Alaska State Library - Historical Collections, PO Box 110571, Juneau AK 99811-0571 Diary of James Wickersham. Dec. 2, 1920 to Jan. 1st [2nd]1922. MS 107 BOX 5 DIARY 33 Diary 33, 1920 [Front cover] Personal Diary Of James Wickersham Dec. 2, 1920 to Jany 1st [2nd]1922. Contains Record Contest in Congress Feb. 28 & March 1, 1921. Diary 33, 1920 Diary of James Wickersham December 2 Dec 2, 1920 to Juneau, Alaska. 1920. Wrote strong letter to Chas. E. Herron of Seattle. owner of the Anchorage Times & the Juneau Capital, telling him why he ought not to support Hazelet for Governor! Am not sure it will do any good-but its worth trying. -3d- Am writing on statement of political situation in Alaska - purpose - attack on Hazelet, etc. There is much interest in the matter of Cash Coles movement at Ketchikan - and my alleged candidacy for Governor. -4th – Same as yesterday - just waiting till Congress decides my Contest Case before I can do anything quite settled. Diary 33, 1920 -5th – December 5-7 Recd. a bunch of petitions signed by the Republican voters of Ketchikan and Charcoal Point precincts asking for my appointment for Governor. They came from Cash Cole and number about 500 voters. He now goes to Wrangell & Petersburg. -6th – Am working on election matters etc. Telegram from Guy B. Erwin, Fairbanks, saying Henry T. Ray adjudged insane & is enroute to the outside & charge of tie affairs - Poor Henry - he has ever been quite as strong since Mrs. Rays death. -7th – Dictating & writing letters to Anchorage, Seward, etc. Cook Inlet points in the matter of my candidacy for Governor of Alaska. Diary 33, 1920 -8th – December 8-9 Employed by Furnivall, Ketchikan busted Banker to defend him from Indictment for making false report to Ter. Bank = $100 - $750. -9th – Jack McBride went out this noon on the “Northwestern” in company with Selby, Ed. Valdes Miner & Derringer, to visit George C. Hazelet at Cordova. - evidently (1) to agree on what candidates they will support for territorial appointments & (2) to make financial arrangements J:\hist_docs\wickersham\ASL-MS0107-5-33.doc Alaska State Library - Historical Collections, PO Box 110571, Juneau AK 99811-0571 Diary of James Wickersham. Dec. 2, 1920 to Jan. 1st [2nd]1922. MS 107 BOX 5 DIARY 33 to pay McBrides expenses on his trip to Washington. Wrote a good long letter to Sutherland telling him the political news etc. Debbie received a friendly letter from Mrs. Sutherland from Seattle in todays mail. Diary 33, 1920 -10th – December 10-11 Nothing new today - just working in office. Sent $230.00 last quarter of my Income tax for 1919, to Collector, Int. Rev. Wash. D.C. by telegraph to Dexter Horton Nat. Bank, Seattle, Wash. [clipping] Thursday, Dec. 9, 1920. Alaska Daily Empire, Wickersham Aide Taken to Morningside Asylum (Special to the Empire.) FAIRBANKS, Alaska, Dec. 9.- Leaving here Friday morning under guard for Morningside Insane Asylum was Henry T. Ray, agent for Judge James Wickersham in Fairbanks from the latter’s start in politics, and Secretary of the Fairbanks Igloo of Pioneers for many years. At three o’clock on the morning following Thanksgiving, Mr. Ray is said to have gone into the office of Dr. J. A. Sutherland with a loaded shotgun. The Doctors office is located in a front room of his residence. Hearing the noise he arose from his bed and investigated. Ray asked him where the “secret Republican meeting” was being held and, according to the physician, on being told that there was none, said he knew there was and that he was going to kill them all, for they were trying to kill Wickersham. Ray then left, saying that he was going to search for Romeo Hoyt, whom he stated, would tell him. fie found Mr. Hoyt, who later said, that he got the gun away from Ray only by making the latter believe that he wanted to kill some of them first himself. Hoping that his derangement might prove only temporary, Ray was first put under guard in his quarters but at noon the next day, officials thought it best to remove him to the detention hospital. When searched, his pockets were found to be filled with loaded shotgun shells. When he left here for the asylum, he failed to recognize any of his friends and when numbers of them shook hands just before the train left he showed no sign of recognition. He had no enemies in the camp and was universally liked and respected. -11th – Cash Cole got back from Ketchikan, Wrangell & J:\hist_docs\wickersham\ASL-MS0107-5-33.doc Alaska State Library - Historical Collections, PO Box 110571, Juneau AK 99811-0571 Diary of James Wickersham. Dec. 2, 1920 to Jan. 1st [2nd]1922. MS 107 BOX 5 DIARY 33 Petersburg - brought back petitions asking for my appointment as Governor about 600 voters in Ketchikan - nearly 200 in Wrangell & 100 in Petersburg - some petitions not in some petitions sent also to outside precincts. Diary 33, 1920 -12- December 12-13 Republicans, in Douglas & Treadwell are signing petitions for my appt. as Governor. Wm D. Grant & a Mr. Campbell, Engineer & pulp expert here to see me about the Wrangell pulp & paper project. They report that Bradfield River is not of any use as a water power site - but Mill Creek, is a good site, & Crittenden Creek a fair addition. Suggested to Mr. Grant that he ought to examine McHenry Inlet - promises to go at once. -13th – McBride “ Hazelet, Marquam, Still, the Juneau Republican Club at a big meeting tonight unanimously endorsed me for appointment as governor of Alaska! McBride, Hazelet, Marquam, Still, Fitzgerald, etc. met in Seward this night & agreed on appointment for Alaskan offices! McBride, Hazelet, et al. meeting in Seward → Diary 33, 1920 13 December 14-15 [clipping] Capital, Tuesday, Dec. 14, 1920. SLATE NAMED FOR OFFICES IN TERRITORY Juneau Republican Club Endorses Wickersham For For The Governor Unanimous endorsement was given at the meeting of the Juneau Republican club last evening of James Wickersham for governor, John Rustgard for judge of the first division, H. H. Folsom for district attorney of the first division, Edward Kendall for surveyor general, Earl L. Hunter for collector of customs, and H.B. Le Fevre for United States commissioner at Juneau. The advisory and executive committee appointed at the last meeting to get up a slate and report back to the club, recommended the appointments. Dr. L.P. Dawes, vice president of the club, called the meeting together in the absence of Earl L. Hunter, the president. John W. Dudley acted as secretary. A motion prevailed that the executive committee notify in writing all of the candidates endorsed and also notify J.C. McBride, the national committeeman, and Dan Sutherland, the delegate in congress, of the action of the club. While Judge Le Fevre already has received his appointment, he was given the endorsement of the J:\hist_docs\wickersham\ASL-MS0107-5-33.doc Alaska State Library - Historical Collections, PO Box 110571, Juneau AK 99811-0571 Diary of James Wickersham. Dec. 2, 1920 to Jan. 1st [2nd]1922. MS 107 BOX 5 DIARY 33 club as a member. He stated that it was because of that membership that he had received the endorsement. A motion carried to continue the executive committee as an advisory committee to look after matters of interest to the club and maintain organization. -14th - Wrote letter to & sent full data to W. P. Mills about establishing a pulp making mill at Silver Bay - near Sitka. Offered to join him in project. -15- The Douglas Island Republican Club at its last night’s meeting also unanimously endorsed me for Governor & both Clubs gave me a telegram signed by the officers Diary 33, 1920 15 December 15 The Douglas Island Republican Club at its last night’s meeting also unanimously endorsed me for Governor & both Clubs gave me a telegram signed by the officers of both, addressed to outside Clark etc. as follows: “Juneau, Dec 15, 1920.” J. L. Reed, Valdes: George Sexton, Seward, Sherman Duggan, Anchorage, Robert Lavery, Fairbanks Republican Club, Nenana Republican Club, Nome. More than thousand Republican and independent voters at last election in Ketchikan and Wrangell and Petersburg have already signed petitions asking for appointment of Hon. James Wickersham for Governor of Alaska. Voters in all other southeastern Alaska precincts are now signing by big majorities. Republican clubs of Juneau and Douglas and Treadwell having just unanimously endorsed him in full public meeting after prominent notices. Now request you and all Republicans in Alaska to circulate and get signed in very precinct in your Division petitions to President Harding Diary 33, 1920 asking him to appoint Wickersham Governor. December 15 When fully signed return same to Judge Wickersham Juneau, Alaska. Please notify all Republican Clubs and all friends of Wickersham of this action. Attach affidavit to each petition verifying accuracy and voting qualifications of signers. Juneau Republican Club by E.L. Hunter, President Douglas and Treadwell Republican Clubs by Elmer E. Smith President. The foregoing telegram forwarded tonight by Night Letter Telegram to 6 addresses named. J:\hist_docs\wickersham\ASL-MS0107-5-33.doc Alaska State Library - Historical Collections, PO Box 110571, Juneau AK 99811-0571 Diary of James Wickersham. Dec. 2, 1920 to Jan. 1st [2nd]1922. MS 107 BOX 5 DIARY 33 cost $30.00. My hat is now in the ring & I intend to make a fight in earnest. Am preparing petitions - friends start out in Juneau with same tomorrow - Douglas & Treadwell signed up - big majority & other precincts doing well. Diary 33, 1920 15 December 16 Capital Dec 16th WICKERSHAM ENDORSED BY REPUBLICAN CLUB IN DOUGLAS LAST NIGHT {“Capital” Dec 16th} The Douglas Island Republican club endorsed Judge James Wickersham for governor last night without a dissenting vote.