
' 1'z .wo victims were buried the same
morning.
he r rl and execution were ear
ned out deliberately ar.d cahnly, and
everyone was bidden to keep the vote
met. The authorities at Washing
n later ■ " nerat-d the * en respon
iblc, h- l-' n th-.it the necessities of
he care cxeus.d them.
The arn-al 'flog derby and ice
•'arnival ar Fairbanks will be held
March 8 to 10, according to the
decision of the committee. Prizes
will be given of $1,0 0, $500 and
$250 for the winners of first, second
end third in the 801 mile race.
Mother—“Yes, son, I have my
!'uir permanently waved. Why do
. ou ask?”
Son-—“Well, I was just thinking
why can’t I have my neck perma
nently washed?”—Capper’s Weekly.
Tn the Probate Court of Ophir,
innoko Precinct, Fourth Division,
Territory of Alaska, Before Jessie
M. Howard, U. S. Commissioner
and ex-officio Probate Judge.
In the matter of the Estate of
Anna Miller, deceased.
Notice to Creditors.
In the matter of the Estate of
Anna Miller, deceased, notice is here
by given that the undersigned has
been ‘duly appointed administrator of
■ he Estate of Anna Miller, deceased.
A11 persons having claims against
said estate are required to present
the same fully verified with proper
vouchers attached, to the undersign
ed, at my store in Ophir, Alaska,
within six months from the date of
this notice.
Dated at Ophir, Alaska, on Oct
ober 29, 1934.
P. W. CARLSON,
Administrator.
Date first pub. Nov. 10, 1934.
Bate last pub. April 27, 1935.
Frank; J. Guskey
Notary Public
Takotna, Alaska.
Fred King
Notary Public
McGrath* Alaska
POISON BAIT KILLS MANY DEER
IN PENNSYLVANIA.
PITTSBURG. —'.'here was one
cloud upon th? opening of Pennsyl
vania's deer hunting season, with the
-a- e more plentiful than usual.
The single regrettable feature
was attributed to the poison tablet
method used by the United States
Forestry ’Service in a war on por
cupines in the Alleghany National
Forest. The ta’blets, distributed by
CCC workers contained salt and
strychnine.
How many porcupines died is not
stated, but compalint is made that
many deer did. One report was that
forty-three dead deer were found in
a small area in Warren County.
Distribution of the poisoD has been
halted.
i
IN THE PROBATE COURT FOR
OTTER PRECINCT, FOURTH
DIVISION, TERRITORY OF AL
ASKA.
In the matter of the estate of John
O. Johnson, deceased.
Notice of Final Hearing
Notice is hereby given that the
administrator of the above entitled
estate has filed his final report in
the Probate Court above named, and
that said report will be heard before
the said Probate Court for Otter
Precinct at Flat, Alaska, on Wednes
day the 16th day of .May 1935, d£
two o’clock P.M. of said day, .At
which time and place all persons
interested may appear and show
cause, if any they have, why said
. port should not be approved,
allowed and confirmed.
Harry Donnelley,
Administrator.
•i
I
• s
Date of first pub., Dec. .23, 1934.
itt—.ivaorra
i
j "O E ^^TRE TO ST«I‘ AT THE LITTLE STORE ON THE {
| ■S’J TRAIL TO McGRATH. W» have Shoes for all ages and sizes.
| We specialize In Children’s Clothing . Everything to wear and i
I good things to oat. We wtt) be glad to «<* you. Mad orders
given special attention.
I -----
!
I Mrs. Thomas H. McLean
McGRATH, ALASKA
FIRE INSURANCE
\ cu should carry a liberal amount of fire insurance
for the sake of your credit and your peace of mind,
Needless to say this iuMraace should be of the very
highest quality.
That’s the Ktnd Written By
Alaska Insurance Agency
VAMtBAlKS, ALASKA
Inquire of Kuafeo Times.
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