Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 15.djvu/137



A TRAGEDY ON THE STICKEEN IN '42 127

in the Russian Territory (and which we rent from them and of which he had charge), on the night 20/21 April. He had twenty-two men and was the o'nly officer there, in consequence of Sir George Simpson's very improperly taking away his assistant as no place on this coast where liquor is issued ought to have less than two officers. (But since the murder the Russians have agreed to desist selling or giving spirits to Indians and as we only issued liquor where we came in contact with them, by this agreement a stop is entirely put to issuing liquor to Indians in this department). But to return to my poor son he being alone with twenty-two men, all of which were new hands not yet broke in to the discipline neces- sary for such service, as it was a new place a'nd where they could get rum, had a good many difficulties with them, as is always customary in such cases, to make them do their duty as you well know they will always attempt to impose on their master.

"Sir George Simpson arrived four days after this fatal event and, instead of examining every man at the place, and that minutely, he only examined six, say, two whites, two half breeds and two Owhyhees. The two whites, and half breeds, without specifying particulars, complain of my son's ill using the men, flogging and beating them most unmercifully that he drank a great deal, and that the night of the murder he gave the men a gallon and a half of spirits. Sir George believed all this and in his letter blames my son, and, though one of the Owhyhees swore he saw the murderer fire and saw something fall heavily, which he supposes was my son, and the other swears that on hearing the shot he looked out and saw my son lying on the ground, weltering in his gore, and the man whom the other saw fire, with his foot on my son's throat yet Sir George took no person to bear evidence against the murderer and sent one of the men who fired three shots at one of the men, thinking he was my son, to this place to be sent out of the country. But, as I felt dissatisfied with Sir George's examination and was certain the circum- stances were not as he represented, I kept this man to be sent