The Fall of Alaska's Deputy Marshal

Port Townsend, June 23. — Special. Ralph A. Meyer, the ex-deputy United States marshal of Alaska, who is going down on the steamer Umatilla to serve a term of six years in San Quentin for embezzlement, has had a somewhat eventful life. He comes from a prominent family in Germany, is highly educated and of fine address. In his youth a slight misunderstanding with his parents caused him to abandon his country and family and to come to the United States. He enlisted in a company of cavalry stationed at San Francisco and was given a position of trust, which he betrayed. He deserted and went to Sitka and enlisted in the naval service. There he made friends who later aided him in silencing San Francisco charges. Later, when his term of enlistment expired, he was appointed to a position in the district clerk's office, and for many years proved to be an honest and thorough accountant. Then he was made chief deputy marshal under G. T. Porter and practically had charge of the district, and was custodian of many thousands of dollars, such being the faith placed in him by his superior. After Porter's term expired it was learned that Meyer was a defaulter to the amount of $12,000. Following an indictment he was sentenced to the penitentiary at San Quentin for six years.