The Tragedy at Port Blakely

Yesterday afternoon, George Harebell, while working on the boom at Port Blakely, discovered the body of Indian George lying on the bank at the south end of the long bridge across the bay at that place. He at first supposed that George, who for several years has been employed about the mill, had fallen off the bridge and killed himself, but on making an examination, discovered that his skull had been crushed in. The coroner held an inquest, and it was found that the man had been literally beaten to death. An inquiry was set on foot to find the guilty parties, and it was found that last Sunday evening three other Indians—Tommy, Paddy and Johnny—two of whom were employed in the mill and one by Mr. Harebell at Eagle Harbor, went across the island and bought two bottles of whiskey. After getting back to the rancherie, across from Port Blakely, they lost one of their bottles and imagined that George had stolen it. They found George on the bridge and demanded that he give the bottle up to them. He told them he did not have it, when they set upon him and, after killing him, threw the body over the bridge. The three Indians implicated in the murder were arrested and practically confessed their crime, though each tries to swear it on the other. William Malcolm, deputy sheriff of Kitsap county, brought the murderers into Seattle last evening and placed them in the county jail, where they will remain until the meeting of the next grand jury.