FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA 185 



Q. Prevented by whom ?— A. Dr. Noyes and Mr. Clark. Mr. Clark 

 told this man — txavQ him to understand — that there would be no more 

 work for him if he married that girl. 



Q. Have you other instances within your knowledge? — A. If it comes 

 under the head of whipping a Government officer or anything in that 

 hue, why I was threatened to be whipped. 



Q. Has the company's agent au opportunity to intimidate the action 

 of an officer, and to prevent him from performing his duty under the law 

 or under the lease? — A. They not only intimidated a Government offi- 

 cer, but abu?ed him shamefully. 



Q. State the acts constituting this and the instances, please, sir. — A. 

 Mr. Kirk told me five difliereut times that he would whip any Govern- 

 ment officer who interfered with his business. I asked him what he 

 meaut by his business, and he said " With the women." 



Q. Ilis business or the company's business ? — A. His private busi- 

 ness. 



Q. With the females ? — A. Yes, sir; anything that would tend to stop 

 it. Mr. Webster has also talked shamefully to me. 



Q. Did he attempt at any time or in any way to prevent you from 

 performing your public duties in execution of the law and the contracts 

 of the Government with that company? — A. Well, if the government 

 of the natives is concerned, yes, sir. 



Q. To what extent? — A. In regard to the natives, and making it so 

 disagreeable for a Government officer and his wife as that he almost 

 wished he was dead rather than go through such an experience. My 

 wife would be whistled at and ridiculed whenever she stepped out of 

 the house. We pulled down the curtains between the government 

 house and the comi)any house to prevent her from seeing things a de- 

 cent lady ought not to see. It is a Government house of prostitution 

 from one end to the other. 



Q. You mean the Government house? — A. No, the whole island ; the 

 way it is run. Every rule that is passed by the Government officer 

 Iho company's agent there endeavored to undermine it. Mr. Clark 

 went to a native there and offered him inducements to make quass on 

 the island. 



Q. W^ho is Mr. Clark ? — A. The school teacher on the island. 



Q. WHiere is he now ? — A. On St. George Island. If a man conflicts 

 with that crowd — I have not the descriptive ability to give you an idea 

 of how they can persecute him and harass him day by day. The sug- 

 gestion I have, as far as this is concerned, is that if you had a Govern- 

 ment officer there clothed with sufficient jiower there would be no 

 complaints of this kind, but until that day comes the natives can not 

 expect any help. 



Q. Mr. Gavitt, did you report these facts ? — A. Yes, sir. 



Q. To whom did you report ? — A. I reported them to Mr. Tingle. 



Q. Did you report this condition of affairs to Mr. Tingle? — A. Yes, 

 sir. The revenue cutter Bear came up there, and a sort of a court- 

 martial inquired into the facts. It continued its session from 7 o'clock 

 in the evening until, I think, half past 11 o'clock at night, and the evi- 

 dence was so shocking and disgraceful, that the captain came to me and 

 said, " You had better not let this thing go, as this thing is like a di- 

 vorce court." 1 demanded the papers, and ho told me he wonld give 

 them. He told my wife that he would give them to me, but he did not, 

 because he wa-s afraid I would give them to the newspapers. 



Q. Who was the captain ? — A. Captain Healy, of the Bear. 



Q. Mr. Jeffries. I believe this testimony is allowed a pretty wide 

 latitude, but I do not object to that. 



