Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 August 1890 — LIFE FOR LIFE. [ARTICLE]

LIFE FOR LIFE.

The Queer Workings of a Law of the Natives of Alaska. Lewiston Journal. An Androscoggin county lady, who recently returned from Alaska, where her husband was employed by the United States Government’as a teacher among the natives, gives some interesting particulars of the country and people. While at Chilcott the lady witnessed a tragedy and its consequences, which illustrates the peculiar code of justice among the natives. A party of white miners were at the supply agency preparing to start off on a prospecting tour to the Yukon or some other distant mining locality. Several Indians wanted to accompany 'beT.i, but objection was raised by others. Liquor had been freely drunk, and bad blood was in the-ascendant. An old chief, much respected by the whites, excited the ire of a chief of another tribe, and the latter sought to vent hi 9 wrath by striking the other’s son, who chanced to be present. The father retaliated by knocking the aggressor down. The latter thereupon drew his revolver and fired, the bullet penetrating the old chief’s lungs. Knowing that the custom of his countrymen demanded a life for a life, l e at once darted from the scene of the affray and fled directly for the bouse In which the white lady was stopping, hoping, if he could once gaiu an entrance, to be enabled to secure immunity from punishment. She stood in the doorway as he approached, but he was destined never to enter. It appears that his dissipated, quarrelsome habits had already placed him in bad odor with his owp tribe, and one of the fleet-footed young men intercepted him when almost at the threshold. and.uTh. a terrible cut with a huge knife air < st severed his body in two. Now comes the singular part that justice had to take in the affair. Instead of the actual murderer paying thejpenalty of the crime, accordiqgj® the judicial code the life of the old chief, as the assumed prime cause of it, was to be forfeited, notwithstanding he had at first acted mainly on the defensive, and had already been perforated with the bullet of his enemy. He sought protection from his white friends, but. while they were heartily in sympathy with him, they did not

deem it prudent to Interfere in the matter. Seeing no hope in that direction, he turned from them with the remark: “Me show white man how brave Indian die,” and gave himself up to be shot.” After nis wife had adjusted a black* cap to his head a dozen or so men of jnsjg®a_Jaabe drew themselves up for the execution, but their hands trembled so, or they so disliked to shoot their beloved chief, that in firing the bullets that entered his person only mangled him, and did not at onfte prove fatal. -He begged them to kill him outright, but they desisted, and he was carried to his hut to slowly die from his wounds. - t hus he lingered for nearly two weeks, suffering the greatest agony. His wife would go to his bedside night after night and plunge a knife into his side to hasten death and his release, which seemed so long a time coming. During his suffering, the lady visited him almost daily, and he seemed very grateful for her solicitude. Finally he died, and “justice ” was satisfied.