arther along the
way. But there is no particular evidence that he had made special
efforts to be their ostensibly friendly companion beyond the usual
comradeship of mutual helpfulness on the trail. But in the case
Routledge reports two men, La Belle and Fournier, seem to have gone to
White Horse with the deliberate intention of ingratiating themselves
with some of their fellow-countrymen by the use of their French mother
tongue, joining them on the way down to Dawson, and then murdering them
when they arrived at a convenient place. And so these two creatures
found at White Horse, Leon Bouthilette, Guy Beaudien, and Alphonse
Constantin from Beauce County, Quebec, who had recently come from the
East, going to Dawson. La Belle and Fournier got passage with these men
on a small boat, travelled with them, camped, ate, and slept with them
till one night in camp on an island near Stewart River they murdered
their three hosts, probably in sleep, and after rifling their pockets,
and to hide their crime, they tied the bodies up, weighted with stones,
and threw them in the river. Then they burned up all evidences of their
crime, got in the boat and went to Dawson, from which place they
proceeded farther, found another compatriot named Guilbault and murdered
him on the way to Circle City, Alaska. Once again it was a case where
the murderers left no possible witness to testify and considered they
were safe. But they forgot they were in the Mounted Police country--in
the land of the men in scarlet and gold who never let go till justice is
done.

The Police at White Horse had the number of the boat, 3744, and the
names of all the men in it. Other boats, starting from White Horse about
the same time, arrived in Dawson. But boat 3744 and its occupants,
though seen by several on the way, dropped out of sight at Stewart River
and was not seen again till Constable Egan discovered it empty at
Klondike city.

The body of a man who had been killed by bullets was found in the river,
and there was a small key tag with the name "Bouthilette, Beauce, P.Q."
on it. This gave the Police a clue, and it was followed with
characteristic energy and skill. A web of circumstantial evidence had
again to be woven. Later on another body was found and Surgeons Madore
and Thompson were satisfied that another death by violence had occurred.
The body corresponded with the description given of Guy Beaudien.
Constable Burns, of the Dawson Division, who could spe