by: Victor Valente
Posted on
May 26, 2020
EXECUTIONS PRIOR 1957 Before it became a State, Alaska was a territory under the United States control. It was wide open land, still to this day we have explored more of the Ocean’s floor and the Moon combined. Hard to understand 2020 and there are parts of Alaska man has not stepped upon. How the hell was law and order carried out. Well at first God only knows, private justice was rampant and needed to be addressed. So they used what was known as “MINERS LAW’. What this was it was a quasi- judicial common, they summoned a sublet of the miners in the area in which the dispute took place. It was made to retian order and decide punishment. A Judge was elected and a jury selected. In the event a decision was disputed, a “MASS MEETING” of the camp was called, and the dissatisfied party to plead it’s case to possibly get the decision reversed, “GOOD LUCK WITH THAT”. ( 1902 till 1957 ) 1902 NOME- Fred Hardy- white- murder/robbery HUNG. 1903 SITKA- Homer Bird- white- murder HUNG. 1921 FAIRBANKS- Mailo Segura- unknown- unknown HUNG. 1921 FAIRBANKS- John Doe Hamilton- native- murder HUNG. Hamilton from the village of SHAGELUK he spoke no english, convicted of shooting his cousin. He had done this after his spouse claimed he was abusing her. after the crime they hid the body and moved in together. The court apoints an Attorney who at trial makes the following statement, ” The man is guilty, and there is absolutely no reason which his counsel knows why sentence should not be pronounced”. He expressed shame and asked to be hung. They did however something went wrong. The drop was to far and off his head goes. To think of how many of these went unrecorded. 1929 FAIRBANKS- Constantine Beaver- native- murder HUNG. Beaver shot his friend in a drunken brawl, that was rock gut shit back than. During jury instrutions the Judge tells them, they vote for life or they could “Silent Vote” if they so choose. Ok folks here’s a fucking twist for ya, they “Silent Vote”, guilty. The Judge sentences him to death by hanging. The jury finds out that “Silent Vote” meant Death , a jour said if he known that he would have voted for life. This next guy is the first sick fuck I have found so far check this out. 1939 JUNEAU- Nelson Charles- native- HUNG. Nelson and his mother in-law had been drinking heavily that day. Behind TATSUDAS STORE (which is still there) on a hill Nelson stabs her to death with a butcher knife, and then molested her with the empty bottle. He claimed she attacked him. The Judge instructing the jury makes the following statement, ” Killing of an indian, was as much of an offense as the killing of anyone of you would have been”. WHAT!!!??? The hanging goes ok,except for the hood got caught on his right ear. ” Fix my ear”. these are his last words. If your thinking it seems we have Race,Creed and Color issue here. Hang on it get’s better. 1948 JUNEAU- Austin Nelson- black- murder HUNG. Austin had a partner in this murder and will follow Austin here to the gallows 2 years later and here’s why. Dec 1946 they robbed Jim Ellen and then shot him dead in his store. They were both convicted based on witness’s saying they saw them both at the store earlier and near the area that night. That’s all they got, Eugene LaMoore types a confession and is asked to testify against Austin, to seal his fate, thinking he made a deal Austin Nelson goes first, he is convited and hung, 2 years later in 1950 Eugene LaMoore figures out there was no deal, they only kept him alive in case thet needed him. They did not and he is hung and is the last person to be executed in Alaska. (THE LAST FRONTIER) 1957 Alaska says no more and abolish the DEATH PENTALTY, one of the main reason was because of the Racist Bias we will never be able to find a fair jury, thus the Max Sentence is LIFE With Out Parole, I guess it makes sense I respect the vision of Racism getting in the way of Justice. It was and still very much is a rugged and vast dangous land for both man and beast, it just seems wierd such a huge vast State with so many mysteries, had the foresite to do something and stand by it even after Statehood in 1957 . We deciced to make this a new segment on The 3RD Floor Podcast available everywhere, SEASON 2 is coming be sure not to miss a State by State history of the DEATH PENTALTY, plus many many more new and improved show topics and segments. follow the show on TWITTER @victorv8201963 youtube channel coming very soon as well……… vav 
