In 1906, the Fairbanks Times described a city council meeting where Councilman Callahan "blew off" after developing "more steam than he could carry." Papers for the next 10 years show him warring with mayors, denouncing fellow council members, and berating citizens who challenged him.
I'd like to say he didn't suffer fools -- but more accurately, he didn't suffer anybody. (He was married at least twice, divorced both times.)
Callahan was a big man who added pounds as he aged. An affection for whiskey probably increased both his weight and his decibels.
Born in Iowa in 1864, Dan grew up around Fort Dodge. His parents were Irish immigrants. According to his testimony at one of his trials, he arrived in Alaska in the 1890s - from the upper reaches of British Columbia where he was a packer, using horses.
The Big Chief
He lived in the mining camp of Circle, along the Yukon River, before joining the 1903 stampede to Fairbanks. There he entered civic life, winning election to the city council. He had many occupations -- bar owner, miner, and farmer -- besides teamster. He also was a contractor involved in road building and repair.
His combativeness does not seem to have driven away voters. The Big Chief, as the papers called him, repeatedly won re-election.
In January 1916, Councilman Callahan was arrested for drunkenness and resisting arrest. The incident took place near the "row" where Fairbanks prostitutes did business. Callahan paid fines for both offenses but then demanded a jury trial. The jury responded not guilty. As these events unfolded, Dan announced he would quit drinking and spend the rest of his life devoted to Carrie Nation.
She was only 14
In February of the same year, he was charged with raping a teenage girl. Justice was swift. He was tried and convicted in March. Verdict in hand, Judge Charles Bunnell sentenced him to 12 years at the McNeil Island penitentiary near Tacoma. There was no suggestion Callahan coerced the girl. She said she visited his cabin willingly -- for money. But a willing 14 year-old was no defense then nor is it now. She testified against him on her 15th birthday.
Callahan, 51, was on best behavior during the trial, politely responding "Yes sir" and "No sir" when testifying. His defense was built around his claim that, as a result of damage suffered in a fall, he was physically incapable of the offense the girl alleged.
Dr. H.J. McCallum testified on his behalf, describing with more folklore than science the woes of the prostate. The jurors probably were unaware this was Callahan's second rape trial. He had been acquitted in Circle in 1900.
No 'goody goody sermons'
Fairbanks, maybe 3,000 people, had never seen anything like Callahan's performance at sentencing. Given the opportunity to speak, he denounced the clerk of court, a grand juror, Dr. McCallum and others while sparring with the judge, sparing only his lawyer Leroy Tozier, whom he praised effusively. He concluded by telling Judge Bunnell "Now you needn't give any of those goody goody sermons to me. Everybody in this country knows Dan Callahan and anything you will say won't make them feel a bit worse or any better about me."
When Judge Bunnell explained his sentence could be as much as 20 years, Callahan replied "You can make it 20 years. It don't make no difference." He also said he would see his tormenters in jail.
A few days after sentencing, Callahan, with other criminals and a deranged man, was brought from the Fairbanks jail to a stage waiting to take the men down the trail to Valdez where a steamer would transport them to Tacoma.
Retrial in Ruby
On Feb. 5, 1917, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, having heard Callahan's appeal, overturned his conviction, rejecting the hearsay testimony of a teenage confidant of the victim. The government, led by U.S. Attorney R.F. Roth, called for a new trial and change of venue -- to Ruby. Apparently Roth believed Fairbanks had become sympathetic to Callahan.
In August 1917, Judge Bunnell took a steamboat to Ruby to conduct the trial. This time, Callahan produced a witness who testified he was out of town the day the girl said the rape occurred. The jury -- all men -- said not guilty.
Back into politics
Dan returned to Fairbanks -- and eventually resumed his political career. In 1922, he ran for the state House as an Independent. He listed his occupation as farmer. His statement to the voters included the following: "I believe in full citizenship for women. Woman should have right to sit as jurors and to hold public office. ..." He then pledged to put an end to "childplay" in Juneau and the "passage of foolish laws."
Dan Callahan was one of four men elected from the sprawling Fourth Judicial District -- Interior Alaska and then some. He was the top vote-getter. In those days, the House had only 16 members, four from each district.
Yes for women's suffrage
The 1923 Legislature passed a bill that permitted women to become jurors. The House vote was 9-7, Callahan one of the nine.
In their wisdom, male lawmakers added a provision that allowed women an exemption from jury service based on gender. All they had to do was ask. The newspapers said the bill would have failed without the provision.
After the 1924 session, 59 year-old Dan Callahan returned to the life of a private citizen. That's where we will leave him for now, alone in his cabin waiting for a visitor willing to hear the old tiger roar.
Men like Dan Callahan can't be defined by class, profession or their choice of colleagues. They are forces of nature who spend their years colliding with family, friends, neighbors and the law. For them, life is a contact sport.
Dan Callahan was right when he said everybody in the "country" knew him. Whatever you thought of Dan Callahan, he was impossible to ignore.
Michael Carey is the former editorial page editor of the Anchorage Daily News. He can be reached at mcarey@adn.com.
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