FUR-SEAL HERD OF ALASKA. 121 



T" e Chairman. It way decided, tl.en, tiiat, s} e was not in Russian waters? 



!\Ir. Peirce. T" e arbitrat(jr accepted absolutely my argument. 



TLe Chairman. In order to sustain your argument, it was necessary to prove that 

 the master was an American citizen and that the vessel was owned by American 

 citizens? 



Mr. Peirce. Yes. 



Ti e Chairman. Wl o wa.'^ t]:e master? 



Mr. Peirce. One Alexander McLean. 



The Chairman. Can you tell from memory wl eti.er tlie Russians found some seal- 

 skins when s" e was captured? 



Mr. Peirce. My recollection is tl ey did, and that damages were awarded for the 

 seizure of those sealskins. 



The Chairman. As well as for the property? 



Mr. Peirce. As well as for the property and the loss of the probalile catch. 



The Chairman. If I am not mistaken. I think they had 424 skins. 



Mr. Peirce. That is my recollection. I am somewhat vague. 



TI e Chairman. You also proved to the satisfaction of the tril)iinal that tl;e vessel 

 was owned l)y American citizens? 



Mr. Pkirce. I filed sucli documents as I could ol)tain, whicli appeared to establish 

 t^ e owners' ip of t" e vessel. 

 ■ The Chairman. Who were the owners? 



Mr. Peirce. H. Liebes & Co., I believe. 



The Chairman. Who were they? 



Mr. Peirce. I can only answer from hearsay. 



The Chairman. Just in a general way. 



Mr. Peirce. I think they were dealers in sealskins or promoters of pelagic sealing, 

 or something of that sort; I do not know. 



The Chairman. You finally settled. You may tell the committee what your com- 

 pensation was. if you will? 



Mr. Peirce. Certainly. My compensation in the case of the C. H. White, and I 

 think also the Kate and Anna — I am not sure of that — no; my compensation in the 

 case of the C. //. White, ioi which I recovered an award of $52,000, was $5,000, less 

 my counsel fees, which amounted to $1,000. I received $4,000. 



The Chairman. Did anybody else receive any compensation? 



Mr. Peirce. I do not know. I presume James Embry got a large compensation, 

 but I do not know\ 



The Chairman. Who went with you to The Hague tribunal? 



^Ir. Peirce. IMr. Townsend. I forget his initials. 



The Chairman. Charles Townsend. 



Mr. Peirce. He had been employed, I think, by the Treasury Department when 

 the care of the seal herd was under the Treasury Department. 



The Chairman. He was sent with you as an expert? 



Mr. Peirce. As an expert. 



The ('Hairman. To assist you in presenting the case? 



Mr. Peirce. Yes, sir; as a witness. 



The (Chairman. Did he receive any compensation? 



Mr. Peirce. That I do not know. He received, if my recollection serves me 

 aright, his traveling expenses, which I think I paid to him, to be refunded out of 

 the award. 



The Chairman. Did you pay him any money out of your fee? 



Mr. Peirce. No, sir. (Townsend. Bureau of Fisheries "Expeit." aids Peirce, 

 p. 784.) 



ISAAC LIEBES FALSIFIES IX RE OWNERSHIP, AND INTEREST IN THE 

 BUSINESS OF PELAGIC SEALING AND ITS PRACTICAL PROMOTION, 

 AS A LESSEE OF THE SEAL ISLANDS. 1890-1903. 



Mr. Faulkner. Mr. Liebes. will you state to the committee whether you were 

 Interested in the /. Hamilton Leans f 



Mr. LiEBE.s. No; not tomy knoivledge. (P. S3:'). Hf-aring Xo. 1:'). June IS. 1912.) 



INVE'^TIOATION" of FUR-.SEAL industry of ALASKA. 



The Chairman. You were tlie owner at one time of the J. Hamilton Leuiis? 



Mr. Liehes. I was not. 



The Chairman, \^'as it iMit transferred to you by Merman Liel)es? 



Mr. I.iEBEs. x\ever, that I know. 



