182 FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 



WeLster knew his business and that I certainly knew mine. He said that unless Mr. 

 Webster told him differently he would close school to-day. I said that I had uo way 

 of compelling him or forcing him to keep school, but if it was closed I would enter a 

 protest against such illegal action. I told him that he and others should want to do 

 their duty. 



Then I made the following uiemoraudum : 



These men are liable to do anything, and it would not surprise me if they should 

 close the school. He commenced the school September .5, 18H7, and I know of no 

 method by which he can hgure eight months out of it. 



That is my memorandum of April 30. 



Q. Did lie close the school? — A. I am coming to that^ 



May 1. — At breakfast this morning I told Mr. Clark that he should not close the 

 school, and that I again protested against it. No school this morning, and all the 

 books removed from the school-house. At 12.10 I handed to Daniel Webster, agent 

 of the Alaska Commercial Company, the Ibllowing : 



'' St. George Island, May 1, 1888. 

 " SiK : I write this and serve on you as a protest against the stopping of the school 

 and as a demand that the school be continued in accord.ince with the law and the 

 contract with the Alaska Commercial Company and the United States Government. 

 If the school is longer .stopped I will consider such action on your part a positive 

 violation of the company's contract with the Government. 

 "Respectfully, yonrs, 



William Gavitt, 

 " Special Agent of lite TJ. S. Treasury Department, 



*' In charge of St. George Inland." 

 ''Agent of the Alaska CowMEnciAL Company, 



" iSt. George Island." 



Q. He closed the school then ? — A. Yts, sir. 



Q. How much did you lack of having completed the term required by 

 law of the school ? You say the school commenced in September. — A. 

 It commenced September 5. 



Q. Yv'hen should it have terminated? — A. It should have closed 

 May 5. 



Q. And he closed it when? — A. May 1. 



Mr. Feltox. Making a difference of four days ? — A. The point was 

 not so much the four days, but it would have been just the same if it 

 was four months, as the question was who was in authority there. 



The Chairman. Do you know of any otlier acts of violation of cou- 

 tract or law? — A. No, sir; nothing pertaining to the contract of the 

 Government and the Alaska Commercial Company. Tliat is the only 

 thing, and that would not have been done if any other man than Mr. 

 Webster had been there. 



Q. Did the company furnish the natives on that island the amount 

 of food (the dried tish) the law required ? — A. Yes, sir. 



Q. Did they furnish the amount required by law ? — A. Yes, sir ; they 

 did. 



Q. Did they furnish the amount of fuel required by law ? — A. Yes, 

 sir. 



Q. Did they furnish medical attendance and medicine to the natives 

 on that island ? — A. Well, in a way. 



Q. Well, sir, state what it is. Is that required by law, however? — A. 

 No, sir. 



Q. What did they do about a doctor and medicine? — A. They have 

 a physician on the island ; of course I mean a medical man. But I do 

 not approve of their way of doctoring the natives. 



Q. Do they charge the natives for medical attendance? — A. Xo, sir. 



Q. Do they charge them for medicine ? — A. No, sir. 



