126 FUE-SEAL HEKD OF ALASKA. 



The Chairman'. Is it not true that Isaac and Herman Liebes held this ownership of 

 the said James Hamilton Lewis between tliem until July 29, 1891? 



Mr. Liebes. I have no personal knowledge of that. 



Mr. Faulkner. Mr. ("hairman. I think he ought to be allowed to say, too. that the 

 records show here that it was assigned in September. 1900. 



The Chairman. Yes; I think he has said that. Will you repeat what the considera- 

 tion was when ]\Iax Waisman transferred the interests that he had in the James Ham- 

 ilton Lewis to you? I asked you that this morning. 1 believe. 



Mr. Liebes. \\'hatever the document calls for. 



The Chairman. Mr. Liebe« filed an atHdaA'it with the Secretary at the time of the 

 execution of the lea.se that he was not knowingly engaged in 



Mr. Elliott (interposing). Pelagic sealing of any kind whatever; that was the dis- 

 tinct impression he gave to Mr. W'indom. 



The Chairman. Do you know how many pelagic sealskins were taken by the 

 James Hamilton Leiris in 1890? 



Mr. Elliott. I only know from the sworn depositions of one of her hunters. George 

 Wester, filed with the tribunal. 2,625 skins. (See S. Doc. 177. pt. 8, pp. 712-714, 53d 

 long., 2d sess. ) 



The Chairman. I have a letter which I received in behalf of the committee stating 

 tliat the James Hamilton Lewis ended a trip September 11, 1890, and had 1,464 sealskins, 

 and the collector of the port of San Francisco questions the 2,625 skins as I had sug- 

 gested in my letter to him. Can you explain the difference between those two sets of 

 figures? 



Mr. Elliott. The deponent. Wester, who swears that those skins were taken, ex- 

 plains it in his affidavit. He says they were taken in the spring catch; before they 

 went over to the Russian side they liad eleven hundred and odd skins, which makes 

 the 2,625 skins. The fourteen hundred and odd skins that came down to San Fran- 

 cisco September 11. 1890. came direct from the Russian islands. 



The Chairman. And in 1890 the Liebes were the owners of the James Hamilton 

 Leiris. 



Mr. Elliott. Yes: and so certified to Tlie Hague by Peirre and Townsend. who did 

 not deny it tliere. (P. 962. Hearing Xo. 14. July ;^0. 1912.) 



Washington, D., C, February 16, 1901. 

 Hon. Herbert H. D. Peirce, 



St. Petersburg. 



My Dear Mr. Peirce: Yours of 18th January came duly to hand. I can well 

 imagine how you feel toward my clients in the James Hamilton Lewis case; indeed, 

 I had quite a spat with them in San Francisco on the question of advancing you $500 

 on account of valuable services rendered, and made it clear to them they could not 

 escape payment to you in the event of the arbitrators awards being unfavorable. I wish 

 you render me a bill for money paid out in their behalf, that I may have it in 

 hand as the opportunity may be presented for me to meet them before the conclusion 

 ■of the case; if so, I will make another effort to secure a payment to you. 



I feel myself it is a long dry spell. ' Surely the end is near at hand when we will 

 get our pay with heavy interest to make up for the very shabby treatment you have 

 received. Whatever award is made and paid will come through the State Depart- 

 ment and by them paid to me as attorney of record, thus giving me the control of its 

 distribution at this end of the line, whicli insures your fee and my own. 



I thank you for the two copies of your presentation of the case, which by an oversight 

 of the department were sent to Ed at Philadelphia. In a letter from him received 

 to-day he informed me he had them and after reading would send to me. He said 

 your work stands out very prominently in the able brief you -submitted. He, with 

 myself, feels quite indignant at my client's refusal of my request; rely on my squaring 

 the goods satisfactorily when I get the check in my own hands. I thank you for 

 your kind expressions to me personally, and hope to wind up this long drawn-out case 

 to our mutual interests, the sooner the better, that we may have the benefit of our 

 ■share. 



As soon as you can give me an idea of the probable date of a decision, for my own 

 information only, I would be glad to have it. Wishing you the greatest success. 

 I am, sincerely yours, 



Geo. R. Tingle. 



