394 ORAL ARGUMENT OF FREDERICK R. COUDERT, ESQ. 



Of course, any skilful man must observe these tilings as he examines 

 a skin, especially when he finds skins that are so riddled with bullets. 

 Now the next is: 



Sajiuel Ullman of New York, memljer of the firm of Joseph Ullmaii, Furriers, 

 one of the great fur houses of the world. 



(Case of the U. S. Appendix, vol. II, p. 527.) 



The house of Joseph Ullman began its fur business in 1854, and has dealt in fur- 

 seal skins ever since they became an important article of commerce. The house 

 now does business at St. Paul, Leipsic, Loudon and New- York. Samuel Ullman has 

 personally handled sealskins for the last twelve or thirteen years. Since the year 

 1887 he has purchased at Victoria 37,000 Northwest Coast skins. 



Then he gives his opinion. It may go for what it is worth; it is not 

 for that that I read his statement. He says : 



I am of opinion that the nations interested should arrive at some agreement by 

 whicli the killing of seals in the water will be stopped. It is true that the North- 

 west Coast catches have of late years place<l upon the market a certain number of 

 good skins which could be purchased at prices far below those for which skins of 

 the Alaska catch were sold. 



But I realize that this cannot continue to be the case, for H is a mailer of common 

 k»owhd(ie amongst furriers tliat these Northwest Coast catches are composed mainly 

 of the skins of female animals, and I understand that the killing of female seals is 

 rapidly imjiairing the value of the herd. 



This is valuable as showing what is a matter of common knowledge 

 among furriers, and this is agreed toby the six leading furriers of New 

 York City. I do not read it, but it may be found in the Case of the 

 United States, Ap])endix, vol. II, pp. 5'J8-5o2. 



At page 533 Mr. Ullman further states: 



I have had such experience in handling fur-seal skins as enables nie, readily in 

 most cases, but always upon careful examination to distinguish a female skin from 

 a male skin, and I know it to be a fact that a very large proportion of the skins in 

 such shipments are those taken from female animals. 



We now have: 



George H. Tkeadwell, of Albany, New York, Furrier. 



{Case of the U. S., Appendix, vol. II, p. 523.) 



He is at the head of a house which was established in 1832. and he has been per- 

 sonally interested in the fur business since 1858. Since 1870 he has annually bought 

 from 5,000 to 6,000 salted fur seal skins in London, all of which have been dressed 

 and dyed in Albany. 



In addition to dressing and dyeing, our house annually manufactures a largo num- 

 ber of fur-seal-skin articles. I am deeply interested in the protection of the fur- 

 seals. While the Northwest Coast catches have of late years placed upon the market 

 comparatively cheap skins, and in that way perhaps benefited my particular busi- 

 ness, yet I recognize the fact that such benefit can only be of temporary duration, 

 for I have always noticed that these catches are largely composed of female skins, 

 and I know that to kill female animals seriously impairs the herd. Besides, skins 

 are being now put on the market at such irregular times and in such uneven 

 quantities that buying them has become a speculative business. 



I believe that the whole trouble has been brought about by the Victoria and other 

 pelagic sealers, who furnish the present cheap skins. Both in order to maintain the 

 herd, and to restore the seal-skin industry to a sure footing, I should like to see all 

 taking of seals in the water prohibited. 



In March of this year, I made a contract with parties on the Pacific coast for their 

 supply of northwest coast skins (;. e. skins taken in the Pacific Ocean) caught dur- 

 ing the present year, and al)out a month ago I received the first consignment under 

 this contract. It was composed of the skins of the spring catch. Later on I expect 

 to receive two further shipments. 



The first consignment was placed in cold storage at the Central Stores in New York 

 City. 



A short time since I consented, at the request of the United States Government 

 that this consignment be examined, in order to determine how many female skins it 



