PE1UOD FROM 1871 TO 11)05. 705 



inside of their nets, giving us the first chance and only opportunity 

 we had to seine or get herring. Enough were taken, and could have 

 been taken, that day to have loaded the fleet. After that day there 

 was no opportunity to take any. Newfoundland nets were placed 

 where they never took a fish, and placed only for the purpose of pre- 

 venting our seining. My loss to vessel and ow r ners is not less than 

 5,000 dollars, and I claim indemnity to that amount. This loss is 

 owing entirely to the hostile acts of the Newfoundland fishermen. 



E. STAPLETON. 

 (17.) 



Deposition of Charles Dagle. 



GLOUCESTER, December 10, 1878. 



I, Charles Dagle, master of the American schooner Lizzie and 

 Namari, of .Eockport, district of Gloucester, do, on oath, depose and 

 say, that I know Mr. Bolt, who resided in a hut or shanty near Tickle 

 Beach, Newfoundland; that I was there on the 6th January, 1878, 

 and saw the hostile acts of the British fishermen. Mr. Bolt's hut is 

 about 150 yards back from the beach. I have been to Newfoundland 

 fourteen successive years, and never heard of any persons claiming 

 any rights on the beach, everybody using it in common. The three 

 huts there are in the nature of squatter property, used only in the 

 winter. Mr. Bolt never made any claim that I knew of; and the 

 American seines were not used within 300 yards of Bolt's place, 

 except where the seines were hauled on the beach by British fisher- 

 men and destroyed. The seines that were obliged to be taken up 

 were 500 yards or more from Bolt's place. The seine of the F. A. 

 Smith, Captain McDonald, was one-fourth of a mile away. Mr. 

 Hickey, a resident of Fortune Bay, had his seine nearest to Bolt's 

 house. Mr. Hickey's seine was the first seine set on the 6th January, 

 1878, and the British fishermen attacked him as well as the Americans, 



(Signed) CHARLES DAGLE. 



MASSACHUSETTS, Essex, ss: 



GLOUCESTER, December 12, 1878. 



Personally appeared Charles Dagle and made oath to the truth 

 of the above statement. 



Before me. 



[SEAL.] AARON PARSONS, Notary Public. 



(18.) 

 DepoKiiion of Willard G. Poole. 



GLOUCESTER, December W, 1878. 



I, Willard G. Poole, master of the American schooner Maud and 

 Effie, of Gloucester, do on oath depose and say that I know Mr. Bolt, 

 and also the location of his hut at Tickle Beach, Newfoundland ; 

 that I was there on the 6th January, 1878, and saw and know of the 

 operations of the American seines; that the hut of Mr. Bolt is fully 

 150 yards back from high-water mark from the beach; that I never 

 heard or knew of any individual or body of men claiming any pecul- 

 92909 S. Doc. 870, 61-3, vol :> b 



