186 FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 



The Chaikman. By what autlioiit^' was that court-martial held ; what 

 was the court-martial doiug there "? — A. He told me he had power 



Q. Who was he trying ? — A. The condition of things on the island of 

 St. George. 



Q. So he was simply investigating; it was not a court-martial proper ; 

 it was not a trial of anybody ? — A. 1 know Captain Healy sent his men 

 on the island to inquire. 



Q. It was just to inquire into the general condition of things there; 

 was that it? — A. Yes, sir. 



Q. He was making a general investigation, and no person was put 

 upon trial, and so it was not a court-martial, was it? — A. No. 



Q. Can you specify any other acts? — A. Kothing, except afiidavits of 

 the natives — that is, covering the point. 



By Mr. Felton: 



Q. You spoke of a Government house; what do you mean by that? — 

 A. We have a Government house on the island. 



Q. You did not mean the company house ?— A. There are two. 



Q. You used the expression " Government house." Did you mean 

 the company house or the Government house ? — A. I do not remember 

 the connection in which I used it. In the Government house were my 

 wife and myself, and the company house was the headquarters of the 

 company men. 



Q. I understood you to speak of certain improper acts going on in 

 the Government house ; you mean the company house ? — A. Yes, sir. 



Q. Do you know of any importations of liquor by anybody there ? — 

 A. No, sir. There was one case I remember. A man came there from 

 Oonalaska and brought a bottle of perlnmery and a preparation what 

 he called medicine for his father, the priest. I told him he could not 

 have it until he saw the doctor, and the doctor gave him permission to 

 keep it for his father and to use it for medical purposes. 



Q. You do not know that the company imported any or sold it, or at- 

 tempted to do it ?— A. They never sold it. If they had any they gave 

 it away to their favorites there. 



Q. Do you know of any imported for that purpose ? — A. No ; I never 

 searched the men's bagpage — that is, the employes' baggage. 



Q. I suppose liquor could be smuggled in by a sailor or any one who 

 stopped there by taking a bottle in his pocket? — A. Very likely. No 

 doubt of that. There is no direct law to cover anything. The Govern- 

 ment oflQcer does not know what to do; he is at a loss. The company 

 does not approve of this condition of affairs, but it has been going on so 

 long it is a terrible punishment to ask a man to go to that island with 

 his wife and to live with the company's people and eat at their table 

 and to sail on the same vessels and afl that sort of thing. The condi- 

 tion of things there was so bad that if I owe the Government an apology 

 it would be for not having Webster shot on that island, as there is a high 

 law in view of this condition of things. 



Q. I suppose the Government could hardly indorse that ? — A. I 

 hardly think so; but they would take their chances of indorsement 

 rather than go through the abuse my wife and I have received. 



Q. Is it not a fact that the general character of the native women in a 

 moral sense is what we would call very loose? Is not that the character 

 with them ?— -A. Yes. 



Q. Is not that their past history as far as you know and as far as 

 you have heard of it? Are not their social relations very peculiar? — A. I 



