134 FUR-SEAL HERD OF ALASKA. 



As there are two classes of claims, one for sealing and om for whalins:, I have the 

 honor to reijxiest that the expenses and fees of the sealing expert be charged to the 

 claimants in the sealing case. 



I have further the honor to recjuest that $1,000 be paid to the lion. Hertt H. H. D. 

 Peirce for his unusual expenses up to date, and during his journey as an advance 

 upon the contingent fee which will be due him from the award, and that the same 

 be deducted from the award of the Jdincn Hamilton Lewis when paid. 

 I have the honor to be, sir, very res]>ect fully, yours, 



(Signed) Geo. R. Tingle, 



Attoincij for the owners, officers, and crew 



of the James Hamilton Leivis. 

 To the Hon. John Hay. Secrctanj of State. 



The committee can find no exact i-ecoiJ of the Itill compensation 

 wliicli Dr. Townsentl received for his "expenses and fees" as paid 

 to him by Liebes, agreeably to the above nnderstamling. 



'NMien Liebes was interrogated (see pp. 894-895, Hearing No. 13) 

 he said: 



The Chairman. Now, here is something that I did not ask Mr. Liebes. Tn the 

 case of the damages of the James IJamiUon T^ewi^, did you settle with Tingle and 

 Peirce individually'.' And how with C. H. Townsend? 



Mr. Liebes. I settled with Ihe parties that had any claims, but who they were 

 I do not know. It was settled through my attorneys in 8an Francisco. 



The Chairman. This is a ((uestion by Mr. Elliott. Mr. Peirce said, on page 785, 

 that Tingle paid him J per cent, that to " ' somebody else 5 per cent, '' or " 2i per cent, " 

 that that was the equalization of the attorneys' fee which was deducted from the 

 award made for the James Hamilton Lewis, which you received in the James Hamilton 

 Leiris case? How' Avas that? 



^Ir. LlEBE.'5. I can not recall the circumstances. 



The Chairman. Now. here is a question that Mr. Elliott does not ask. Do you 

 know that the attorneys received 25 per cent? 



Mr. LiEHES. 1 don't know that. 



The Chairman. I mean Tingle and Peirce and somebody else. Now. Peirce saya 

 he received 10 per cent and that Tingle told him that he would haA-e to pay 5 per 

 cent or 2i per cent to somebody else, and that would even it up linally between Mm 

 and Peirce. Do you know anything about that? 



Mr. Liebes. No, sir. 



Tlie testimony dechxres that no other parties except Tingle, Peirce, 

 and Townsend appear as attorneys or "experts" in making np and 

 presenting this fraiidtdent claim of the James Hamilton Lewis at 

 The Hagtie, June 27-Jiily 4, 1902; and no hint, even, of any other 

 party, or parties, is recorded, save Liebes, who as Taigle's "client" 

 and the "owner" of the sa^d vessel and "claim" is held responsible 

 for the division of this award of $50,000, which he makes as snch, on 

 April 24, 1903, between Tingle, Townsend, Peirce, and himself. 

 (See p. 861, Hearing No. 13; and p. 785, Hearing No. 12.) 



This sum of the awartl was paid to Tingle aiul Liebes by the Sec- 

 retary of the Treasury; and the State Department "memorandum" 

 of the payments shows that Tingle divided $13,049 between Peirce, 

 Townsend, and himself as "fees." Peirce afhrins that division by 

 Tingle, on page 785, Hearing No. 12. Townsend denies it. The 

 official record shows that Tingle did make that division, as Peirce 

 swears. (See p. 861, Hearing No. 13; p. 785, Hearing No. 12.) 



