PLOT THAT FAILED

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 27 September 1933, Page 7

PLOT THAT FAILED

EFFECTIVE INTERVIEW. . A STORY OF THE YUKON. VANCOUVER, Aug. 17. The story of the "Yukon. Rebellion,” of a projected capture of the banks" and Government in .1901, at the height of five' gold rush, by 500 members of the Order of the Midnight Sun-, mainly Americans, led by a small group of desperadoes, and of how it was quashed 1 by a single member of the North-west Mounted Police, was told for the first time by Major A. E. Snyder, retired, as he tended his garden on, Granville Heights, overlooking the flawless vista of.the Gulf of Georgia and the Pacific bcvoml.

Major Snyder had just returned from the South African War, and was assigned to the command of a detachment of the Mounted Police at White Horse, Yukon. An unguarded remark, let fall by a man who was seen among a group that had been assembling regularly for a week, put Snyder on the track. He sent for a prospector some distance away who was acquainted with some of the group and asked him bluntly what his friends were .plotting. The miner, a British subject, frankly admitted that, it was the most foolhardy sehemto he had ever heard, and told the facts. The leaders, six of whom were at Dawson City and three at White Horse, had recruited 500 men-, ostensibly to capture the Yukon for the United States . But the leaders alone knew the real objective of the ploc, which was that they should seize the gold in tho banks) as soon as? the rising was under way and make their way out to civilisation.

Sydner posted his headquarters at Ottawa of what was afoot. Sir Wilfrid Laurier, who- was Prime Minister, satisfied that the United States authorities were not in any way associated wdth the scheme, telegraphed in his own alamo to. Snyder, “Do nothing to cause international complications.” The leader of the threatened war was a German who lived in the Unitled States. As ferryman at White Horse, he met everyone coming in and out. He was a man of powerful physique, a noted gambler, of an affable disposition. A week before the freeze-up, which wa.s to be the sign for the revolt, Snyder sought him out, "Fine job, this bank hold-up scheme, eh?” said Snyder.

The general had not hoard of it. "Don’t you know about the Order of the Midnight Sun, the new organisation?”

The general was becoming confused, and again professed ignorance. "I thought you knew,” said Snyder, watching his man closely. "It’s an outfit of foolis- that think they cam .roll the banks at Dawson and White Horse.”

"Do you know about it?” stammered the general. "All about it,” replied Snyder, smiling broadly. "What are you going to do?” asked the ferryman, hesitantly.

"That’s up.to me, but we’ll give them a merry time,” said Snyder, as ho walked away.

An hour later Snyder got word from one of his troopers that two men had just started south, walking the railroad ties, travelling light and fast. .Snyder immediately wired his detachment at Carcross ‘that, if two pedestrians came down the railway track their descriptions be reported and they be allowed to pass. They came, at night, were seen by the light of the midnight sun, and were allowed to pass. Thus also at Summit, and, as far as the interest of the Mounted Police went, they walked to the Equator.