Ross River "In Shock"

Ross River is "in shock” as a result of the point-blank gun slaying Monday night of prominent Yukon mining man Al Kulan.

By Whitehorse Star on September 14, 1977

"Literally, the whole town is in shock,” a Ross River resident who wishes to remain anonymous told the Star.

John "Jack” Rolls Sr., 57, was officially charged with first degree murder yesterday in Whitehorse as a result of the incident. After spending the night in the Ross River jail, the owner of the Timberline Trading Post was flown to Whitehorse for the court appearance. Rolls was remanded over until next Wednesday Sept. 21 for a show-cause hearing.

Kulan was sitting with associates at a table in the bar of the Welcome Inn around 9:30 p.m. Monday when a man came in the door. He simply walked over to Kulan, pointed a 357 Magnum pistol at his head and fired at point blank range.

"He just walked over to him and blew him away.” the Star was told.

"The bar just went completely quiet. Then Kulan slumped over and blood started pouring out.

The gunman walked up to the bar, set the pistol down and told the barmaid:

"There. Now call the RCMP.”

He then picked up a drink he had bought earlier and began to finish it.

"Then everybody started sliding out (of the bar)."

Within minutes, Kulan and the gunman were the only two bodies in the room.

Rolls was arrested shortly afterwards.

The gunman had apparently been seen in the bar earlier that evening - coming in the door then leaving quickly, on two or three occasions.

Several witnesses were severely shaken up by the incident. Many in the bar knew him and some of his closer friends are reported as being "very seriously upset”.

The town's only bar has been closed until Friday.

Kulan was described by close friends as an extremely pleasant and easy-going man with a tremendous amount of endurance and drive and a thin sense of humour.

He was in the area searching for semi-precious stones, an interest he had taken up in the past few years since becoming a millionaire as a result of his co-discovery of the Anvil ore body, which is currently being mined by Cyprus Anvil Mining Corp.

Other than mining, Kulan is remembered for owning at one time the only Rolls Royce car in the territory, and for his "castle” built in the early sixties for $130,000 in Ross River.

He and his family left their home of many years in Ross River earlier this year to take up residence in Vernon B.C.

Kulan 55, is survived by his wife Wynne, sons Barry 26 and Brian 17, and daughter Beverley, 14.

His body will be cremated Friday at a private funeral ceremony in Vernon.

There will be a memorial service in Ross River next Wednesday morning at 10:30 a.m. The family requests that donations be made to cancer research in lieu of flowers.

Kulan's death is the second sudden passing of a co-discoverer of the Anvil ore body, Dr. Aro E. Abo died earlier this year in a tractor accident at his farm.

By Star Staff

Comments (7)

Up 1 Down 2

Jentien (Tina) Broad on Feb 10, 2020 at 10:11 am

I was there that time Al died in my arms trying to give him first aide. I stayed and did not leave. I worked in the kitchen and went for a game of pool with Jack Rolls daughter. Long story and long time ago, I just looked at this because I mentioned it to someone about living there. But you do not have all the facts. In court I was told only to answer the question and not to say anything else.

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Bob Foley on Jul 25, 2019 at 1:48 pm

I stayed in the hotel that Jack and his wife owned in 1971. I was there for two weeks and was the only one staying there except for one night. I ate my meals with them and found them to be nice people. Through conversation with Jacks wife it was apparent that there was hard feelings on Jacks part from the dealings with Al and the purchase of the hotel from him. She had mentioned that Al had built a hotel in Faro and it had a negative impact on their hotel. At the time she stated to me that Al was trying to buy back the hotel as the one in Faro had been condemned as it was settling. She asked me not to bring up Als name to him so I never did. I never heard no more until I heard of the shooting.

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KLP on Aug 14, 2018 at 10:39 pm

Rolls got out of prison some 10 ish years ago. Went to live with his daughter, who I was friends with back then. I think he may have died since then. And it wasn't in that hotel that was built later, it was in the log tavern across the street.

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Martin on Aug 13, 2018 at 7:12 pm

That happened not long after we arrived in Ross River. The hotel in the picture is not the original hotel. The hotel in the picture was built a few years later. The bar where the murder occurred was across the street (to the right in the picture... I think) next to the gas pumps.

Haven't been back since 1985... ish...

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Jodi white on Aug 13, 2018 at 7:00 pm

Please read what I just wrote.. I am very curious to the whole thing .. Have worked in coal mining and still have a great many friends that maybe could fulfill his dream.

Jodi white on Aug 13, 2018 at 6:56 pm

Would love to know more about this.. And why it has not been developed since.. Worked in the coal mining industry.. Am very curious.

Up 0 Down 0

Jon on Aug 13, 2018 at 4:56 pm

Well, what was the rest of the story, 41 years later?

Whitehorse Daily Star